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Welcome to another issue of the Brave GNU World. Since we are once again at the begin of a new year and this is the time to reorient and take breath for the next year, this issue will only introduce a few projects. Most of it will be dedicated to more fundamental issues.

欢迎来到又一期的《勇敢 GNU 世界》。 因为我们再一次来到新年的开始， 正是重新调整方向并且为了下个年度稍稍喘息一下的时候， 因此这一期将只介绍几个工程。 大部份将会致力於较为基本的议题上。 【译注：为求优译，中英文并陈将持续到下一期被发表之后； 在此期间，请不吝於提供对於本文翻译的意见。】

First though, this Brave GNU World will open with one of those little projects which are always in danger of remaining unknown.

虽然如此， 本次《勇敢 GNU 世界》首先， 仍将以一些总是处在不被认识的危险中的小工程开始。

Ninvaders（空间入侵者的仿制品）

Ninvaders [5] by Dettus -- his "real" name is Thomas Dettbarn, but he asked me to prefer Dettus -- is a clone of the console classic "Space Invaders."

由 Dettus -- 他的「真实」姓名是 Thomas Dettbarn ， 但是他希望我用 Dettus -- 所完成的 Ninvaders ， [5] 是主控台（console）经典「空间入侵者（Space Invaders）」 的仿制品（clone）。

In order to also be playable via ssh and on the console, Ninvaders is based upon the ncurses [6] library, which gives the game a sort of retro-charm that will certainly be appreciated by many people.

为了也能够经由 ssh 而在主控台上玩， Ninvaders 奠基於 ncurses [6] 函数库， 因而给了这游戏一种必然会引起许多人相当欣赏的 「复古魅力（retro-charm）」。

The original version of Ninvaders was written during a sleepless night, using C as the programming language. Thanks to the help of Mike Saarna, not long after that the aliens began to move.

Ninvaders 的原始版本是在一个睡不著觉的晚上写成的， 使用 C 作为程序语言。 感谢 Mike Saarna 的帮忙， 不久之后〔游戏中的〕外星人开始会动了。

Since Dettus currently does not have the time to keep developing the game and the project is also still hosted by means of Dynamic DNS without additional safety precautions, help is surely very welcome; especially since it appears that a hard disk crash has already impacted upon the project.

由於 Dettus 目前并没有时间继续开发这个游戏， 而这个工程也仍然以动态 DNS 的方式进行架设（hosted）， 没有额外的事前安全警告， 因此帮忙可以肯定是受到欢迎的； 特别是由於似乎硬碟崩溃已经冲击过这个工程〔的情况下〕。

Being under the GNU General Public License (GPL), Ninvaders naturally qualifies as Free Software, so it will hopefully have a long life.

以 GNU General Public License (GPL) 加以发布， Ninvaders 天生就合乎作为自由软件〔的要求〕， 因此将可以期待它会有个长寿命。

GNOME-Annotate（GNOME - 注释工具）

Another program of the category "small but smart" in constant danger of remaining unknown is GNOME-Annotate [7] by Andreas Persenius.

另一个可以被分类为「小而聪明」， 并处在不被认识的经常性危险中的程序是， 由 Andreas Persenius 所完成的 GNOME-Annotate [7]。

GNOME-Annotate is available as Free Software under the GNU General Public License (GPL) and allows taking notes while working with the web browser or another program by marking text segments and saving them into a file with a single mouse-click. That way a user creates a simple text file in which important text blocks, URLs and other notes are saved.

GNOME-Annotate 可以 GNU General Public License (GPL) 作为自由软件而取得， 它允许在当与网络浏览器或其他程序一起工作时， 以一击滑鼠按键的方式， 标记文字断片（marking text segments）并储存它们到一个档案中。 以那种方式， 使用者可以制作出一个储存有重要的文字区块、 URLs 和 其他笔记 的简单文字档。

The idea for this tool came from Olaf Grüttner, but since he could not program, Andreas Persenius implemented it in Python. On Andreas' site you will also find some other useful little programs, by the way.

这工具的想法是来自 Olaf Grüttner， 但是因为他不会写程序， Andreas Persenius 就将它以 Python 实作。 顺道一提， 在 Andreas 的网站， 你也可以找到一些其他的有用小程序。

Among them is a program working its way through a list of web pages in order to automatically notify the user whether any of them changed since it was last run or a small popup for quick google search.

