Here’s what the candidates for Gainesville city commission have told us in response to our questionnaire:

(P.S. Elections are next Tuesday, March 29. Please vote!)

Gabriel (Web site)
Candidate for At-Large Seat

• The use of free / open source software on city computers? (Free, or open source, software is software that provides certain freedoms to users, e.g. the rights to modify and redistribute.) I am not sufficiently knowledgeable about this issue. Generally, I favor open access with minimal application of copyright protection, but as a photographer who specializes in manipulation of images, I am leery of acceptance of any and all forms of audio and visual manipulation. There must be an internet point to yelling fire falsely in a crowded theater but I don’t as yet know what it is.
• The use of open file formats for city documents? (Open file formats are file formats based on open, non-proprietary standards developed by multiple parties.) Government has some limited free speech rights and protections. The impression that government images could be manipulated to endorse certain products, services, or individuals is frightening to me.
• Making public documents and government information available online? Absolutely in favor, in keeping with the exemption policies drafted by the State legislature, to protect certain interests on earth.
• Making Channel 12 government access television programming available online? Absolutely in favor.
• Designing city Web sites to be standards-compliant? (Standards-compliant Web sites are sites that comply with the open, non-proprietary standards developed through the World Wide Web Consortium.) It sounds good, but I don’t know enough about this subject.

Rob Brinkman (Web site)
Candidate for At-Large Seat

• The use of free / open source software on city computers? (Free, or open source, software is software that provides certain freedoms to users, e.g. the rights to modify and redistribute.) I am no fan of Microsoft and hope that my next computer will run on an open source software such as Linux. There could be some compatibility issues, staff should be asked to investigate the options and report back to the commission. I do know that this could be a potential area of financial savings to the City.
• The use of open file formats for city documents? (Open file formats are file formats based on open, non-proprietary standards developed by multiple parties.) I particularly dislike the pdf documents, they often cause my computer to lock up. Using open file formats for documents would seem to be a logical result of using open source on city computers.
• Making public documents and government information available online? I am an advocate for open records and easy access to public documents. The only reservation I have to posting documents online concerns arrest reports and other similar documents where the persons named have not yet had due process. Generally though I am often frustrated when trying to get information from the City of Gainesville’s web site and would like to see a complete overhaul.
• Making Channel 12 government access television programming available online? I have been a supporter and advocate for public access TV (PATV) since the beginning of the campaign to restore our public access channel. Making both channel 12, and a future PATV channel online would broaden the distribution of the content to those without cable service. There may be issues with the contract with Cox cable however. Every means to investigate means for wider distribution of local government issues should be explored. The best government is one with the widest citizen participation, that’s what democracy is all about.
• Designing city Web sites to be standards-compliant? (Standards-compliant Web sites are sites that comply with the open, non-proprietary standards developed through the World Wide Web Consortium.) As mentioned above, the City’s website needs all the help it can get. It would seem that transitioning to open source standards-compliant could save the city money and make it’s website more user friendly and easier to access information from.