Free Software Foundation's Call for 'LibreLocals' Answered on Six Continents - With More Coming (fsf.org) 11
The Free Software Foundation announced this week that "its global call for free software supporters to organize LibreLocals this May resulted in free software supporters organizing forty-six LibreLocal events on six continents thus far." (And new dates and locations are being added daily.)
The FSF invited free software supporters to organize in-person community meetups in their area during May 2026, or LibreLocal month, to bring people together to swap ideas, learn from each other, and celebrate free software. People were encouraged to organize events grounded in freedom to help spread the free software philosophy.... "The success of these LibreLocals speaks to how many people globally are interested in free software and ready to build community, and it demonstrates the strength of our movement" [said FSF executive director Zoë Kooyman]. "People getting together like this also proves how computer freedom and digital rights are on people's minds. When we reject freedom-restricting software and promote software that respects user rights, it helps further so many other basic rights...."
The FSF has financially supported some of the events, but notes organizers are going above and beyond to create noteworthy events by any measure, and is impressed with the global network taking shape. "The energy we feel from all organizers is extremely motivating and we look forward to seeing LibreLocal events spread even wider over the next years! We want to support these initiatives even more, so we'll be looking to build a network of sponsors for future iterations as we work towards May 2027," says Heshan de Silva-Weeramuni, FSF program manager... William Goodspeed, the organizer behind the Beijing LibreLocal, reported that their meetup was double the size of last year's, and a number of very rich collaborative projects have emerged among the attendees.
Discussing the value of connecting people, de Silva-Weeramuni notes: "Free software supporters know that connecting with each other leads them to learn, experiment, and create great things that protect our individual and shared rights. The extraordinary contributions that free software has made to the world were born through such collaborations between like-minded people towards a freer society. This same global spirit of collectively building a better future is one of the inspiring things that we have once again seen unfold through this year's many LibreLocals."
The FSF has financially supported some of the events, but notes organizers are going above and beyond to create noteworthy events by any measure, and is impressed with the global network taking shape. "The energy we feel from all organizers is extremely motivating and we look forward to seeing LibreLocal events spread even wider over the next years! We want to support these initiatives even more, so we'll be looking to build a network of sponsors for future iterations as we work towards May 2027," says Heshan de Silva-Weeramuni, FSF program manager... William Goodspeed, the organizer behind the Beijing LibreLocal, reported that their meetup was double the size of last year's, and a number of very rich collaborative projects have emerged among the attendees.
Discussing the value of connecting people, de Silva-Weeramuni notes: "Free software supporters know that connecting with each other leads them to learn, experiment, and create great things that protect our individual and shared rights. The extraordinary contributions that free software has made to the world were born through such collaborations between like-minded people towards a freer society. This same global spirit of collectively building a better future is one of the inspiring things that we have once again seen unfold through this year's many LibreLocals."
Antarctica (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
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The answer you deserve. (Score:2)
Why not? What's holding them up?
The Antarctic Treaty (of 1959) designated Antarctica as a scientific preserve and bans military activity, nuclear testing, and territorial claims, while promoting scientific research and international cooperation. As such, to travel to Antarctic you must obtain the permits through a recognized tour operator or your country's government. This means it non-scientific activities in Antarctica aren't really a thing... unless you want to go to jail for being a dumbass. [cbsnews.com]
That's cool (Score:3)
I might've gone to one but it seems they're all in the past now. Maybe I'll remember to check next year.
Re: (Score:2)
More than 6 continents? (Score:2)
Maybe more countries, not continents! ;-)
Awesome... (Score:2)
... that they're pushing Free software again!
Only way FS is going to gain a foothold is if the switch is 100% seamless. A user should be 100% able to open a Word .DOCX in Libre or whatever without any single issue, no having to reformat, anything, regardless of what the file has for formatting. .VEG project in the FSF equivalent and find that I have to redo literally everything and argue with an unfamiliar interface to figure it all out...
At the same time, I'd be interested and afraid to open a Sony Vegas
User groups? (Score:2)
There was a Unix user group I attended and got a lot out of back in the day. As Linux rose, there was a Linux user group that rose up.
The FSF also did a conference I attended back in the day. When OpenStack was rising there was a meetup for them too. That was the last one I attended, over a decade ago.
The user groups are a nice way to share information and make connections that the magazines, mailing lists and now web sites cannot replicate. Its time to introduce a new generation.