Hearing at the Bundestag +++ Ada Premiere in German +++ REUSE and NGI updates4
As the last month of the year rolls in, thoughts of 2025 are already taking shape. But before we dive into the new year, December is packed with news! We are participating in a hearing at the German Parliament, we keep pushing for long-term funding for Free Software, new versions of REUSE Specification and REUSE tools were released, and more!
Table of contents
- Quote of the Month
- German Bundestag hearing on "Open Source"
- Policy and EU: the need of long-term funding
- REUSE makes software licensing as easy as one-two-three
- Ada & Zangemann German premiere and more!
- SFSCON ‘24
- Humboldt Prize for a Free Software Master’s Thesis
- Hacker train to FOSDEM
- 38c3: the place to be between Christmas and NYE
- Contribute to our Newsletter
Quote of the Month
“Bram was not just VIM's lead maintainer but a true champion of open source values, collaboration, and innovation of VIM. He showed so much passion and dedication over more than 30 years to build and improve the original VI, making it a highly configurable and popular editor in the UNIX, hacker, and node culture. But he wasn't only a developer and benevolent dictator for life, he built up a community that continues to grow, and support each other, and strive for excellence. We know that none of this would be possible without the great work that Bram created.”
Vim maintainer Christian BrabandtGerman Bundestag hearing on “Open Source”
On Wednesday, 4 December at 14:15, Alexander Sander will participate in the hearing on "Open Source" at the German parliament in Berlin. Alex will present the position of the FSFE, answering the questions of the Members of the German Bundestag.
Follow the hearing live (in German)
Policy and EU: the need of long-term funding
Last September, the FSFE called on the community to participate in a consultation on the European Union’s Digital Europe Programme and demanded long-term sustainable funding for Free Software after recent budget cuts. Results show the success of the call: they show that the FSFE’s call to action, based on our answers, was heard. Nearly 800 answers were received, an unusually high number for such consultations.
This is also the topic of our latest Software Freedom podcast episode. On SFP 26, we focus on the 27 million euros cut from funding of the Next Generation Internet initiative (known as NGI). Alexander Sander and Bonnie Mehring shed some light on the history of this European project and share the newest developments in this case.
REUSE makes software licensing as easy as one-two-three
REUSE Specification 3.3 and REUSE tool 5.0.0 were released in November, making it even easier to license your code as Free Software. REUSE provides all the tools and documentation that developers need to apply standards-compliant and comprehensive licensing information to their projects, without needing to be legal experts.
Ada & Zangemann German premiere and more!
On 27 November, 800 guests, most of them children, enjoyed the German premiere of our animated film “Ada & Zangemann - A fairy tale about software, skateboards and raspberry ice cream”, screened in the biggest cinema in Germany. Check out some pictures from the premiere.
The movie is now available, together with the English version, in ada.fsfe.org/movie.
This month we have also released, thanks to our Italian volunteers, this story as an audio book in Italian. And we have continued with the readings, in Italy, rural Germany, and even in Sri Lanka!
More great news! And Ada made it into the Wikimedia Commons media of the day on 10 November! The story of Ada also was promoted in the Autumn edition (number 23) [DE] of the Evangelical parents' magazine "Zehn14".
SFSCON ‘24
At the beginning of November, the FSFE team travelled to Bolzano to take part in SFSCON. It was a really nice few days full of interesting talks and discussions. We also had the chance to go on a sunny hike with our volunteers the day after SFSCON!
During SFSCON, the FSFE and Linux User Group Bolzano-Bozen (LUGBZ) posthumously honored Bram Moolenaar, creator of the widely used Vim text editor, with the European SFS Award.
Besides our booth there, with really nice and cool merchandise such as our new Ada cookie cutters or our temporary FSFE tattoos, our team was also involved giving talks and organizing workshops.
We prepared a playlist with our talks for you to learn first hand about topics such as openwashing, CRA and PLD liability rules, the EU NGI initiatives and the need of long-term funding, our experience with the Italian community, and introduction to the fediverse ... and more.
On
Saturday, 23 November, the FSFE participated in Campus du Libre
with a booth, engaging with attendees and sharing insights on
Free Software. This event, held at Université Jean Moulin Lyon,
is organized by members of the academic community and focuses
on promoting Free Software.
Humboldt Prize for a Free Software Master’s Thesis
The Humboldt University of Berlin has granted the Humboldt Prize - Research for Innovation 2024" to Linda Novobilska for her master's thesis on "Free and Open Source Software Licensing Requirements and Copyright Infringement Involving Artificial Intelligence Technologies". The thesis was co-advised by Dr Lucas Lasota, FSFE’s Legal Programme Manager.
This master’s thesis represents a successful attempt to systematically analyse the licensing requirements of open source software in relation to AI technologies. The thesis has shed light on the latest developments in copyright law and provides deep insights into recent litigation in the USA.
The Humboldt Innovation Prize is a prestigious award for outstanding academic work by students and junior researchers. The winners are granted 1000 EUR and coaching sessions from the Humboldt Start-Up Innovation Management.
Hacker train to FOSDEM
Are you planning to participate in FOSDEM 2025? What about making the most of this experience and joining a HackerTrain? That is the suggestion of a group of Free Software enthusiasts!
The plan? To go together to Brussels on the night train from Prague to Brussels on 28 January. There will be an informal social gathering and a small unconference.
Interested? Check out all the details here.
