What is the role of free software and the developers who believe in a higher
cause? It is my belief that our role is to take back the freedoms that have
been stolen from us by trickery and subversion. What can we possible offer
to the masses? Another social networking program, word processor, or some
cool nitch application? How about giving back their voices, security, and
privacy.
I have been writing software since 'pip' was how you copied a file in CPM. I
have programed through DOS, windows, and now write web applications with a
firebird back-end. I also am a Patriot. Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine are
some of the people that I hold in the highest esteem. So you see, this topic
is the best of both worlds to me. I also host a Blog talk radio show once a
week to talk about current events, prepping for the bad times ahead, and
calling out the lies and the insanity that has overtaken the world
governments and the financial systems that underpin and support the everyday
lives of almost everyone on this planet. There is little doubt, to anyone
with any reasoning skills left, that we are moving rapidly to a fascist
state.
While the new and popular movements , like OWS and such, are beneficial, the
exposure of the message to the masses is still controlled by entities who
are in fact enemies of the people. As long as the voice of the people can be
muted, or spun into a lie, the ones in control will stay in control and move
this Country ( and World) toward any destination of their choosing.
This is where we come in.... offer the chance for the people to regain their
voice and alleviate the increasing frustration of not having a say in the
important matters that impact their life's.
I think with the current technologies ( hardware, software, data encryption)
a system could be bolted together fairly rapidly that could be used to
create a digital unique 'personal' certificate. To ensure uniqueness ( no
person could ever hold more than one), some bits of biometric information
has to be offered at the creation of the certificate 'object'. I know that
now I am raising an array of red flags, big brother....etc, but hear me out.
None of this information is ever stored, but is used in the encryption
process to develop the 'masterkey' that allows the holder access to all the
objects attributes (name, address....). No one but the originator has the
private key, and in fact, no other attributes need be added if the holder
does not wish to. The only thing that is important is that the certificate
is unique and that it represents a valid living person. THAT IS ALL. The
only information held on any server would be the encrypted 'outcome' of the
biometric input. No voice tape, or fingerprint scan, or retinal scan would
ever be stored.... only the outcome of the algorithm that encrypted that
piece of data. The only reason to even store that is to ensure that another
certificate could never be created for the same person.... or a mix of
people. I envision that at least three bits of information would be needed
to ensure uniqueness, and all could be done in the privacy of one's house
with the current phone technologies. A voice sample, a fingerprint scan and
maybe a ear or eye scan ( using the phone camera). The programs on the
server would process each piece through 'standard' algorithms and look for
an existing match. If no match is found for all submitted information, the
applicant is issues a certificate, a master key, a public key, and a empty
'certificate' object is created.
So what do we have here? We have a digital certificate that is 'my' proxy in
the digital world. It is me, without name, address or any other information.
It represents a living person. Anything that I attach my certificate to has
my 'certified' endorsement. It cannot be faked, and only 'I' can attach it
or allow anything else to become attached to it.
Let's carry this a step further. If this 'system' can also produce
'sanctioned' certificates for other purposes, lets say a poll wants to
become 'people' certified, then our system could release an 'object' that
could become part of the website that is hosting the poll. Respondents could
attach their certificates to the poll and register their vote. The results
of such a poll is automatically elevated to the highest of reliability.
There is no spin, there is no data manipulation, there is only a certified
results. If this concept is embraced by the public, then any poll not
'people' certified would be suspect. When certified poll results start
hitting politicians desks, these will be reviewed intensely, because they
are the true voice of the people.
One more example, then I will let this go for now. Why does the police need
any other information about who owns/driving a car than your certificate? If
your certificate is attached to the car registration object, then if ever
pulled over, a scan of your fingerprint would validate that yes, this
certificate (you) is attached to this car. No name, no address, no personal
information. A citation would be attached to your certificate, but your
personal information is secure.
Food for thought....
The main point in all this is who do you entrust to look out for your rights
and liberty. We the people, or the government or private corporations. We
need to take this bull by the horns and lay claim to our rights, and
security. If we don't... they will. Safe guards must be put in place so this
type of system could never be hacked and if it it was, there would be little
to no information to gather.... only a bunch of encrypted data that points
to nowhere.
That is a breif overview of a system that could put GNU on the map. There is
much, much more to this system, and it needs lots of outside thought. I feel
that the implications could be world changing. What better place to
introduce these thoughts than here.... where freedom is not just a word, and
the collective brain power here could bring this system into reality
lighting fast. I would like the system to be called 'Legion', because it is
us.
Thanks for your time.
Rich
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Stallman" <[email protected]>
To: "Dave Crossland" <[email protected]>
Cc: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 8:57 AM
Subject: Re: [libreplanet-discuss] New GNU
It is behavior that social movements
seek to change, not blah blah about 'values.'
I disagree. We need to change both, as every social movement does.
We can influence other people's values by
* Acting in accord with our values, and
* Talking about those values, so people understand why we do what we do.
So if you present these items in reverse order, 5 4 3 2 1, that is
much more likely to make sense to people - especially if there are
lots of concrete examples like 5, many slightly abstracted examples
like 4, something like the '4 freedoms' on the level of 3, perhaps a
few more ways of phrasing 2, and 1 is irreducible.
You might be right about that.
--
Dr Richard Stallman
President, Free Software Foundation
51 Franklin St
Boston MA 02110
USA
www.fsf.org www.gnu.org
Skype: No way! That's nonfree (freedom-denying) software.
Use Ekiga or an ordinary phone call