在它们之中有个小程序努力地经由一份网页的列表， 以达成自动地通知使用者自最后一次运行后， 列表之中〔的页面〕是否有任何一个页面已经改变了， 否则会有一个小蹦现（popup）〔出现〕以进行快速的 google 搜寻。

So a paying a short visit to the software page [7] of Andreas Persenius is encouraged.

因此鼓励〔大家〕稍微拜访一下 Andreas Persenius 的软件页面 [7] 。

RULE（到处可运行最新 Linux 的工程）

Because hardware is so cheap in many countries that most people can afford new computers, it is often forgotten that this is not the case everywhere. In fact we have to expect that many people will depend on having to work with computers for a long time that are outdated already today.

因为硬件在许多国家是这样地便宜， 许多人支付地起新的电脑， 但〔我们也〕时常忘了并不是到处都是如此。 事实上， 我们必须预期许多人将会被迫在今天已经过时了的电脑上工作一段长时间。

In order to allow these people access to recent and up-to-date software, the RULE ("Run Up3Date Linux Everywhere") project [8] was started in February 2002. Its goal is not creating another - potentially specialized - GNU/Linux Distribution.

为了允许这些人可以使用最近以及最新的软件， RULE （意义为：到处可运行最新 Linux 的工程 「Run Up3Date Linux Everywhere」） [8] 在二○○二年二月开始。 它的目标不在於创造出另一个，可能会被特殊化的 GNU/Linux 散布件。

Instead it bases its work on an existing general purpose distribution by selecting those packages that offer the best functionality while having the least intensive hardware requirements.

取而代之的是， 它将它的工作基础建立在一个现有的一般目的散布件上， 选择那些提供最佳的功能， 同时具有最少强硬件需求的〔软件〕包。

Also the large integrated graphical user environments have been left out on purpose, since X11 and KDE or GNOME often require massive resources. Instead the projects uses TinyX.

- Instead the projects uses TinyX.
+ Instead the project uses TinyX.

为了达成目标， 大型的整合图形使用者环境被省去， 因为 X11 和 KDE 或 GNOME 通常需要巨大的资源。 这个工程以 TinyX 来作为替代。

Since the project team - purely out of personal preference - has decided to build upon Red Hat, they also seek to modify the Red Hat installer in a way that it will run with less than 32MB RAM or create a replacement, if necessary.

由於这个工程团队 -- 纯粹出於个人的偏好 -- 决定了以 Red Hat 来建构， 它们也寻求修改 Red Hat 的安装器（installer）， 使其在某种程度上可以在少於 32MB RAM 的状况下运行， 或是在必要的情形下做出一个代替品。

The RULE project coordinatior is Marco Fioretti, whose area of activity is mostly documentation, the web page, lobbying, PR and some scripts. Most of the code so far was written by Michael Fratoni; by now the mailing list of the project has about 100 subscribers, however.

- The RULE project coordinatior
+ The RULE project coordinator

RULE 工程的协调员是 Marco Fioretti， 他的活动领域大部份是〔制作〕文档、 〔编写〕网页、游说、公共关系和〔撰写〕命令稿。 到目前为止大部份的〔程序〕码是由 Michael Fratoni 所撰写的； 然而现在这个工程的邮寄清单已经有了约一百名加入者了。

Marco Fioretti, who also filled out the Brave GNU World questionnaire, also sought to emphasize that the decision to base work on Red Hat was due purely to coincidental preference of the project founders. Work done within the RULE project itself is also Free Software under the GNU General Public License and he believes that most of it should be transferrable to all GNU/Linux or *BSD / *NIX distributions.

Marco Fioretti， 这个填来《勇敢 GNU 世界》问卷的人， 强调以 Red Hat 作为基础进行工作的决定， 纯粹只是由於符合工程创立人的偏好。 在 RULE 工程中完成的工作， 本身也是在 GNU General Public License 下的自由软件， 并且他相信它的大部份应该可以被转移到所有的 GNU/Linux 或 *BSD / *NIX 散布件。

So even though the team lacks resources to pursue those directions, such intiatives are clearly wanted. The same is true for possible support of non-X86 platforms.