38c3: the place to be between Christmas and NYE
Between Christmas and New Year's Eve, the FSFE will be at the 38th Chaos Communication Congress (38c3)—Europe’s largest hacker and tech community gathering. Join us for engaging talks, a booth full of Free Software insights, and plenty of opportunities to connect as we close out the year with exciting discussions!
Follow all our events at events.fsfe.org.
Contribute to our Newsletter
We would love to hear from you. If you have any thoughts, pictures, or news to share, please send them to us at [email protected]. You can also support us, contribute to our work, and join our community. We would like to thank our community and all the volunteers, supporters, and donors who make our work possible, with a special mention to our translators who make it possible for you to read this newsletter in your mother tongue.
Your editor, Ana
]]>FOSDEM 2025 Call for Participation: Legal and Policy Issues DevRoom
We are excited to announce that the Legal and Policy Issues DevRoom will be returning for FOSDEM 2025! Join this DevRoom at the biggest annual Free Software event in Europe. This is your opportunity to submit proposals for a talk or a panel about Free Software legal and policy topics.
The Call for Participation for the Legal and Policy Issues DevRoom at FOSDEM 2025 is now open! We are inviting you to submit your proposals for talks and panel discussions about Free Software-related legal or policy topics by Sunday 1 December 2024 at 23:59 AoE (Anywhere on Earth). Whether you are deep into public sector use of Free Software, or navigating the legal complexities of licensing compliance, this DevRoom offers a unique space for meaningful discussions that can shape the future of Free Software.
Our community has substantial expertise in this area yet there are few opportunities to discuss these matters in a forum open to all. In the Legal and Policy Issues Devroom we come together for a fruitful exchange on relevant and pressing Free Software topics.For more details on the submission, visit the link of Call for Participation from the DevRoom’s organizers.
What to Expect
In past years, the Legal and Policy Issues DevRoom has tackled a wide array of critical issues that directly impact the Free Software ecosystem, including Openwashing and its repercussions on the community, trademark policy, national laws and their effects on the Free Software movement, the role of Free Software in public administrations, interoperability and more!
This year, the DevRoom community is in particular interested in exploring topics like LLM-generative-models, questions and discussions around current EU regulations (e.g. CRA, AI Act, PLD, DMA), how trademarks have been used as control mechanisms, funding schemes and market incentives for Free Software, license compliance experiences and strategies, export regulations and tactics, tax exempt status in different countries, and the evolution and decline in fiscal sponsorship.
See you there!
The Legal and Policy dev room will be held on Saturday, during the first day of the conference. FOSDEM is the place to exchange ideas, forge collaborations, and tackle the most pressing issues in Free Software and open policy. As always it will take place on the first weekend in February and as usual the FSFE will be present with a booth and talks.Stay tuned for more announcements about FSFE’s activities at FOSDEM.
]]>SFP#26: Policy and EU: the need of long-term funding and the NGI case
Join this new episode of our Software Freedom podcast in which Bonnie Mehring and Alexander Sander discussing current topics affecting Free Software in the European Union. In this episode we focus on the 27 million euros cut of funding of the Next Generation Internet initiative (known as NGI). Alex and Bonnie shed some light on the history of this European project and share the newest developments in this case.
As FSFE's Senior Policy Consultant, Alex focuses on the role of Free Software at the political arena. There, he advocates for the recognition of Free Software, raising awareness about the important role of Free Software for shaping of our digital tomorrow. When the news of the €27 million funding cut to the Next Generation Internet initiative was leaked, Alex and the FSFE immediately took action. In the wake of the loss in funding we called on our community to take action, demanding long-term funding for Free Software. With the help of our community we reached out to the European Commission - with success.
This is the perfect episode for anyone looking to understand EU policies and the funding cuts for NGI!
Show notes
- Next Generation Internet
- Spread your concern about Free Software funding in your local newspaper
- Bring Back Free Software Funding: Give Your Feedback to the European Commission
- The FSFE demands EU Commission sustainable long-term Free Software funding
- EU consultation confirms demand: long-term funding for Free Software is needed
- Stay up-to-date and join our Newsletter
- Sign the Open Letter for “Public Money? Public Code!”
- Support our work for Free Software
If you liked this episode and want to support our continuous work for software freedom, please help us with a donation.
]]>REUSE makes software licensing as easy as one-two-three
REUSE Specification 3.3 and REUSE tool 5.0.0 are released today, making it even easier to license your code as Free Software. REUSE provides all the tools and documentation that developers need to apply standards-compliant and comprehensive licensing information to their projects, without needing to be a legal expert.
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) started REUSE in 2017 to make licensing easy, comprehensive, unambiguous, and machine-readable. This toolkit consists of a specification that standardises licensing, a tool that helps achieve and verify compliance with the specification, and documentation that helps developers through the process.
Today, the REUSE Project announced the release of specification version 3.3 and tool version 5.0.0. These releases follow closely on the heels of the 3.2 release this past summer, which introduced the 'REUSE.toml', a configuration file which allows easy and precise licensing annotations of other files in a project.
In this new 3.3 update, the specification builds on version 3.2 by incorporating additional refinements, some of those small tweaks proposed by the community.
The new release of the tool comes with bug fixes, performance improvements, and the ability to lint individual files instead of the entire project.
How does REUSE work?
