Free Software Foundation Europe
has been empowering people
to use technology in a
self-determined way
and in freedom since 2001.
At first, this was of interest to only a few people.
Today it's a widespread concern because digitization
reaches further and further into people's lives into companies, organizations
and public administrations.
It increasingly affects our personal environment
and society as a whole.
The power of software is also increasing.
Intimate data can be leaked.
Software can determine what we're allowed or not allowed to do.
It can cause us to loose our freedom, or even, our lives.
That's why we advocate limiting the power of proprietary software
and instead distributing power and access widely
through free software, also known as open source software.
Many people know free software as useful programs and apps.
But the idea behind it is much larger and it stood the test of time.
It's enabled systems that are the backbone of our digital world.
The difference between free and proprietary software
is that free software always grants us four rights:
Any person may freely use, study, share and improve the software.
If software is developed under free licence,
then anyone can use it without restrictions,
anytime and anywhere.
Since the source code can be read by anyone
this allows for more transparency and can lead to more security.
People can work together across borders on problems
that affect humanity, they can share the software,
discuss it and improve it collectively.
This idea has been around for many decades,
and the movement has continued to grow and evolve.
The number of people using free software is growing
and they're become more and more diverse.
And in order to make the process of shaping technology
more inclusive,
we need to increase our respect for each other.
We want free software to empower all people in the world
to design technology together in a self-determined environment
and to enhance democratic participation in the digital era.
At the same time, we as a movement
shouldn't lose focus on our core values:
Use
Study
Share
Improve
for everyone!