因此即使这个团队缺乏资源致力於那些方面， 这样的出发点显然〔表明那些方面〕也是想要〔致力於完成〕的。 〔这〕对於「非-X86」平台的可能支援，〔也〕同样成立。

Help is also wanted in the form of developers, the identification of suitable applications, providing intelligent (automatic) configuration or a logo - and of course through testing the distribution.

开发员、 确认出合适的应用程序、 提供聪明（自动的）组态（configuration） 或是一个 logo （美术标志）等帮忙也是需要的 - 当然，还有经由测试这个散布件〔的帮忙方式〕。

Should the project be successful, Marco also sees potential "collateral use" for other small platforms like coming generations of PDAs and mobile telephones.

这工程应当可以成功， Marco 也看到了给其他小平台， 像是下一代的 PDAs 和 行动电话 等具有潜力的 「并行使用（collateral use）」。

Maybe the project may become relevant for rich countries quicker than most people realize today.

也许这个工程与富有国家变得相关的速度， 会比今天大部份人了解的还要快些。

So much for technical projects, now I'd like to approach some of the promised "larger" questions.

关於技术性的工程有这么多〔可说〕， 现在我想要进行一些〔先前〕所承诺的「较大的」问题。

与信息时代的战争

Regular readers of the Brave GNU World should be aware that there are many fields in which current conflicts will decide the future ofthe information age. Since the situation is quite complex and probably not fully known to all readers, I will try to give an overview over what I usually title "The end of the information age" [9] in presentations.

- ofthe information age.
+ of the information age.

《勇敢 GNU 世界》的老读者应该可以察觉到， 目前冲突中的许多领域将会决定信息时代的未来。 因为状况相当复杂并且大概没有被所有的读者完全地了解， 我将试著给予一个我通常在简报中标题为「信息时代的终结」 [9] 的概观。

A reasonably well-known aspect is patents on software, which already exist in the United States and Japan and threaten to become legal in Europe. As for instance the very comprehensive collection of information assembled by the FFII [10] shows, there is no scientific or social benefit to be gained from allowing software patents.

一个合理地为众所皆知的观点是在软件上的专利权， 已经在美国和日本存在并且也威胁著在欧洲成为法律问题。 说到例子， 由 FFII [10] 所聚集的相当广泛的信息集合显示， 并没有科学或社会利益可以经由允许软件专利权而获得。

Their only purpose is to prevent competition and innovation by giving established large companies a legal mean to drive innovative concepts or companies out of business by taking them to court. Or as Bill Gates put it: "A future startup with no patents of its own will be forced to pay whatever price the giants choose to impose."

- a legal mean to drive innovative concepts
+ a legal means to drive innovative concepts

他们的唯一目的在於， 经由「建立大公司的一种法律途径， 将开创性的观念或公司送到法庭以〔将它们〕排除到商业活动之外」的方式， 来避免竞争和创新。 或者如 Bill Gates 所说： 「一个没有它自己的专利权的未来新开始〔的公司〕（startup）， 将会被迫支付任何巨人选择加诸〔於其上〕的任何价格。」

So when recently a study was run [11] in order to prove a positive effect of software patents it did not bring the result desired by those who performed it. For this and other reasons, the German ministries of economics and work (BMWA) and the ministry of inner affairs (BMI) are extremely critical with regard to software patents according to statements by their employees.

所以当最近一项研究为了证明「软件专利权的正面影响」而进行 [11] ， 却没有得出实行它（这项研究）的人所想要的结果。 为了这个以及其他的原因， 德国的经济与工作部（BMWA）和内政部（BMI）根据他们雇员的证词， 对於软件专利权表现出极端的批判态度。

That the majority of small and medium enterprises (SME) are very critical about software patents is also the result of a questionnaire run by the European Union, in which 91% of all replies were against software patents. [12] The study also already implicitly concedes that Free Software and software patents are exclusive concepts.

而且由欧洲联盟所进行的一项问卷调查的结果也显示， 中小型企业（SME）的大多数对於软件专利权都非常批评， 全部回覆中的百分之九十一反对软件专利权。 [12] 这项研究也已经暗示性地承认『自由软件』 与软件专利权是不相容的观念。

But since the voices of the large companies were more favorable, the conclusion is drawn that an "economic" majority existed. Given that most of the gross economic product comes From the small and medium enterprises in Europe, this conclusion seems pretty far-fetched.