The core idea behind REUSE is really simple. First, choose and provide your licences. Second, add copyright and licensing information to each file. And finally, confirm REUSE compliance using the tool. REUSE makes adding copyright and licensing information as simple as possible, using industry-standard System Package Data Exchange (SPDX) tags that are easily parsed by many tools.
Each file needs just two tags, one for copyright and one for licensing.
By making licensing so comprehensive, the reuse of code becomes a lot simpler, hence the project’s name. If a third party finds some REUSE-compliant code that they like, they can easily find the copyright and licensing, and they can in practice just copy the file to their own project without losing any information. In the past, re-users of code would have often had to guess a file’s licensing from incomplete or ambiguous information. But with REUSE, this process becomes trivial, and the developer’s Free Software is much more easily propagated.
A community standard
REUSE is steadily being adopted by more and more projects. In 2020, KDE became one of the biggest Free Software communities to adopt REUSE as their licensing policy, after the Linux kernel in 2017. Other big adopters since then are Weblate, the Rust programming language, Nextcloud, curl, the Khronos Group, the German Aerospace Center, and many others. Software Heritage has begun recommending REUSE as a way to prepare projects for archival.
“An approach such as REUSE makes it much easier to follow an established good practice… I do not have to think where to put a specific information such as the license files as REUSE gives me clear advice. In addition, REUSE helps me to check whether I accidentally missed something. Such tools are really, really important because they bring a standard into practice.” Tobias Schlauch, German Aerospace CenterUnder the current system of copyright, software is non-free by default. As such, licensing is the backbone that enables software to be free. REUSE helps the Free Software community do this as clearly and as simply as possible.
Adopting REUSE is fortunately easier than ever. The tutorial walks developers through the three steps, and the FAQ answers all questions about copyright, about licensing, and about REUSE. If you need more motivations for adopting REUSE, this FAQ entry goes into more depth.
The REUSE project thrives thanks to the community and all those who support and adopt it! Contributions from our FSFE supporters enable us to continue developing REUSE and drive forward our other important initiatives. By becoming an FSFE supporter, you join a network of individuals who ensure our long-term impact. You can also help by asking your company to join the REUSE sponsors.
Your support makes our work possible!
]]>EU consultation confirms demand: long-term funding for Free Software is needed
The FSFE called on the community to participate in a consultation on the European Union’s Digital Europe Programme and demanded long-term sustainable funding for Free Software after recent budget cuts. Results show its success.
In response to the European Commission's €27 million budget cut for Free Software projects this summer, the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) has been demanding sustainable, long-term funding for Software Freedom. Last September, the FSFE participated in the European Commission’s public consultation on the Digital Europe Programme’s interim evaluation. FSFE stressed that reliable long-term funding for Free Software is essential to drive Europe’s digitization efforts towards sovereignty and control over technology.
The results of the interim evaluation were presented today, and they show that the FSFE’s call to action, based on our answers, was heard. Nearly 800 answers were received, —an unusually high number for such consultations. In the open-ended responses, participants highlighted Free Software as a vital component of Europe’s digital future. Additionally, many respondents highlighted Free Software’s role in enhancing cross-border collaboration and argued that stable, dedicated funding for Software Freedom would maximize the impact and value of Europe’s digital agenda. This feedback not only emphasizes the importance of Free Software and its sustainable funding for European digital policy, but also demonstrates the value of public input and the need to provide citizens with meaningful tools to share their opinions.
“The strong response from the public underscores what the FSFE has been pointing out for years: Free Software is an essential tool for a sovereign, transparent, collaborative, and innovative digital Europe. Therefore Software Freedom must be supported with long-term funding", says Alexander Sander, FSFE Senior Policy Consultant.The FSFE would like to thank everyone who contributed to the consultation. Let’s keep working together for a sustainable funding model for Free Software in Europe! More details on this important issue will be covered in our next episode of the Software Freedom Podcast and on fsfe.org. Stay tuned!
Support our work for Software Freedom! Your donation enables us to advocate for sustainable long-term funding for Free Software in Europe.
Become an FSFE supporter now!
]]>Vim developer Bram Moolenaar posthumously receives the European SFS Award
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) and Linux User Group Bolzano-Bozen (LUGBZ) posthumously honored Bram Moolenaar, creator of the widely used Vim text editor, with the European SFS Award at SFSCON 2024. This award celebrates Moolenaar’s invaluable contributions to the Free Software community.
Pictures of Bram Moolenaar: working on Vim, at SFSCON 2009, a
phone and an antenna he helped to set up in Uganda, and the piggy
bank he had at his work space to ask for donations. You can find
the pictures here.
“This year’s European SFS Award goes to Bram Moolenaar whose mantra was ‘Detect inefficiencies, find a quicker way, make it a habit’, someone for whom efficiency of computers users was crucial. His work transformed how many interact with computers, maximizing programmers productivity by minimizing unnecessary keystrokes. His tool has become invaluable for Free Software contributors, developers, and creators.” said Matthias Kirschner, president of the FSFE as he presented the 2024 European SFS Award during SFSCON 24.
Bram Moolenaar is best known for developing VIM, a powerful, screen-based text editor. Released in 1991, Vim was originally a port of the Stevie editor for Amiga and has since become an indispensable tool for developers worldwide, available across multiple platforms. Vim remains one of the most popular and versatile development environments, supporting countless programmers and fostering a dedicated user community. Moolenaar released Vim as “charityware,” encouraging users to support children in the south of Uganda through charitable donations.
