[Ubuntu-BD] Important notice to all Gmail users from the Free Software Foundation

[Nasimul Haque]

Yes, Gmail is a closed/proprietary software. However, you are not
forced to use the HTML version of the Gmail. You can easily use your
own email clients with POP3/IMAP. If you are really committed to not
using any proprietary software, just don't use the web interface. Use
any open source email client like Thunderbird, KMail, etc.

If you want full control of your data and privacy then you have to
have your own email server on your own machine. Any kind of 3rd party
server will have a copy of your data just like gmail does.

The phrase "taking control of your computer" does not mean that google
can watch your computer or can go inside your computer. It means that
if you use a proprietary software and rely on it very much then you
are controlled by the company. That is, it might be difficult to
change your software later. Just like windows and MS Office. Once you
are committed to windows and MS Office it's very hard to use any other
software. Not only for the user friendliness but also the file
formats. Which means the incompatibility introduced by the proprietary
software developers are hard to overcome when switching software.

It is good to raise the awareness and try to open source the gmail
eventually. But there's no security issue of getting yourself hacked
by Google.

Therefore you can either completely stop using Gmail or use free (open
source) email client.

Anyway, Having copies of my emails in google servers give me peace of
mind. It's very unlikely that I'll loose my emails over my lifetime.
And I cannot afford myself an email server built with my own hardware.
I'd trust google much more than any other random email host services
on privacy and data protection.

On 10 May 2011 06:48, Mohammad Mukhtaruzzaman <jewel98 at gmail.com> wrote:
> যদি ও এটা Linux related নয়। তবে Open Source/ Free Software related।
> তাই Important মনে করে শেয়ার করলাম।
>
> http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/jstrap/gmail?39141
> --
> Mohammad Mukhtaruzzaman (Jewel)
>
>
> On 5/10/11, Matt Lee <info at fsf.org> wrote:
>> Did you know that, like you, nearly 50% of the 40,000 subscribers to the
>> FSF's supporter mailing list have an @gmail.com email address?
>>
>> JavaScript, once lauded for adding simple visual effects to web pages,
>> is now used by web sites like Gmail to run powerful programs on your
>> computer. These programs, like any other program running on your
>> computer, should be free software. But right now, the vast majority of
>> JavaScript programs do not respect your essential freedoms to run,
>> study, modify and share them. They take control of your computer away
>> from you; the same control we have been working for over 25 years to
>> protect.
>>
>> Because of the incredibly high percentage of Gmail-using free software
>> supporters, we're taking action to raise awareness about how to use
>> Gmail *without* using proprietary software. We'll also be
>> working on longer term solutions, but the most immediate positive step
>> to take is to stop running the proprietary programs.
>>
>> Many people suggest that you shouldn't use Gmail at all, because it
>> means losing control over your data and privacy. We agree that this is
>> a very important factor for you to consider when choosing how you will
>> handle your email.
>>
>> But since you are already using Gmail, please help us build momentum for
>> change by not using the proprietary
>> JavaScript on your system -- and helping others to do the same.
>>
>> http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/jstrap/gmail?39141
>>
>> Yours sincerely,
>> Matt Lee
>> Campaigns Manager
>> Free Software Foundation
>> --
>> Sent from the Free Software Foundation, 51 Franklin Street
>> Fifth Floor
>> Boston, MA 02110-1335
>> United States
>
> --
> Ubuntu Bangladesh
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bd



-- 
M. Nasimul Haque
Senior Developer
Appliansys
Coventry, UK
http://www.nasim.me.uk