但是由於大公司的声音较被重视， 得出的结论是存在一个「经济的」大多数。 由於在欧洲， 大部分的经济生产毛额是来自於中小型企业， 结论看起来非常没有抓到重点。

So pushed by the large corporations, patent lawyers and patent offices, software patents shall now be introduced in Europe. Supported also by the German government, by the way, as its "official" position is defined by the ministry of justice (BMJ).

因此由大公司、专利律师 和 专利局 所推动， 软件专利现在将会被导入欧洲。 顺道一提， 这也是由德国政府所支持， 因为它的官方立场是由司法部（BMJ）所定义。

The other interest group fighting the information age are large media companies.

另外一个与信息时代战争的利益团体是大型的媒体公司。

Facing economic and structural problems, which some people blame mostly on the digital revolution and the internet, grossly neglecting other factors, DRM has become a magic word. A fitting expansion for this acronym is "Digital Restriction Management" and refers to ultimate control of every piece of digital content.

- every piece of digital content
+ every piece of digital contents

面临到经济与〔社会〕结构问题， 一些人将大部份〔原因〕怪罪到数位革命以及互联网， 并且相当地忽略其他的因素， DRM 已经变成了一种神奇的字。 这个首字母缩写语的一个合适的扩展是 「数位限制管理（Digital Restriction Management）」； 并且谈论到要对数位内容的每一个小片断进行极端的控制。

Of course this is only possible if every computer, every PDA and every mobile phone becomes an obedient servant of the media industry, controlling all digital content regardless of its author or source. Establishing total control over all intellectual and commercial activity around hard- and software is the prerequisite to enforce this.

- around hard
+ around is hard

当然这只有在当每一台电脑、每一部 PDA 和每一支行动电话， 都变成了「控制了所有数位内容，而不论其作者或来源的」 媒体工业的奴仆时才有可能。 建立包含围绕著的所有知识与商业活动的全体控制是艰难的 - 而软件是实施这〔行为〕的必要条件。

The best possible outcome is an ultimate oligopoly of US companies, the worst case scenario is one monopolistic media-hardware-software giant.

最好的可能结果是美国公司的一种极端的 〔（少数公司）对市场的〕控制， 而最坏的情节则是〔出现〕一间〔涵盖〕 「媒体-硬件-软件」的垄断巨人。

Of course these visions cannot become reality based upon technology alone. Therefore laws are being pushed forward that seek to prevent working around this mechanism and creation of alternative approaches.

当然这些〔预先的〕设想不可能光由技术本身而成为现实。 因此法律已经被推著向前， 寻求防止步入此一机制并且创造出可供选择的〔替代〕作法。

The first major step is the "Digital Millennium Copyright Act" (DMCA), which became sadly famous through the imprisoning of Dmitry Sklyarov.

跨出的第一个主要的步伐是 「数位千禧年版权法案（Digital Millennium Copyright Act，缩写为 DMCA）」， 它很遗憾地是经由将 Dmitry Sklyarov 关进牢中而变得有名。

The law says that also intellectually touching things that the industry considers to be technical protection measures becomes punishable. Or put differently: It is not only punishable to do something illegal, it is also punishable to do something that a third person might theoretically use to do something illegal.

- be technical protection measures
+ be protected by technical protection measures

这法律说， 〔只是〕知识性地接触被工业认为受到技术保护措施所保护的事物， 也变成是可处罚的。 或是换个方式说： 并不只是去做某件违法的事才是可处罚的， 去做某件「第三者理论上可能用来去做某件违法的事」的事， 也是违法的。 【译注：举例来说，一间杂货店的老板可能在不知情的状况下， 贩卖了一把罪犯用来行凶的水果刀而被捕。 理由是他竟然贩卖显然「可能」用来行凶的水果刀， 却不考虑杂货店的老板是基於正当的用途（切水果）而贩卖它。 按此逻辑， 酒醉车祸的受害者也可以控告汽车制造商， 理由是它贩卖了「可能」造成酒醉驾驶人肇事的「汽车」， 即使发生车祸的原因是「酒醉」而非「汽车」。】

Dmity Sklyarov was co-author of a program to convert text between two formats, one of which claimed to posess "technical protection measures." Fear of repression has already led some developers like Alan Cox to boycott computer conferences in the United States, because he fears his work on file system drivers for the Linux kernel could be considered sufficient legal grounds for similar oppression.

