I'm running for public office in Seattle and am making open-source 
software 
a campaign issue. Amazingly, I haven't learned of any other candidate 
in 
the U.S. who is promoting "freedomware." The only other open-source 
candidate I know of is a man running for office in Spain.

My technical knowledge of open-source is very weak, but I appreciate 
the 
social and political implications. It seems like most Linux buffs are 
just 
the opposite, but I know there must be some activists out there. One of 
my 
goals is to encourage more people to run for office in 2004 and 
subsequent 
years, promoting freedomware as an alternative to corporate corruption, 
Microsoft spyware and U.S. unilateralism. (However, I hope they promote 
some additional issues besides!)

Sure, Linux may eventual triumph over Microsoft in the end, but why not 
make it happen in three years instead of ten, at the same time raising 
the 
public's awareness of a variety of issues affecting computer industry, 
the 
Internet and Big Brother?

Accordingly, I have two requests:

1. Please inform of any other individuals you know who are currently 
running for public office and making open-source software a campaign 
issue, 
or who are interested in doing so in the future.

2. Help me publicize my campaign, by sharing this e-mail with your 
newsgroup or linking to my website(s). My campaign website (my first 
website hosted on a Linux server) is at http://www.seaschools.org/  The 
Freedomware page is at http://campaign.seaschools.org/freedomware/  
(Feel 
free to notify me of errors or offer ideas or opinions; I plan on 
revising 
the entire site soon.)

My primary website is at http://www.geobop.com/ The inner design is 
technically flawed, but I've been working on a massive revision for 
more 
than a year. I will soon have as many as a dozen websites, all hosted 
on 
Linux servers and promoting Linux and Mozilla.

It would be really cool if some Linux groups could somehow lobby some 
of 
the Linux or high-tech journals to write something about my campaign. 
So 
far, they've all turned me down. I know Bill Gates would be very 
unhappy if 
my campaign was publicized, which makes me even more determined to get 
the 
word out.

I'm also making George W. Bush a campaign issue and have the most 
provocative anti-Bush website in the Pacific Northwest. (One ISP even 
pulled the plug, falsely claiming it violated the Patriot Act!) Yet the 
local media won't even mention my name - even though Bush is visiting 
Seattle at this very moment! Of course, living in Bill Gates' backyard 
doesn't help.

Thank you.

David Blomstrom  GeoBear@geobop.com