“Educating others to empower them was also important for Bram outside of the technology field”, explained Raphael Barbieri, a member of LUGBZ, during the ceremony. “He helped children in Uganda, many of whom had lost their parents to HIV, gain access to education at the Kibaale Community Centre. He founded an NGO to collection donations for this work, even on his work desk there was a piggy bank so that visitors can easily donate.”
Beyond Vim, Moolenaar was a prolific contributor to the Free Software movement, having worked on numerous technical projects, created a programming language, and developed a tool to streamline software installation and management. He also held official roles within software organisations, amplifying his impact on the Free Software landscape.
This award commemorates Moolenaar’s unwavering dedication to help others to better understand computers and software. It gave him great pleasure to participate in conferences, explain the Free Software culture at his work place, and help others to develop and use his software. He wanted others to also experience this joy. "If you are happy, I am happy!" was one of his sayings. Moolenaar passed away on 3 August, 2023, due to a rapidly deteriorating illness. His legacy in the developer community and in social work is expected to continue.
In a message from Moolenaar's family, they expressed their pride and gratitude: "We are very proud that Bram received this award. As a dedicated supporter of Free Software, we believe he would have been honored to accept it. We thank the Free Software Foundation Europe and LUGBZ for recognizing Bram's lifelong work and encourage anyone wishing to honor him to support children in Uganda through ICCF Holland."
Message from Christian Brabandt ,VIM maintainer, recognizing the European SFS Award.The European SFS Award
The SFS Award was first presented in 2004 to Hugo Leiter at the SFSCON South Tyrol Free Software Conference in recognition of his work implementing LibreOffice across all municipalities in South Tyrol. In 2023, the award expanded to a European level, with the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) partnering with LUGBZ, the award’s initiator, to honor those who have made exceptional contributions to the promotion and dissemination of Free Software across Europe.
The European SFS Award celebrates developers whose work has significantly advanced the accessibility and impact of Free Software in Europe. In 2023, the award was presented to Frank Karlitschek, founder of Nextcloud, for his contributions to Free Software.
2024 Laudatio
Matthias: It is an honor to present the European SFS Award 2024. The FSFE and LUGBZ worked together again this year to find a winner from all nominations. This year’s European SFS Award goes to someone whose work transformed how many interact with computers, creating a tool for Free Software contributors, developers, and creators. A tool that new users might be a little afraid of because it can be tricky to exit.
Raphael: (Yes, you may know the software we’re talking about.) A piece of code that makes every keystroke feel like a power move, where “Esc” is the most important key on your keyboard. Since its launch in 1991, this software has spread across more than 15 operating systems and is installed on millions of computers around the world.
Matthias: For our winner, efficiency of computer users was crucial. His mantra was: “Detect inefficiencies, find a quicker way, make it a habit!” and he helped many people to how to actually accomplish this. He went on to help those he met on mailing lists, at conferences like SFSCON in 2009, or at his workplace. He even talked to public administrations, so they actually use and thereby benefit from Free Software. He wanted to ensure that all software which is procured by public administrations is published under a Free Software license for the good of society.
Raphael: Educating others to empower them was also important for him outside of the technology field. He helped children in Uganda -- who often lost their parents due to HIV -- to get education at the Kibaale Community Centre. He enabled school education for many of them so they can take care about themselves and their families in the long run. He founded an NGO to collection donations for this work, even on his work desk there was a piggy bank so that visitors can easily donate.
Matthias: There was a huge online rivalry between the users of his software and those on the other side: those who used another "operating system" and who called his software the "editor of the beast". This rivalry became an enduring part of hacker culture and the Free Software community. A huge fan of Monty Pythons, this year's winner did not shy away from engaging in such banter.
Raphael: His dedication was enormous. His family will not forget the moments, in which he disappeared on Christmas day, because he "needed to fix some bugs". It gave him great pleasure to develop and use his software, and he wanted to help others to also experience this joy. "If you are happy, I am happy!" was one of his sayings. He took every opportunity to work on his projects, even while in the hospital.
Matthias:With his death on 3 August 2023 the Free Software community lost a person who enabled thousands of people to contribute efficiently to software freedom. We regret that he was not able to live longer with his beloved turtles, finishing his plans for a vacuum robot that could clean stairways, fixing bugs, implementing new features for the users of his software, and being here with us.
Raphael: For his remarkable contributions to software freedom the European SFS Award 2024 goes posthumously to Bram Moolenaar, the creator of Vi IMproved -- or VIM.
Matthias: So, please join us in a big round of applause for Bram Moolenaar.
]]>YH4F 2024 winners +++ Apple litigation page +++ SFSCON ‘24
It's November and our team heads to Bolzano for SFSCON, still thrilled by the inspiring 2024 Youth Hacking 4 Freedom award ceremony! Last weeks we’ve also launched a new page to keep you updated on the latest developments in our involvement with the Apple vs. EC litigation. Find out the latest updates on Router Freedom, REUSE and more!
Table of contents
- Quote of the Month
- Winners of the 2024 Youth Hacking 4 Freedom announced
- Apple vs. European Commission: the FSFE launches a page with comprehensive information
- Where the FSFE Shapes the Future: SFSCON 2024!
- Exceptions against Router Freedom undermine users’ rights in Italy
- REUSE: Specification 3.3 and version 5.0.0 of the tool coming soon
- Ada & Zangemann: inventions from children!