- which claimed to posess
+ which claimed to possess

Dmity Sklyarov 〔先前〕 是某支在两种格式间转换文字的程序的共同作者， 其中一种〔格式〕宣称拥有「技术保护措施」； 〔受到〕压制的恐惧已经导致某些开发员， 像是 Alan Cox ，抵制在美国的电脑会议， 因为他害怕他在 Linux 内核的档案系统驱动程序的工作， 可能会被认为具有「给予类似压制的足够法律根据」。

The Norwegian teenager Jon Johansen also got to enjoy the effect of the DMCA when the US government pushed the Norwegian government into imprisoning him. His mistake was to write a program to play his legally bought DVDs on his own GNU/Linux PC since there was no software available to do this already. This is in clear violation of the DMCA.

当美国政府督促著挪威政府将他送入监牢时， 挪威的青少年 Jon Johansen 也开始享受到了 DMCA 的效应。 他的错误在於撰写了一支程序， 以在他自己的 GNU/Linux 微机上， 播放他合法购买的 DVDs， 因为没有已经可以用来做这件事的软件可以取得。 这很清楚的是对 DMCA 规定的违反。 【译注： Jon Johansen 已经获判无罪。】

But Europeans can no longer feel as safe as they could, because Europe now has its own version of the DMCA, the "European Copyright Directive" (EUCD) which has to be put into national law before the year 2002 runs out.

但欧洲人再也无法如他们所能的那样安全， 因为欧洲现在有了它自己的 DMCA 版本， 「欧洲版权命令（European Copyright Directive ，缩写为 EUCD）」 在二○○二年结束前将会成为国家法律。

Both DRM and DMCA are obviously incompatible with the principles of Free Software, which aims at equal chances, freely available markets, informational self-determination and prevention of dependencies and monopolies.

DRM 和 DMCA 这两者显然都与追求平等机会、 〔可供〕自由地取得的市场、 信息的自我决定 以及 防止〔成为〕附庸和垄断 的『自由软件』原则不相容。

But this is not the end. The next step comes under the name of "Palladium" or "Trusted Computing" (TC), although a more honest expansion of the TC acronym would be "Treacherous Computing."

但这还没结束。 下一步将会以「确保安全（Palladium）」这个名称登场； 或是「可信赖的计算（Trusted Computing）」， 虽然 TC 这个首字母缩写语的一个较为诚实的扩展应该是 「奸诈的计算（Treacherous Computing）」。

Its idea is to have all processors used within all devices from mobile telephone up to mainframes only execute centrally authorized and controlled software. Other, potentially self-written, software will not be executed by such processors.

它的想法是要让「从行动电话到大型主机的所有设备中使用的所有处理器」 都只能够运行中心式地授权和控制的软件。 其他的， 可能是由自己写成的， 软件将无法被这样的处理器所运行。

This would be the ultimate unfreedom and the end of all informational self-determination.

这将会成为极度的非自由， 也将是所有的信息自我决定的终结。

But since such platforms would certainly be avoided by many people with enough background knowledge, this initiative also has its adequate legal counterpart, which comes under the name "Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act" (CBDTPA).

但是因为这样子的平台将肯定会被具有足够背景知识的许多人所避开， 这项倡议也有它合适的法律上的相当物， 名称为「多频消费性商品以及数位电视促进法案 （Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act ， 缩写为 CBDTPA）」。

This law is currently being discussed in the United States and it will outlaw all hardware without such controlling capabilities.

这项法律目前正在美国讨论， 而它将会宣布所有没有这样子控制能力的硬件是非法的。

Whether and in which form this law would then make its way over to Europe will very much depend on how strong the pressure on the European Union will be. If DMCA and EUCD were examples, it can only be a few years.

