FSF News
FSF and Debian join forces to help free software users find the hardware they need
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Monday, September 8, 2014 -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) and the Debian Project today announced cooperation to expand and enhance h-node, a database to help users learn and share information about computers that work with free software operating systems.
Free Software Foundation adds libreCMC to its list of endorsed distributions
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Thursday, September 4, 2014 -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) today announced the addition of libreCMC, an embedded GNU/Linux project, to its list of recommended distributions.
GNU hackers unmask massive HACIENDA surveillance program and design a countermeasure
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Friday, August 22, 2014 -- GNU community members and collaborators have discovered threatening details about a five-country government surveillance program codenamed HACIENDA. The program employs a technology known as port-scanning to map every server in twenty-seven countries and detect vulnerabilities to be exploited.
US Supreme Court makes the right decision to nix Alice Corp. patent, but more work needed to end software patents for good
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Thursday, June 19, 2014 -- Today the United States Supreme Court unanimously ruled a prominent software patent invalid in the case of Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank, saying that implementing an abstract idea on a computer does not make that idea patent-eligible.
To help Reset the Net, FSF launches guide to email protection
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Thursday, June 5th, 2014 -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) today released Email Self-Defense, a how-to guide for setting up and using email encryption.
Tehnoetic wireless USB adapter now FSF-certified to respect your freedom
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Wednesday, May 21, 2014 -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) today awarded Respects Your Freedom (RYF) certification to the Tehnoetic TET-N150 wireless USB adapter.
FSF condemns partnership between Mozilla and Adobe to support Digital Restrictions Management
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA — Wednesday, May 14th, 2014 — In response to Mozilla's announcement that it is reluctantly adopting DRM in its Firefox Web browser, Free Software Foundation executive director John Sullivan made the following statement:
Global community rallies for International Day Against DRM
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Tuesday, May 6th, 2014 -- Today a wide variety of community groups, activist organizations and businesses are taking part in the 8th International Day Against DRM (DayAgainstDRM.org). The groups are united in envisioning a world without Digital Restrictions Management, technology that places arbitrary restrictions on what people can do with digital media, often by spying on them. As the largest anti-DRM event in the world, the International Day Against DRM is an important counterpoint to the pro-DRM message broadcast by powerful media and software companies. The Day is coordinated by Defective by Design (DefectiveByDesign.org), the anti-DRM campaign of the Free Software Foundation.
FSF seeks full-time senior GNU/Linux systems administrator
The Free Software Foundation (FSF), a Boston-based 501(c)(3) charity with a worldwide mission to protect freedoms critical to the computer-using public, seeks a full-time senior systems administrator.
Free Software Foundation statement on Heartbleed vulnerability
Today, news broke of a major security vulnerability in OpenSSL. The bug, which is being referred to as "heartbleed", allows unauthorized access to information protected, under normal conditions, by the SSL/TLS encryption used to secure much of the Internet. In response to the news, Free Software Foundation executive director John Sullivan made the following statement:
Matthew Garrett, GNOME Foundation's Outreach Program for Women are Free Software Award winners
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA — Saturday, March 22nd, 2014 — Free Software Foundation president Richard M. Stallman announced the winners of the FSF's annual Free Software Awards at a ceremony on Saturday, March 22nd, held during the LibrePlanet 2014 conference at MIT, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Two awards were given: the Award for the Advancement of Free Software, and the Award for Projects of Social Benefit.
FSF joins forces with Software Freedom Law Center and Open Source Initiative to fight software patents in U.S. Supreme Court
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Friday, February 28, 2014 -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) joined the Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) and the Open Source Initiative (OSI) in filing a brief amici curiae in software patent case Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank before the United States Supreme Court yesterday.
Free Software Foundation opens registration for March 24th legal seminar on GPL Enforcement and Legal Ethics
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Friday, February 14th, 2014 -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) today announced open registration for a seminar on GPL Enforcement and Legal Ethics, to be held Monday, March 24th, 2014, at Suffolk University Law School. The half-day seminar will provide an introduction to the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL), a detailed look at how it can and has been enforced, and a session on professional ethics considerations for lawyers working with clients involved in free software.
LulzBot TAZ 3 3D printer now FSF-certified to respect your freedom
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Friday, February 7, 2014 -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) today awarded Respects Your Freedom (RYF) certification to the TAZ 3, the fifth model in the LulzBot line of 3D printers by Aleph Objects, Inc. The RYF certification mark means that the product meets the FSF's standards in regard to users' freedom, control over the product, and privacy.
Anti-Fast Track mobilization to be extended after more than half a million people take action
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Wednesday, February 5th, 2014 -- Yesterday, a diverse network of organizations opposing Fast Track legislation, including the Free Software Foundation, announced they are extending their ten days of activism following massive and widespread public action. Since its inception on January 22nd, more than a hundred new groups have joined the effort at StopFastTrack.com, including Coalition for a Prosperous America, Ben & Jerry's, SumOfUs, Democracy for America, Friends of the Earth, Namecheap, and CREDO -- adding to an already impressive, and unlikely, list of groups like reddit, Sierra Club, AFL-CIO, MoveOn, LabelGMOs, and Fight for the Future.
Gift giving gnu advises shoppers to "give freely"
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Friday, December 20th, 2013 -- Yesterday, Free Software Foundation activists visited the Boston Apple store to raise awareness of more ethical alternatives for technology gifts. The activists were accompanied by a gnu (the free software movement's buffalo-like mascot) and sported Santa hats in the spirit of the season. Shoppers were surprised to see such an unusual Santa, and many took stickers and copies of the FSF's "Giving Guide," which contains tips for purchasing tech gifts that respect computer users' freedom, privacy and security.
Gluglug X60 Laptop now certified to Respect Your Freedom
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Thursday, December 19, 2013 -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) today awarded Respects Your Freedom (RYF) certification to Gluglug X60 laptops. The RYF certification mark means that the product meets the FSF's standards in regard to users' freedom, control over the product, and privacy. This is the first laptop to receive RYF certification from the FSF.
Reform corporate surveillance
The FSF issued the following statement in response to the recent open letter on government surveillance published by AOL, Apple, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Twitter, and Yahoo.
FSF responds to Microsoft's privacy and encryption announcement
Yesterday, Microsoft announced a new effort to "[protect] customer data from government snooping." FSF executive director John Sullivan issued the following statement on Thursday, December 5th:
Free Software Foundation encourages shoppers to 'Give Freely' with new Giving Guide
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Wednesday, November 27, 2013 -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) today announced its 2013 Giving Guide, a resource for conscientious shoppers looking for geeky gifts that respect users' freedom. Many holiday shoppers will be turning to gadgets and online services as gifts for friends and family, but these gifts are often rife with proprietary software, anti-features, or Digital Restrictions Management (DRM), all of which restrict how the gift can be used.