- Back to the stages
- Contribute to our Newsletter
Quote of the Month
“The final word on which apps you use on your device should be yours. Which is why the EU ordered Apple to open up iOS devices to rival app stores, something Apple categorically refuses to do. Apple’s “plan” for complying with the DMA is, shall we say, sorely lacking (this is part of a grand tradition of American tech giants wiping their butts with EU laws that protect Europeans from predatory activity, like the years Facebook spent ignoring European privacy laws, manufacturing stupid legal theories to defend the indefensible)”
Cory Doctorow, on an article about the FSFE intervention in the Apple vs. EC litigationWinners of the 2024 Youth Hacking 4 Freedom announced
The 2024 edition of the Youth Hacking 4 Freedom (YH4F) competition, organised by the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE), successfully concluded with an inspiring award ceremony weekend in Brussels. Young developers from all over Europe were recognised for their Free Software projects and presented their work to an audience that included their families, jury members, and new-found friends.
The six winning projects, developed by young people aged between 14 and 18 and presented at the 2024 award ceremony, are: a federated social network, an app to help dementia patients, software for finding events and connecting with people in your area, a unique rhythm game, and an app for sharing sheets of music and lyrics.
YH4F is a unique programming contest designed to give Europeans aged 14 to 18 the opportunity to showcase their programming skills and creativity by developing Free Software projects.
Apple vs. European Commission: the FSFE launches a page with comprehensive information
The FSFE is intervening for Free Software in a key court case involving Apple and the European Commission. Apple is trying to avoid obligations derived from the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The FSFE seeks to hold Apple accountable under the DMA in a developer-friendly way.
The decision to intervene in this case was not made lightly. But how could we stand by while the Free Software movement faces this affront? Yes, we decided to take action. We have just launched a dedicated website with comprehensive information about the case: https://fsfe.org/activities/apple-litigation/.
We assert Apple should compete based on trustworthiness. Developers and users alike should benefit from alternative services and products, not just those offered, and controlled by Apple. Our plea is for fair competition, IT security, and consumer protection.
More people need to be aware of this court case. We are asking you to help spread the word! After reaching out, please share your experiences with us.
Donate nowWhere the FSFE Shapes the Future: SFSCON 2024!
We are excited to be back for the South Tyrol Free Software Conference (SFSCON) on 8 and 9 November! SFSCON is the place to be if you’re passionate about Free Software. Whether you’re a seasoned developer, a curious newcomer, or a decision-maker, join us to learn, share, and get inspired by Free Software in Bolzano.
As well as a booth full of promotional material and merchandising, we will also be running talks and workshops, including a session on our DMA legal case and the urgent need for sustainable, long-term financial support. We will also find out who will receive the 2024 European SFS Award! Hope to see you at the NOI park for some great discussions!
Exceptions against Router Freedom undermine users’ rights in Italy
In 2018 Italy implemented Router Freedom. However regulatory decisions in 2019 and 2023 introduced exceptions for fiber networks. The FSFE has now urged Italy’s telecom regulator, AGCOM, to remove these restrictions and fully restore users' rights to choose their own equipment to connect to fiber networks.
REUSE: Specification 3.3 and version 5.0.0 of the tool coming soon
REUSE makes it easier to license code as Free Software by providing the tools and documentation that developers need. Developers can apply standards-compliant and comprehensive licensing information to their projects without needing to be legal experts.
In a few days, we will release new versions of this project started in 2017 to make licensing easy, comprehensive, unambiguous, and machine-readable. REUSE consists of a specification that standardises licensing, a tool that helps achieve and verify compliance with the specification, and documentation that helps developers through the process. The new specification and tool will contain many small improvements to make the process of licensing your code easier than ever.
Ada & Zangemann: inventions from children!
"Now, you can enjoy the Ada & Zangemann movie in English and start dreaming up all the amazing inventions you’d love to create! After watching the movie, some students from a local school did just that, and they shared their creations with us!
The cold season has arrived, and our brand-new FSFE zipped hoodies are here to keep you cozy! Don’t miss the final days to pre-order—place your order by Monday, 11 November, at 23:59 CET to collect your hoodie at 38C3 or FOSDEM. You can also order in a group to get delivery to your address with free shipping. Available in sizes XS to 4XL, in blue or black, choose your hoodie and preferred pick-up option.
Back to the stages
On October 26 2024, Dario Presutti, FSFE Project Manager, took part in the Linux Day Milan 2024. The event took place at the Bicocca University of Milan and was organised by two Free Software student associations and the Italian Linux Society. This day was a great opportunity with an enthusiastic crowd, including young newcomers. There were a Public Money? Public Code! talk and a live reading of Ada and Zangemann. With I Love Free Software posters and Ada’s story as conversation starters, we connected with attendees passionate about Free Software in education, sparking discussions about collaboration and awareness for FSFE's initiatives.
Our local group in Poland recently had a fantastic time at Jesień Linuksowa (Linux Autumn), where they had a FSFE information booth! This annual event, organized by the Polish Linux Users Group (PLUG), is a major gathering for GNU/Linux and Free Software enthusiasts and one of the largest events of its kind in Poland. We’re thrilled to have connected with so many passionate members of the community!
38c3… here we come!We’re thrilled to announce our participation in the upcoming 38C3 in Hamburg, happening from December 27 to 30! Our team has just bought their tickets!Just as in past years, FSFE will be part of the Bit&Bäume / about:freedom assembly. Join us at our booth for exclusive merch, information materials, and engaging activities! We’re excited to participate with lightning talks and workshops, and, of course, our daily Free Software song gathering. If you’re part of the FSFE Community and planning to attend, please reach out!
