Richard Fontana

Born and raised in Brooklyn (4th Largest City in America). Lawyer with interests in free software/open source, open-ish AI/machine learning, and other nontraditional IP. Reputed national treasure. Often seen attempting to play the piano. Arch-modernist with no feeling whatsoever for modernity. Proud merry/marry/Mary distinguisher. Orphan. Wivrciwhvstg. 日々是好日 📍 Boston outer suburbs | Manhattan

Last Notes

2025-09-03 17:28:49 UTC

gnu.org appears to be down?

2025-08-26 20:46:52 UTC

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https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/097/020/955/163/570/original/7e99d2a917fd953f.mp3

2025-08-26 20:25:07 UTC

Fun fact: In my idiolect, "adder" (snake) and "adder" (one that adds) are pronounced differently (the initial vowels are different, something like [a] vs. [æə]. When I first learned about adders (digital circuits) I initially assumed they were named after snakes (I think I thought the schematic representation of an adder circuit looked a little like a snake) and I pronounced them accordingly. In fact I still naturally pronounce the circuit "adder" like the snake.

2025-04-29 03:18:09 UTC

How do you pronounce "cosplay"?

2025-03-27 14:51:46 UTC

Also, @npub1l3h…5455 I think your article missed the most important occurrence here which is that the OSI conducted a vote but is refusing to publish the full results.

2025-03-27 14:48:58 UTC

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Also Thierry Carrez is quoted as saying "It's the first time that we had candidates running that would not sign the board agreement". First, again at the outset of voting I considered myself likely to sign the board agreement. Second, OSI doesn't know that because OSI never required mere *candidates* to sign the board agreement before AFAIK @npub1lw7…vea6 @npub1aug…cjsn

2025-03-27 14:44:11 UTC

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Speaking for myself, I actually agreed to the controversial 19-word clause but submitted an addendum providing a clarification on what I think it ought to mean (preserving a right of OSI board directors to publicly dissent on matters of public interest) @npub1lw7…vea6 @npub1aug…cjsn

2025-03-27 14:41:26 UTC

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2. @npub1lw7…vea6 is quoted saying @npub1aug…cjsn & I "refused to sign the board agreement Code of Conduct"; however as previously noted the board agreement isn't itself denominated a "board agreement Code of Conduct". We each submitted modified versions of the 2-page agreement in which we agreed to all but one 19-word clause which was the subject of a reform platform plank. The board agreement refers to a separate OSI Code of Conduct which we each explicitly agreed to in those modified versions.

2025-03-27 14:32:26 UTC

A couple of issues with @npub1l3h…5455's article on the #OSI board elections:
1. "This board agreement has existed for five years in its current form, but it is the first time that candidates decided to run while publicly communicating they would not sign it". I never communicated that I wouldn't sign the board agreement (I don't think @npub1aug…cjsn did either). As I have said elsewhere, at the outset of the vote I assumed I'd sign it if invited to join the board following publication of vote results. (cont.)

2025-03-21 22:50:20 UTC

I'm seeing some people here suggesting the @npub1djq…zj5f excluded me and @npub1aug…cjsn from the vote results because we didn't want to use Docusign. This is almost certainly not the case. For one thing, I *did* use Docusign to download a semi-personalized PDF of the board agreement. I respect @npub1aug…cjsn's principled objection to using Docusign, but I use it from time to time out of necessity and even briefly had a trial personal Docusign account last year.

2025-03-21 22:34:30 UTC

Pretty good article on the OSI elections by @npub1tgd…sw7q https://lwn.net/Articles/1014603/ (currently subscription-access)