不论〔是否作成〕，也不论以何种型式〔作成〕， 在欧洲这项法律是否成功， 将会视欧洲联盟所承受的压力有多大而定。 如果以 DMCA 和 EUCD 作为例子来看， 可能只是几年的时间而已。

This would be bad enough in itself, but it still ignored the long-term effects. Freely quoting Newton who wrote in 1676 "If I have seen further it is by standing on ye shoulders of Giants," it has to be understood that knowledge of one generation provides the intellectual grounds for the next.

这在它本身就已经够糟糕的了， 但是它仍然忽视了长期〔所造成的〕结果。 『自由地』引用牛顿在一六七六年所写下的话， 「如果我有看得更远，那是因为站在巨人的肩膀上。」 必须了解到的是一个世代的知识， 是提供作为下一个〔世代〕的知识基础。

Only a solid foundation of free knowledge can secure the education and intellectual progress of the next generation. The described actions to uphold power at all cost are effectively depleting the intellectual foundation of future generations; as such they constitute a form of robber economy.

只有一个自由知识的坚实基础， 才能够使下个世代的教育和知识进步获得安全〔保障〕。 描述中的「不计任何代价高举著权力的行为」 有效地减少了未来世代的知识基础； 他们也依此， 构成了一种型式的强盗经济。

Also it cements the division into poor and rich, since all these mechanisms favor concentration of power, money and knowledge in a single point. And already today it is a prerequisite for countries to acknowledge the rules pushed forward by the media industry in order to be eligible for credits by the world bank.

它也深化了贫富的分离， 因为所有的这些机制都喜欢将权利、金钱和知识集中到一个点上。 而且今天它对於国家也已经是必须的了， 承认由媒体工业所推进的规则， 以获得世界银行的信用资格。

All these developments proceed mostly without being realized by the media and public. Only rarely can good articles be found about the subject; like the one published by Richard Sietmann in the c't 24/2002 under the title "Wissen ist Geld" ("Knowledge is money"), which describes the situation pretty well.

- Only rarely can good articles be found
+ Only rarely good articles can be found

所有这些进行中的发展， 大部份都没有被媒体和大众所认识。 关於这个主题只有很少的好文章可以被找到； 像是一篇由 Richard Sietmann 在 c't 24/2002 ， 以标题「《知识就是金钱》（Wissen ist Geld）」所出版的文章， [13] 它几乎〔完整地〕描述了〔目前的〕处境。

Since that article puts different foci and also is more elaborate in some aspects, the article can only be recommended to readers capable of reading German.

因为这篇文章带入了〔一些〕不同的焦点， 同时在某些观点上较为详尽， 因此这篇文章只被推荐给能够阅读德文的读者。

现在该做些什么？

So much for the problems. Natural results of understanding the situation are outrage and shock.

对於这些问题有这么多〔可说的〕。 了解这状况的自然结果是愤怒和震惊。

Unfortunately this often leads to frustration, which favors stagnation rather than change, which would be no good start for 2003.

不幸的是这通常导致挫折感， 而这〔感觉〕喜爱「停滞」胜於「〔作出〕改变」， 这对於二○○三年并不是个好的开始。

发挥你的影响力！

Of course there are limits to the individual and direct influence as well as the individual power. Deducing that therefore nothing can be done is the wrong conclusion, however.

当然， 不但个别以及直接的影响有其局限， 个别的力量也是如此。 然而〔据此〕推论出因此没有任何事可以被作成， 则是个错误的结论。

There are many ways of taking influence. As the boycott of South African products showed a couple of years ago, making a conscious decision of where to spend your money is felt.

有许多方式可以发挥影响。 如同数年前抵制南非产品所显示〔的一样〕， 感觉到〔自己〕作出〔应该〕在哪里花你的钱的有意识的决定。

This means that a conscious decision to buy Free Software or hardware from producers who support Free Software and/or offer drivers as Free Software themselves can create a new balance.

这表示， 有意识地购买『自由软件』或是从支持『自由软件』 以及／或他们自己提供作为『自由软件』的驱动程序的制造商处购买硬件， 可以创造出一种新的平衡。

Also insisting on content that is available for Free Software is a small but, in combination, clearly noteable part.

- clearly noteable part.
+ clearly notable part.