And don’t forget: you have until November 11 to pre-order our new zip hoodies, available for pickup at the Congress.
Before we see you in Hamburg, we have several event going on! Check out all of them in fsfe.org/events!
Contribute to our Newsletter
We would love to hear from you. If you have any thoughts, pictures, or news to share, please send them to us at [email protected]. You can also support us, contribute to our work, and join our community. We would like to thank our community and all the volunteers, supporters, and donors who make our work possible, with a special mention to our translators who make it possible for you to read this newsletter in your mother tongue.
Your editor, Ana
]]>Where the FSFE Shapes the Future: SFSCON 2024!
We are excited to be back for the South Tyrol Free Software Conference (SFSCON) on 8 and 9 November with talks, workshops and a booth! SFSCON is the place to be if you’re passionate about Free Software and want to dive into discussions on key topics, including the need for sustainable, long-term funding for Free Software projects. Come to Bolzano to learn, connect, and be inspired!.
As one of Europe’s most established annual events on Free Software in Italy, SFSCON promotes the use of Free Software in digital infrastructure as a tool to achieve innovation and competitiveness. Taking place in November, the conference features a dynamic line-up of leading experts, workshops, and discussions to highlight current trends, challenges, and opportunities within the Free Software community.
SFSCON is also the place where the European SFS Award 2024 is presented. This recognition, from the FSFE and the Linux User Group Bozen-Bolzano-Bulsan, honours outstanding Free Software developers who have significantly advanced the spread and advocacy of Free Software across Europe. Last year the award went to Nextcloud founder Frank Karlitschek. Upon learning the name of this year’s recognition, our colleague Lucas Lasota will take the stage to deliver a keynote speech.
As in previous editions, the FSFE will also contribute with talks and workshops, including a session on our DMA litigation case and the pressing need for sustainable, long-term financial support. You can also stop by our booth to chat with us, pick up some promotional materials, browse our merchandise, or simply say hello! Explore the entire SFSCON 2024 Programme to discover all activities planned for this year’s edition. Join us at the NOI Techpark in Bolzano!
Diversity at SFSCON: Empowering Women in Tech and Sparking Kids’Coding Curiosity
Women in tech: Let’s spark more Adas in our tech world! 9 November, 09:40h. - Seminar 2 In this workshop we will dive into the possibilities of encouraging women, especially girls, to thinker and to code. We will explore ways to promote diversity and gender equity in the Free Software community and beyond. We encourage you to join us to share your experiences, ideas and perspectives, and collaborate in creating a more inclusive and Free registration is required for this event!
Let’s spark children’s interest in coding: Our experiences and how you can contribute 8 November, 17:40h. - Seminar 2 How do we ensure that the next generation is motivated and capable of shaping technology for society’s benefits? The FSFE’s President Matthias Kirschner will present how we can spark children’s and teenagers’ interest to tinker, experiment and program. Furthermore you will see how fulfilling those activities can be for yourself.
Ada & Zangemann: German reading and Italian children workshopThe small ones also have a place at SFSCON! On the morning of the first day, school kids will enjoy the reading, in German, of the illustrated book 'Ada & Zangemann: A Tale of Software, Skateboards, and Raspberry Ice Cream'. This book inspire children's interest in tinkering and encourage shaping technology.The next day, on 9 November, there will be a workshop in Italian for kids aged 7 to 10 t to tinker and code.
NGI: A successful EU initiative that shows the need for sustainable, long-term financial support for Free Software
Lessons from the EU’s Next Generation Internet Initiatives: What We've Learnt From Looking At 500 Free Software Projects 8 November, 14:00h. - Seminar 1 Lina Ceballos, our Policy Project Manager will speak about some simple trends in Free Software legal and licensing that we’ve observed over the years in independent Free Software projects and their developers, and how these affect aspects of the Free Software ecosystem.
NGI: No more EU funding for Free Software?! 8 November, 14:40h. - Seminar 2 Later that same day, in the Seminar 2, Alexander Sander, FSFE’s Senior Policy Consultant will show the urgent need for sustainable, long-term financial support for Free Software to ensure Europe’s technological independence. The decision to cut funding resulted in a loss of €27 million for software freedom. Since 2018, the European Commission has supported the Free Software ecosystem through NGI, that provided funding and technical assistance to Free Software projects. The ease with which this funding was excluded underlines this need.
Policy and Software Freedom
CRA & PLD Liability rules and Software Freedom 8 November, 11:40h.- Seminar 1 With the Cyber Resilience Act and Product Liability Directive liability rules for software have been introduced with a broad exception for Free Software. In this talk Alexander Sander will discuss what this new regulation means for software freedom in future and what happens at this stage and how to be involved in implementation.
We went to court against Apple – a case for Software Freedom: Breaking lock-ins over devices with Free Software 8 November, 12:40h. - Seminar 1 Lucas Lasota, FSFE’s Legal Programme Manager will explain why FSFE’s litigation against Apple represents a key case for Software Freedom. The talk will present how Device Neutrality – a solution to enable end-users to bypass gatekeepers in order to run Free Software independently of the control exercised by hardware manufacturers is at stake.
