VLC Multimedia Player Shows Changing Open Source License Is Hard, But Possible

Licenses lie at the heart of open source -- and many other kinds of "open" too. That's because they are used to define the rights of users, and to ensure those rights are passed on -- that the intellectual commons is not enclosed. Their central importance explains in part the flamewars that erupt periodically over which license is "best" -- many people have very strong feelings on the subject. 

On Techdirt.

How Microsoft Fought True Open Standards V

Ten years ago, people were saying that open source would never be able to best proprietary software. But what they overlooked was the fact that Apache had already beaten Microsoft's IIS Web server offering back in the mid-1990s, and had never lost that leadership once. 

On Open Enterprise blog.

Could This Be the Key to the Open Desktop?

A la rentrée 2007, le conseil régional d'Ile-de-France distribuera près de 200 000 clés USB équipées de logiciels libres.

[For the return to school in 2007, the regional council of the Ile-de-France will distribute 200,000 USB drives containing free software]

More specifically, OpenOffice.org, Firefox, Thunderbird and VLC, all wrapped up in Framakey:

Experience Freedom wherever you go

The FramaKey is a package of ready to use Free Software, mounted on a USB key, that makes the life of the nomad user a lot easier.

Its goal is to provide you with the best of windows Free Software, already installed and set to run directly from your FramaKey. In doing so, there is no need for an installation, you can not only experience the software safely, but you do so without leaving any personal information on the host computer.
Running FramaKey:

The main advantage is that you can experience the freedom of not only moving anywhere with your documents and files, but also with your own, known and customized software environment.
A “Home Sweet Home” feeling anywhere, without leaving your prints and data on the computer hosting your FramaKey.
Examples:

The FramaKey will let you:

* Take your web browser with you, already set to your needs (skins, extensions, favourites, etc.), for safer browsing when on the move (FireFox).
* Manage your email accounts from the host computer without any need to modify its settings (Thunderbird).
* Work on your text documents, spreadsheets, and slideshows from the best fully-integrated office application suite of the Free Software world (OpenOffice.org).
* Play just about any format of multimedia file, either audio or video, from the host computer without any player installation process (VideoLAN).
* Listen to your favourite tunes, either from .mp3 or .ogg files, from an easy, efficient and fast player (CoolPlayer).
* Save time by quickly and efficiently editing your files, no matter what the size, using a powerful editor with enhanced capabilities (SciTe).

Why can't more places do this?