坚持内容也必须可以为『自由软件』所取得是一小步， 但结合起来， 很确实的是值得一提的一大步。

Democracies also provide the means of voting in order to have direct influence. This instrument is admittedly not very fine-tuned as all power is transferred for the whole legislative period to a single person or party, which usually stands for many different things that can only be "bought in a bundle."

民主也提供了投票的方式以作出直接的影响。 这种手段一般公认并不是非常好调整的〔一种〕， 因为所有的权力在一整个立法会期中， 都被转移到一个个别的人或政党， 而这个人或政党通常代表著许多不同的， 只可以被「捆在一起地买」的事物。

If you think this was pretty much everything people can do, you are forgetting one of the most powerful means: Personal engagement.

如果你想这大概是人们所能够做的所有事了， 你已经忘了其中一个最有力的方式： 个人涉及关系（Personal engagement）。 【译注：即，「与你有关，你就有发言权。」】

A crucial strength of democracy is that people can influence decisions directly and immediately involved through personal and public "convincing work."

民主的一个重要力量是， 人们可以经由个人以及大众「所信服的事」， 直接而且立即地影响牵涉到〔他本身〕的决策。

This is usually used most effectively and frequently by large companies and interest groups. That is not necessarily the case, however.

- This is usually used most effectively
+ This is usually mostly used effectively

这大部份通常被大公司和利益团体有效且经常地使用。 然而那并不必要是如此。

Of course getting organized is an initial effort that needs to be performed. But not everyone has to create or be a new organization, people have always worked together in order to reach their goals.

当然组织起来是第一个需要进行的初期努力。 但是并不是每一个人都必须要创造或成为一个新的组织， 人们总是在一起工作以达成他们的目标。

So if you don't feel like accepting the developments described above, you can search for other, likeminded people and get active.

所以如果你并不觉得自己可以接受上述的发展， 你可以寻求其他的志趣相投的人们， 并且采取行动。

You can do this by creating a new organization or by working as a volunteer with one of the organizations that already exist - like the FSF Europe. [14]

你可以创立一个新的组织， 或是以作为一个已经存在的其中一个组织 - 像是 FSF 欧洲 - 的自愿者来做这事。 [14]

I know that most people only have limited time to spend on such activities, even though they would like to do more.

我知道大部份的人只有有限的时间可以花在这样的活动上， 尽管他想要做得更多。

Here are some basic ideas that might give you a new perspective.

这里有一些可以给你一个新观点的基本想法。

The problem of shared labor is very old, it has accompanied mankind for thousands of years. The most successful means of sharing labor has been accepted by most people so much that it often isn't even recognized as such by the majority: Money.

分担劳务是个很老的问题， 它伴随著人类已经有几千年〔的历史〕。 已经被大多数人所接受的最成功的分担劳务的方式就是金钱 -- 它使用地如此普遍以致大部份人甚至没有察觉到。

In fact the monetary system is based upon the need of finding a way to share labor since it is more efficient if not everyone tries to be and do everything. By concentrating on certain tasks, these can be done better and more efficiently with a minimum of effort.

事实上， 货币系统是奠基於寻找一种分担劳务的需要， 因为在不是每个人都试著要成为或者做任何事的情形下它最有效率。 经由专注於特定的任务， 这些事情可以最少的努力更好且更有效率地完成。

The role of money is that it allows two people to exchange labor even if they don't know each other personally.

金钱的角色在於， 它允许两个人在即使私下互不认识彼此的状况下， 〔仍然可以〕交换劳务。

The financial system clearly has its weaknesses and flaws - so maybe it will be replaced by something better one day. But the crucial point right now is that money can not only be percieved as an abstract number but rather as "frozen labor."

- can not only be percieved
+ can not only be perceived

金融体系清楚地有它的弱点和缺陷 - 所以也许有一天它会被某种较好的东西给替换掉。 但是目前的重点在於， 金钱不可以只被认为是一种抽象的数字， 而〔应该视为〕是一种「被冻结的劳务」。

So when we gain a certain amount of "frozenlabor" through our work, it becomes our decision to decide where and when that labor will be unfrozen again.

- amount of "frozenlabor"
+ amount of "frozen labor"

所以当我们经由我们的工作获得某些量的「冻结劳务」时， 决定在哪以及何时将劳务再次解冻就成了我们的事。

Put in context this means that if we don't have time to do something ourselves but we wish to see it done, we can make sure that someone else takes the time to do it by giving them a certain amount of our time in form of "frozen labor."