Tackling Openwashers, Freeloaders and Cuckoos: How to safeguard the Free Software market against unfair competition 8 November, 16:00h. - Seminar 1 Companies that produce and sell Free Software face a problem: some competitors use problematic means to compete, making their products cheaper and winning bids. This kind of market behaviour is increasingly becoming a threat for Free Software producers. In this talk Johannes Näder, Senior Project Manager, will take a closer look at such problematic practices and show why they harm Free Software manufacturers and the Free Software ecosystem., before discussing ways to limit their success.
Diving into the Fediverse
Knitting Our Internet workshop 9 November, 10:40h. - Seminar 2 Starting with the “Knitting Our Internet” workshop, we will dive in into the history of the Internet, and how it is a suitable place for collective re-imagination of participatory, decentralized networks. The workshop questions the very essence of today’s social media, exposing the critical limits posed by centralization, monopoly, and surveillance.
about:Fediverse 11 November, 11:40h. - Seminar 2 In this talk, Tobias Diekershoff, FSFE’s System Administrator will give a short introduction to the Fediverse of 2024 and how it started to evolve in 2008. A network where users can share and interact with each other regardless of the platform they use. What is possible in the Fediverse of 2024 today? What will be possible in the future? And how can you get started today?
Use SFSCON sharepic generator to get your personal image! Generate
your unique picture here: https://sharepic.fsfe.org/#sfscon
Community Building
Let’s share our love for Free Software: I love Free Software Day 2025 8 November,16:40h. - Seminar 2 We often underestimate the power of a simple Thank You. Join Ana Galán, Senior Project Manager, in this talk where she presents how Free Software contributors do important work for our society. The “I Love Free Software Day” on 14 February is the perfect opportunity for you to express your special gratitude. Since 2010, we have celebrated this wonderful annual event with an ever-growing and diverse community.
The FSFE Italy Project from Understanding to Testing: How I applied design-thinking to re-design the Italian Free Software Community 8 November, 14:20h.- Seminar 2 The role of Deputy Coordinator Italy within the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) was born in 2022 out of the need of re-establishing the presence of the Foundation on the territory. The project followed a human centric approach, moving along the five core stages of design-thinking. The goal of Marta Andreoli,from the FSFE, is to describe the FSFE Italy project and the design-thinking approach adopted.
Best examples of Open Communities 8 November, 17:20h.- Crane Hall In this BOF (Birds of a Feather) meeting, we will discuss strategies for fostering community growth and enhancing member involvement. We will explore optimal settings and practices that support sustainable community development. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences and insights, providing an opportunity to learn from one another and collaborate on best practices.
Italian Community Meeting: voices of Free Software: connect, learn, inspire! 9 November, 10:20h.- Seminar 3 You are invited to join the volunteers, supporters, and friends of the Italian FSFE Community! Join us to learn from one another, find inspiration, and tackle future challenges together in the realm of Free Software. As a volunteer, you have a platform to share your story, discuss the most pressing topics surrounding Free Software, and connect with fellow enthusiasts. We encourage you to collaborate with the community on common initiatives and work together to forge new paths forward.
That’s Not All Folks!
During these two days, feel free to visit our booth to grab some free stickers, learn more about our campaigns and initiatives, or just stop by to say hello! Our team will be there greeting you and explaining, in different EU languages, more about our initiatives!In addition, our partnership with the ITS Academy Last and the Edulife Foundation will continue, so we will meet a second year of ITS students during SFSCON: we will welcome them in an official meeting and give them some recommendations for talks to attend so they can make the most out of it.
See all of you at SFSCON!
]]>Winners of the 2024 Youth Hacking 4 Freedom Announced
The six winning projects, developed by young people aged between 14 and 18 and presented at the 2024 award ceremony are: a federated social network, an app to help dementia patients, software for finding events and connecting with people in your area, a unique rhythm game, and a WebApp for sharing sheets of music and lyrics.
The winners of 2024 YH4F posing with their awards during the Award Ceremony in Brussels, photo taken by Nico Rikken, @CC-BY
The third edition of the Youth Hacking 4 Freedom (YH4F) competition, organised by the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE), has successfully concluded with an inspiring award ceremony weekend in Brussels. Young developers from all over Europe were recognised for their Free Software projects and presented their work to an audience that included their families, jury members, and new-found friends. YH4F is a unique programming contest designed to give Europeans aged 14 to 18 the opportunity to showcase their programming skills and creativity by developing Free Software projects. After six months of intensive programming, the jury selected the top six projects. These winners were invited to Brussels for the award ceremony, where they had the chance to present their projects and participate alongside their peers, jury members and their relatives in a weekend filled with engaging activities.
2024 Youth Hacking 4 Freedom winners
One again this year's competition attracted remarkable entries, each highlighting the technical talent, creativity, and dedication of its young developer. The six winning projects reflect a diversity of innovative ideas that successfully transform into impressive software solutions by the end of the programming phase.
“We are incredibly proud of this year’s winners and their outstanding contributions to Free Software. The diversity among them, whether in age, country of origin, or gender, truly stands out. We're particularly excited to see that not only young men are stepping into the world of programming", said Alexander Sander, FSFE senior policy consultant and YH4F project manager. "Each year, we are increasingly impressed by their passion, creativity, and dedication. These young developers are proving that Free Software empowers them to shape the world they want to live in. It’s inspiring to see their projects tackling real challenges within their communities and beyond."
