Problem: have a set of ODT files (tech transfer contracts) that I need to update, but not just now, because they contain a stale proprietary notice that needs to be changed. Perhaps I will never update them all, but only a few. So I prefer to put a notice in each of them to say "hey, you haven't updated notice X yet". They are hundreds in tens of folders and subfolders.
Solution: Luckily they are ODF files, ODF is a zipped XML, a PERL module exists to do incredible tricks.
I have then made this basic script, just tweaking the example provided:
Introducing the website by Mark Webbink on legal aspects of Free Software (AKA "open source"), such as licensing, software patents, copyright of Free Software.
Mark has been doing great work with Red Hat and I worked with him during the long months of preparing the Microsoft case. He is incredibly knowledgeable about these matters and has a talent for writing about them. Nowadays Mark is in private practice and teaches at Duke University too. He is also member of the Board of the Software Freedom Law Center of my friend Eben Moglen (see the weblinks).
No doubt this is an important resource for all those searching information about legal aspect of Free Software. Don't miss it!