Alright, let's dive into this free software foundation Europe thing, the FSFE.
The more I look at them, the more I think, oh, they're doing some really cool stuff
with
advocating for software freedom.
So we've got like a ton of articles and news right from them.
And I think it kind of shows what they're all about and how they're making a
difference.
Yeah, it's really interesting how they take those kind of big, you know, software
freedom
ideas and make them actually do things in the world.
So let's get right into it.
What are they doing to make that happen?
One of their, I guess, key activities that I saw was this public money, public code
campaign.
And they're really pushing that any software that was made with public funds should
be
free software available for everyone.
I think that's really interesting because it really aligns well with like
transparency
and democratic values, right?
It's about making sure that citizens have access and control over the technology
that,
you know, they're paying for.
Yeah, for sure.
For sure.
It makes total sense to me.
I mean, they're not just, uh, I guess laser focused on that policy stuff.
They're also doing a lot to educate and engage people of all ages.
They have this book, 80 and Zangamon, which uses the fun story about, you know,
skateboards
and raspberry ice cream to introduce young people to software freedom.
Yeah.
What do you think about that?
I think it's, I think it's super important to bring those concepts to people when
they're
young.
Right.
And it's like the book highlights the software freedom isn't just this like
technical issue,
right?
It's empowering people, especially young people to understand and shape technology.
For sure.
Yeah.
And it's not even just through books.
They're actively supporting like the next generation of programmers with things
like
this youth hacking for freedom competition where young coders like get to make
their
own free software projects and show off their creativity and get like hands on
experience.
It seems like a good way to make sure it keeps going.
Right.
Yeah, absolutely.
I think they really get that like a lively community of developers is really
essential
for the long term, you know, survival and success of free software.
So getting people involved early on is great.
Yeah.
And then there's also the RUC project, which aims to make software licensing more
understandable.
I don't know about you, but I've definitely gotten lost in the lethal documents
before.
Oh, for sure.
I think what's great about RUC is that it shows that they're really committed to
like
empowering people.
Right.
So simplifying licensing gets rid of a barrier for folks to engage with free
software and
understand their rights.
Yeah, that accessibility is key.
And speaking of celebrating free software, they have I Love Free Software Day every
February
14th.
It's a chance to give thanks to all the developers who make the software we use and
love.
Oh, that's really cool.
What's a piece of software you use that you'd want to thank the developers for?
I think for me, it would have to be Firefox, which is a great example of a free
software
alternative to like some of the bigger web browsers.
And it respects privacy and gives me more control.
Yeah.
I think that's a great choice.
Firefox has been really important in like supporting open standards on the web.
For sure.
So we've kind of seen how they're engaging with the community, bringing up the next
generation,
but they're also, you know, in the thick of it with legal and policy matters too.
Right.
Like their involvement with the Apple and the European Commission legal case to
protect
free software.
That was a big deal.
Yeah.
Yeah, totally.
They're pushing for things like device neutrality, which is basically the right to
run whatever
software you want on any device.
Have you run into those restrictions before?
Oh, absolutely.
I think we've all had that like frustration of being locked into one thing or, you
know,
being blocked from installing what we want.
Yeah, for sure.
For sure.
And they're fighting for router freedom too, which is challenging those internet
service
providers who try to control which routers people can use.
Yeah.
These are the important battles for freedom in the digital world.
The FSFE is tackling them head on.
They're really advocating for user rights and pushing back against, you know, that
restriction
stuff.
Yeah, for sure.
They're making sure our voices are heard.
So let's look at some recent news from them.
They got a pretty big win with the EU consultation on the digital Europe program.
They got the community together and advocated for sustained funding for free
software.
This is huge, right?
Because it shows the power of collective action and that people are recognizing the
importance
of free software in Europe.
Totally.
And almost 800 people responded to the consultation, which is a lot.
So it shows that people are paying attention.
What do you make of that?
I think it's great to see that response.
I think people are understanding how valuable free software is and how it can
benefit society.
For sure.
Which kind of makes the European Commission's attempt to cut like 27 million in
funding
for free software projects even more weird, right?
Yeah.
It seems like they're missing the bigger picture, I guess.
It does make you think, you know, about their priorities, but I think this shows
that we
need to keep, you know, keep advocating and educating so policymakers understand
how important
free software is.
For sure.
And a bit of a more bittersweet note.
The FSFE recently gave the European Free Software Award to Bram Moulinar, the
creator of the
Vim text editor.