The six winners were awarded cash prizes ranging from €4,096 to €1,024. Here are the winning projects of the 2024 Youth Hacking 4 Freedom competition:
- Ultimate Hacker Award: Gaspard with ‘Versia’, a federated social network based on the Versia protocol. (€4,096)
- Elite Hacker Award: Sofía with ‘Identity’, an app that helps people in palliative care or suffering from dementia to save their most meaningful memories. (€2,048)
- Awesome Award: ‘Eventfully’, a team project by Konrad, Luis, Benedikt, Dorothea, Leonie and Jona: a software to find and explore events in your area, connect with others, and learn more about culture, technology and other topics from one website.(€1,024)
- Creative Hacker Award: Manuel with ‘YLLM4F (Youth Large Language Models 4 Freedom)’, a platform, that combining three advanced language tools, ensures that chatbots interact in a youth-friendly way. (€1,024)
- Epic Game Award: Corentin, Edmond and Tipragot with ‘Beats into shapes’, a rhythm game where you forge items with the sound of music.(€1,024)
- Community Support Award: Tobias with ‘PraiseLink’, a WebApp for sharing sheets and lyrics of music. It can be used for singing choirs or live performance groups.(€1,024)
YH4F winners participating in the workshop that took place during the Awards Ceremony weekend, photo taken by Nico Rikken, @CC-BY
Empowering Europe’s next generation of developers
The Youth Hacking 4 Freedom competition continues to grow, attracting more and more young people who share a passion for programming. They all share the interest in Free Software and the desire to take control of their technology. In an era where digital tools shape every aspect of our lives, it is vital that future generations have the knowledge and ability to create, modify, use, and share software they rely on. By empowering young developers to create and contribute to Free Software, YH4F helps foster a culture of openness, transparency, and software freedom.
This initiative is made possible through the generous financial support of our donor, Reinhard Wiesemann, and the sponsorship of OpenSSF
If you want to join YH4F 2025 edition you can already sign up by registering here. The coding period is from 01.01.2025 to 30.06.2025. Details for the next edition will be shared soon on fsfe.org and yh4f.org.
]]>Exceptions against Router Freedom undermine users’ rights in Italy
In 2018 Italy implemented Router Freedom. However regulatory decisions in 2019 and 2023 introduced exceptions for fiber networks. The Free Software Foundation Europe has now urged Italy’s telecom regulator, AGCOM, to remove these restrictions and fully restore users' rights to choose their own equipment to connect to fiber networks.
In 2018, Italy was one of the first countries in Europe to implement specific rules supporting Router Freedom. However, since then, the national regulator AGCOM has introduced a series of exceptions undermining Router Freedom rights, negatively impacting the rights of consumers to use their own equipment to connect to fiber networks. The FSFE has prepared a study on why Router Freedom should be respected in Italy, urging AGCOM to reconsider its decision based on European standardized requirements for Router Freedom.
Regulatory exceptions and certification procedures against Router Freedom
In 2019, Italian telecom operators pushed for an exception against Router Freedom in fiber networks, which AGCOM confirmed. This exception significantly limited the ability of consumers to use their own modems to connect directly to the fiber network. AGCOM’s decision allowed internet service providers (ISPs) to impose the use of optical network terminals (ONTs), with the exception of personal routers on bridge mode. In 2020, BEREC set standardized requirements for national regulators to evaluate Router Freedom. However, the Italian regulator has not re-assessed its decision. In contrast, the Netherlands and Belgium committed to Router Freedom for all type of networks, following the evaluation criteria proposed by BEREC.
In 2022, Router Freedom faced another setback in Italy during an antitrust case ruled upon by the Italian competition authority, AGCM. The largest telecom operator in the country, TIM, was requested to allow terminal equipment from other ISPs in its fiber network. While this commitment would have the potential to establish Router Freedom in the country, TIM proposed a certification procedure for any device seeking to be connected to the operator’s network. However, the costs involved in the certification procedures were prohibitive (around 100.000 euros), and TIM required that the device should be certified again after every software update. Nevertheless, in 2023, the Italian telecom authority homologated this antitrust agreement, reducing the certification costs. These certification schemes are contrary to net neutrality and open internet, because they create barriers for end-users to use the equipment of their choice. As example, the Dutch regulator ACM decided in 2021 against any kind of obligatory certification procedures or device black-list against router manufacturers, requesting ISPs in the country to make the network interoperable with any router that complies with EU device regulations.
Router Freedom matters – also for Italy
The FSFE has prepared a study explaining why it is necessary for AGCOM to re-evaluate its position in respect to freedom of terminal equipment. We argue that the Italian regulator should apply the BEREC Guidelines on the NTP to decide on this matter. The Belgian and Dutch regulation authorities have followed the BEREC procedure and have not found any technological necessity to limit Router Freedom in their respective countries. The study concludes that allowing end-users to choose and use their own terminal equipment supports their best interests regarding privacy, data protection and security. Freedom of terminal equipment is also key for fair competition, market innovation, technical interoperability and digital sustainability.
Further material
Router Freedom needs your support!
Router Freedom is the right that customers of any Internet Service Provider (ISP) are able to choose and use a private modem and router instead of equipment provided by the operator. Since 2013, the Free Software Foundation Europe has been successfully engaged with Router Freedom, promoting end-users’ freedom in many European countries. Join us and learn more about the several ways to get involved. Please consider becoming a FSFE donor; you help make possible our long-term engagement and professional commitment in defending people’s rights to control technology.
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