I would like to take a few moments to introduce Buffalo, the access point and router which provides network connectivity to portable computers in the FSF's office.

More specifically, we are using Buffalo WZR-HP-G300NH, which features the free-software-supported Atheros AR9132 chipset with 32MB of flash memory and 64MB of RAM.

Previously, Buffalo ran OpenWRT, a GNU/Linux firmware distribution which is very popular with tinkerers seeking to gain a greater understanding and control of their own embedded devices. Despite representing an important advancement compared to proprietary stock firmware which usually comes preinstalled on devices like Buffalo, OpenWRT unfortunately still contains some binary blobs for which source code is not available.

Recently, a community of concerned programmers has emerged determined to remedy this situation. To advance the free software frontier in yet another area, they have built LibreWRT, a completely free GNU/Linux distribution for embedded devices, based on OpenWRT. Once the project evolved into a full–fledged distribution, the FSF was eager to give it a try.

Thus, encouraged by assurances in the documentation that Buffalo is virtually impossible to brick, I set out to flash the device with "Creative Craftsman," the current development version of LibreWRT. First, I needed to build the image. Thanks to clear documentation and use of familiar tools such as GNU make, the process of building the LibreWRT image for Buffalo turned out to be pretty straightforward.1 When in doubt about the next step to take, I sought help on the #librewrt IRC channel of Freenode, where I received useful advice from the developers of the project every time I asked.

After I finished the build process and identified which of the generated images is the appropriate one, I proceeded with flashing via TFTP without major difficulties following instructions on the OpenWRT wiki.2 Once logged in, I was presented with BusyBox, a popular lightweight free software Unix-like environment. Even for those without much expertise in router configuration, configuring LibreWRT is relatively painless. Again, the OpenWRT wiki has plentiful resources to guide the user through the entire process with many examples of the most commonly used setups.3

With the final stage concluded, I am happy to report that Buffalo has been chugging along without any hiccups providing wired as well as wireless network connectivity for all the portable computers in our office for over a week now. It used to be the FSF's only computing device containing binary blobs. Now, the FSF can proudly confirm that even all of the unused software present on its computing devices is free. To learn more about LibreWRT, and how you can use and support the project, head to their official wiki at http://librewrt.org.

¡Hay 13 nuevos lanzamientos de GNU!

• binutils-2.23
• bison-2.6.4
• coreutils-8.20
• freeipmi-1.2.2
• gnuhealth-1.6.4
• gnutls-3.1.3
• libcdio-0.90
• libextractor-1.0.1
• parallel-20121022
• patch-2.7.1
• units-2.01
• xnee-3.14
• zile-2.4.9

Para obtener los anuncios de los lanzamientos GNU mas recientes, suscribete a la lista de correos info-gnu: http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/info-gnu. Casi todo el software GNU está disponible dehttp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/ o preferentemente alguno de sus mirrors (http://www.gnu.org/prep/ftp.html). Tu puedes usar la URL http://ftpmirror.gnu.org/ y seras automaticamente redireccionado a mirror actualizado más cercano.

Algunos paquetes GNU, como también el sistema operativo GNU en su conjunto están buscando tener gente que se encargados de ellos y otros tipos de ayuda. Por favor ve ahttp://www.gnu.org/server/takeaction.html#unmaint si te interesa ayudar. Los lineamientos generales de cómo ayudar a GNU estan en http://www.gnu.org/help/help.html. Para enviar nuevos paquetes al sistema operativo dale una mirada a http://www.gnu.org/help/evaluation.html.

Como siempre, sientete libre de escribirme, karl@gnu.org, con cualquier pregunta relacionada con GNU o sugerencia para instancias futuras.

There were 13 new GNU releases this month!

Releases as of October 29, 2012:

• binutils-2.23
• bison-2.6.4
• coreutils-8.20
• freeipmi-1.2.2
• gnuhealth-1.6.4
• gnutls-3.1.3
• libcdio-0.90
• libextractor-1.0.1
• parallel-20121022
• patch-2.7.1
• units-2.01
• xnee-3.14
• zile-2.4.9

To get announcements of most new GNU releases, subscribe to the info-gnu mailing list: http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/info-gnu. Nearly all GNU software is available from http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/, or preferably one of its mirrors (http://www.gnu.org/prep/ftp.html). You can use the url http://ftpmirror.gnu.org/ to be automatically redirected to a (hopefully) nearby and up-to-date mirror.

A number of GNU packages, as well as the GNU operating system as a whole, are looking for maintainers and other assistance. Please see http://www.gnu.org/server/takeaction.html#unmaint if you'd like to help. The general page on how to help GNU is at http://www.gnu.org/help/help.html. To submit new packages to the GNU operating system, see http://www.gnu.org/help/evaluation.html.

As always, please feel free to write to me, karl@gnu.org, with any GNUish questions or suggestions for future installments.

Join the FSF and friends on Friday November 2nd, from 2pm to 5pm EDT (18:00 to 21:00 UTC) to help improve the Free Software Directory by adding new entries and updating existing ones. We will be on IRC in the #fsf channel on freenode.

Tens of thousands of people visit directory.fsf.org each month to discover free software. Each entry in the Directory contains a wealth of useful information, from basic category and descriptions, to providing detailed info about version control, IRC channels, documentation, and licensing info that has been carefully checked by FSF staff and trained volunteers.

While the Free Software Directory has been and continues to be a great resource to the world over the past decade, it has the potential of being a resource of even greater value. But it needs your help!

If you are eager to help and you can't wait or are simply unable to make it onto IRC on Friday, our participation guide will provide you with all the information you need to get started on helping the Directory today!

When it comes to making sales, once just isn't enough for big publishers and record labels. Publishers, Hollywood, and the music industry--many of the same folks who brought you SOPA and PIPA--are trying new tactics to control what we can do with copyrighted material after we buy it.
Our friends at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) are fighting them hard in court. This week the Supreme Court is hearing Kirtsaeng v. Wiley, and the outcome could have enormous repercussions for the longstanding "first sale" doctrine. First sale is what gives you the right to resell things you have purchased, but now companies are trying to find a way to control the secondary market (like ebay, craigslist, or your tag sale). According to the EFF, "The Kirtsaeng case specifically deals with textbooks, but the Court's decision is likely to affect a range of markets and consumers. If the court goes the wrong way on this, it could threaten your ability to buy and sell all kinds of products that might contain copyrighted material."

It should come as no surprise that while this case relates to textbooks, the RIAA and the MPAA are all over it. They have filed their own legal briefs and have lobbied the Obama administration to do the same. But they won't stop there. These powerful lobbying interests are also working to find loopholes that will take away our ability to own anything copyrighted in the future. We increasingly live in a world where digital books, music and movies cannot be purchased, only "licensed." These "end user license agreements" -- often combined with proprietary software -- prevent us from selling or modifying what we've paid for, and even prevent us from lending ebooks to friends or using text-to-speech to read ebooks aloud.

Big Hollywood and big music won't stop there. New legislation will undoubtedly be their next attempt to satiate their greed. The Free Software Foundation is working with our friends at the EFF and Demand Progress to defend our first sale rights and fight coercive end user license agreements. Visit the EFF's site to tell Congress to defend your rights to do want you want with the digital goods you paid for.