Vim is a really powerful tool.
A lot of programmers use it.
It's known for being like really efficient, but a little hard to learn.
But his work has had a huge impact on the free software community.
Yeah.
It's a shame that the award was given like posthumously.
Yeah.
It makes you think about the legacy people leave behind and how they contributed to
the
software we use all the time.
Definitely.
It's a good reminder that behind all of this, there are people with their own
passions and
stories.
And it's important to recognize that.
Yeah.
Well said.
We've heard a lot from community stuff to policy battles and even some software
history.
But I want to get back to that public money, public code campaign because it seems
like
it's really core to what they do.
Yeah.
It really is.
It asks us to rethink how we fund and develop software, especially when it comes to
the
public sector.
Yeah.
So remind me, what's the main thing they're asking for with this campaign?
Basically they're saying that any software that's developed for the public sector
using
public money should be made public under a free software license.
Gotcha.
What about the taxpayers getting access to the software they're paying for?
What kind of impact has it had so far?
Well, it's gained a lot of support.
Over 200 organizations and 31,000 individuals have signed on.
And they're trying to get regular people to contact their governments and stuff to
push
for change.
Wow.
Those are some big numbers.
It seems like it's working, but why should people care about this?
What are the real benefits of having that public software be available?
Well, first, it means that public bodies can work together better.
Like imagine different parts of the government sharing software and making it work
for them
without having to start from scratch every time or pay for expensive contracts.
Wouldn't that be better?
Yeah.
It would make a lot of sense.
It would probably save money too.
Exactly.
Less development and less relying on one company means big savings.
Are there any other benefits?
Yeah.
Like having the code out in the open means more transparency and accountability
when
anyone can see it.
You can find vulnerabilities easier and make sure it's being used ethically.
So it's not just about saving money.
It's about making better software we can trust.
That's a strong argument.
But are there any downsides to this approach?
That's a good question.
While there are a lot of good things, some people might say that making all this
software
open source could be bad for private companies that are trying to make new things
or lead
to problems with intellectual property.
It's a complex issue.
Yeah, there's definitely a lot to unpack there.
Unfortunately, we're out of time for this part of the deep dives.
We'll have to pick this up next time.
It's true.
There's always more than one way to look at it when you're talking about software
freedom.
But that's what makes it so interesting, right?
Totally.
It's all about thinking through those different sides and seeing what makes sense.
Speaking of different perspectives, the FSFE is involved in some other pretty
interesting
projects, beyond public money, public code.
One that I saw was their work on device neutrality.
Ah, yeah.
Device neutrality.
It's that idea that you should be able to choose what software runs on your devices
no matter who made them.
So like if I get a new phone, I should be able to install whatever operating system
I want, whether it's like Android, a free software version of Android, or even
something
totally different.
Yeah, exactly.
And it's not even just operating systems.
It's about apps, file formats, anything you want to use.
The goal is to break down those walls that some tech companies put up to, like trap
you
in their little world.
Oh yeah, I think we've all felt that.
Like when you can't install a certain app because your app store doesn't have it,
or
you're stuck using one program because it's the only one that can open a file.
It's all about giving users control over their tech, and not letting them get stuck
with
things that don't work, or might even be bad for their privacy.
So how's the FSFE promoting this device neutrality?
Are they focused on policy changes, tech solutions, or both?
It's a little bit of everything.
On the policy side, they're pushing for open standards and laws that stop companies
from
locking down devices.
They've been working on the EU's Digital Markets Act, for example, which has some
parts about
device neutrality.
So they're working to influence the big decisions.
That's huge.
But what about on a smaller scale?
What can our listeners do if they want to support this?
Well, I think it starts with just being aware.
Like, pay attention to the devices and software you're using.
Support the companies that are doing things the right way.
So kind of like voting with your wallet.
Exactly.
And talk to people about it.
The more folks understand why this matters, the more we can pressure companies and
governments
to actually do something.
Yeah, for sure.
It's all about working together, just like with the public money, public code thing.
Now, another area where they're defending user rights is router freedom.
Can you tell us more about that?
Oh, yeah.
Router freedom is all about your right to choose and set up the router that
connects
you to the internet.
It might seem like a small thing, but it can really change your whole experience
online.
I got to admit, I don't know much about routers other than plugging them in and
hoping they
work.
Why is this freedom so important?
Well, some internet providers try to make you use only the routers they give you.
And that can be a problem because those writers are often locked down.