- by giving them
+ by giving she or he

由文章脉络的进行可以表示出， 如果我们没有时间自己去做某些事情， 但我们希望看到它被完成， 我们可以给予某个其他人以「被冻结的劳务」形式〔表达〕 的我们的时间的特定数量， 以确定他或她付出时间来做它。

This is normally referred to as a donation.

这正常来说被称为捐赠。

And opposed to voting at an election, you have the control over how much of your power is transferred to whom for what period of time.

- you have the control over how much
+ you have to control over how much

与在一次选举中投票相比， 在选举中， 你必须控制你的权力有多少被转移给谁， 以及在什么时期。

The amount as well as the receiver(s) are chosen freely by the donor, who has fine-grained control over the country or region this donation should be used in. Normally this will be the country the donor lives in, but this is not mandatory.

数量以及受领人是由捐赠人自由地选择， 他对於捐赠应该使用在什么国家或地区具有细微的控制。 正常来说， 将会是捐赠人居住的国家， 但这并非强制。

不做任何事的人，也改变不了任何事！

So I would like to encourage all readers not to resign and not put your hands in your laps waiting for the end to come.

因此我想要鼓励所有的读者不要放弃， 也不要把你的手放在膝上， 等著末日的到来。

Please look for an organization that addresses these issues and that you feel comfortable supporting and get active.

请寻找一间提及这些问题并且让你感到放心的机构， 然后采取行动。

Should you decide to support the work of the Free Software Foundation Europe, I would of course be very happy. General information about supporting our work can be found online [15] as well as information about how to make donations (tax-deductable in some parts of Europe). [16]

如果你决定支持欧洲自由软件基金会的工作， 我当然会很高兴。 关於如何支持我们工作的一般信息可以在线找到， [15] 同时也有关於如何作出捐赠的信息 （在欧洲某些地区可以减免税金）。 [16]

送到《勇敢 GNU 世界》的各项工程

Suggestions for projects in the Brave GNU World are mostly submitted by readers or by the authors themselves, although many authors often consider their project to be not interesting enough for the Brave GNU World. This makes it important that readers of the Brave GNU World address the authors directly.

在《勇敢 GNU 世界》中， 针对工程的建议大部份是由读者或是作者他们本人所送来， 虽然许多作者通常认为他们的工程对於《勇敢 GNU 世界》并没那么有趣。 这使得《勇敢 GNU 世界》的读者直接告诉作者变得重要。

In order to simplify it for authors to communicate the essential information and in order to allow readers addressing interesting, weird or funny projects directly, the "Brave GNU World standard questions" have been created, which are also available on the Brave GNU World web site. [17]

为了简化给作者传达必要信息， 以及为了允许读者直接传达有趣、怪诞或好玩的工程， 「《勇敢 GNU 世界》标准问题」因此被制作出， 它也可以在《勇敢 GNU 世界》的网站上取得。 [17]

So the next time you come across a project where you think that other people might also appreciate knowing about it, just send the standard questions to the author and ask him or her to fill them out. Maybe you will then discover the projects along with some interesting bits you didn't know about in one of the next issues of the Brave GNU World, which is open to all projects of Free Software.

因此下次你偶然见著了一个其他人可能也会喜欢知道它的工程， 就把标准问题寄给作者， 并且请求他或她把它们填满。 也许你接著会发现这些工程以及一些你先前并不知道的小片断， 会出现在《勇敢 GNU 世界》接下来的其中一期中， 并且这对於所有的『自由软件』工程都开放。

下回见

So far for the Brave GNU World in 2002, for the upcoming year I wish all readers only the best and of course I'm asking for lots of feedback, ideas, questions, comments and project submissions by email. [1]

这就是二○○二年到目前为止的《勇敢 GNU 世界》， 在即将来到的〔下一〕年度， 我祝所有的读者都好， 当然， 我请求各位以电子邮件〔送来〕许多反馈、想法、问题、意见和工程提交。 [1] 【译注：请以英文或德文撰写邮件，其他的语言无法被了解； 或以中文送到本文翻译。】