[ Thanks to Pia
Waugh for this article. ]
September 15th marks Software Freedom Day, the
world’s largest celebration and outreach effort about why
transparent and sustainable technologies like Free & Open
Source Software are so important. Community groups in more than 80
countries organize local activities and programs on Software
Freedom Day to educate the wider public about free software: what
it is, how it works and its relationship to human rights and
sustainability. We already have over 140 teams around the world
registered: join them in spreading the word! Registrations for
Software Freedom Day teams that want to receive a free SFD team
pack close in two weeks, so register now!
“Software Freedom is about creating a digital platform for trust
and longevity, particular in a future where more and more of our
lives are dependent upon technology” explains Pia Waugh, President
of Software Freedom International, the organization behind Software
Freedom Day. “It is important we can participate in and trust the
software we use in the same way we need to be able to participate
and trust in a political system. Ultimately our basic freedoms are
only as free as the tools we use, and thus our commitment to
Software
Freedom.”
Support for this year’s Software Freedom Day event is fantastic
with Google, Mindtouch and the Free Software Foundation coming on board as
sponsors as well as long term sponsors the Danish Unix User Group and Canonical. The event also has support
from The Open CD, OsCommRes and the International Open Source Network.
“Software Freedom Day is a fantastic event that demonstrates the
global reach of open source software.” says Jane Silber, COO of
Canonical. “We at Canonical are proud to sponsor the event and
encourage everyone in the Ubuntu community, as well as the open
source community writ large, to participate in this important
global event.”
Registrations of teams participating in SFD will continue right
up to the event however teams who wish to receive a free SFD team
pack, including stickers, t-shirts, CDs and balloons must register
before the 31st July! So get in quick! There is also an online shop where anyone can purchase
t-shirts and packs of The Open CD. Teams get a 50% discount on all
prices marked. Teams that have difficult circumstances can write to
the Software Freedom International Board with special requests for
additional goodies.
Already this year’s event is looking bigger and better than ever
before, so what will you do to help take Software Freedom to the
world. After all, freedom isn’t just for geeks.