You can't install your own software or change the settings.
So you're stuck with whatever they decide is best for you, even if it's not what
you need
or it has privacy issues.
Exactly.
And it's not even just about how it works.
Some of those routers have built in censorship or filters that block certain
websites.
Whoa, that's a little scary.
I hadn't thought about that.
So what's the FSFE doing about this?
They're trying to teach people about router freedom and what their rights are.
And they're pushing for laws that give you the right to choose and set up your own
router
without your internet provider messing with it.
Have they gotten anywhere with that?
They've actually been a big part of getting a law passed in Germany that guarantees
router
freedom.
And they're trying to do the same in other countries.
It takes time, but they're making progress.
It's really cool to see them fighting for these rights.
What can our listeners do to support this?
I think the first step is to know what your rights are.
Look at your contract with your internet provider and see if they have any rules
about routers.
If they do, talk to them about it.
So don't be afraid to speak up for your right to choose your own router.
I like that.
Exactly.
And if you're good with tech stuff, you could even try using a free software router
operating
system like OpenRoute.
That gives you total control.
That's a good tip.
You know, one thing that really stands out to me about the FSFE is how they're
committed
to educating people and empowering the next generation.
Oh, absolutely.
What they're doing with young people is great.
It's all about introducing them to software freedom early on and helping them
become really
good with technology.
Holy.
We talked about their book Ada and Zainman before, but they also have this Youth Hacking
for Freedom program.
Yeah.
They challenge young people to make their own free software projects.
It gives them real experience with coding and teaches them about software freedom.
It's awesome that they're not just focused on the problems we have now, but also
thinking
about the future.
They get that the fight for digital freedom is a long one and that we need to give
young
people the tools and knowledge to keep it going.
It feels like we've only just started to see what the FSFE is all about.
What are some other things they're doing to promote software freedom that we haven't
talked about yet?
Oh, there's so much more.
We haven't even mentioned their work on AI ethics, or their push for open standards
and education, or how they're trying to make governments more transparent by using
free software.
Well, they're tackling some really big stuff.
We'll have to dive into those topics in the next part of our deep dive.
But for now, let's take a short break.
We're back talking about the Free Software Foundation Europe.
This has been really eye-opening.
Yeah.
It's amazing how much they do in so many different areas.
And it's all connected to this idea of giving people more control over technology.
Yeah.
What I keep noticing is that they're not just talking about it.
They're actually showing people how to get involved and make a difference.
Oh, for sure.
It's like that public money, public code campaign.
It's inspiring to see them getting people to actually talk to their representatives
and push for change.
And they make it so easy, too.
Their website has all these resources, like sample letters and stuff.
You don't have to be a policy expert to speak up.
Right.
Exactly.
By helping people become advocates, they're making their message even stronger.
It's not just about that one campaign, though.
There's so many ways to get involved with the FSFE, like volunteering or
contributing
to projects.
There's something for everyone.
No matter what your skills are, you can donate, spread the word, or just learn more
about
the issues.
Yeah.
Finding your own way to contribute, even if it's small, can make a difference.
So why should we care about software freedom?
What's the big deal?
That's the question, isn't it?
It's about so much more than just access to code.
It's about having control over the technology that shapes our lives and making sure
it works
for us, not the other way around.
So it's about being active, not just passive.
Exactly.
When you can use, study, share, and change software, it unlocks so much.
You can make it work for you, fix problems, improve security, even create new
things.
And protect our freedoms.
Absolutely.
Freedom of speech, privacy, all that.
It's all at stake when software controls so much of our lives.
When it's open and transparent, we can hold it accountable.
It's a powerful idea.
We're actually working for people, not just corporations or governments.
And that's what the FSFE is trying to build.
They've given us a lot to think about.
What do you think is the most important takeaway from all of this?
I think it's that we have a choice.
We don't have to just accept things as they are.
We can choose to be active in shaping a better digital world, one that's more open
and fair.
And the FSFE can help us do that.
They give us the tools, the knowledge, and the community to make it happen.
Your work shows that positive change is possible, even with all the challenges we
face with
technology.
Well said.
To everyone listening, go check out the FSFE's website and see what they're all
about.
You might be surprised by how much they're doing and how you can get involved.
Yeah.
Even small actions can make a difference.
This has been a fascinating look into the world of the FSFE and software freedom.
Thanks for joining us.
It's been a pleasure.
Until next time, stay curious and stay free.