Video creator David Wilson will keynote LibrePlanet 2024, the sixteenth edition of the FSF's conference on ethical technology and user freedom. Wilson created the community and learning resource for computer enthusiasts called System Crafters to teach others how to craft their computing experience using free software tools like GNU Emacs and GNU Guix. Program manager Miriam Bastian affirms that Wilson is a professional community builder and therefore an excellent choice to keynote the conference, which is themed in 2024 as "Cultivating Community." According to executive director Zoë Kooyman the theme in turn is a "fitting follow-up to the celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the GNU Project this year."

In anticipation of keynoting at LibrePlanet 2024, Wilson says: "Let's imagine a bright future to ensure free software thrives for the next forty years and beyond!"

Wilson acknowledges that the free software movement, for the past forty years, has been driven by a passionate community of hackers who care deeply about user freedom and privacy. At the same time, he observes that "the strategies and tools that software communities use to organize, promote, and execute projects have changed significantly." In his talk, Wilson will initiate a discussion on how to cultivate a welcoming community that attracts a new generation of passionate users, contributors, and maintainers to free software projects. He will showcase projects that successfully streamline contributions while strengthening maintainership and creating a feeling of shared ownership.

About LibrePlanet

LibrePlanet is the annual conference of the FSF. Over the last decade, LibrePlanet has blossomed from a small gathering of FSF associate members into a vibrant multi-day event that attracts a broad audience of people who are interested in the values of software freedom. LibrePlanet 2024: "Cultivating Community" is the sixteenth edition and will be held on a weekend in March both online and in person in the Boston area. To receive announcements about LibrePlanet 2024, visit the conference website and sign up for the email updates.

Speakers of all experience levels are currently invited to submit talks, panels, or workshops for the conference. The Call for Sessions will be running until October 25, 12:00 EDT (16:00 UTC). The registration for LibrePlanet: "Cultivating Community" will open on October 18. Attendance is free of charge to FSF associate members and students.

For information on how your company or organization can sponsor LibrePlanet or have a table in the lively and centrally located exhibit hall, see the conference website, or send an email campaigns@fsf.org.

About the Free Software Foundation

The FSF, founded in 1985, is dedicated to promoting computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and use of free (as in freedom) software -- particularly the GNU operating system and its GNU/Linux variants -- and free documentation for free software. The FSF also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and political issues of freedom in the use of software, and its websites, located at https://www.fsf.org and https://www.gnu.org, are an important source of information about GNU/Linux. Donations to support the FSF's work can be made at https://donate.fsf.org. Its headquarters are in Boston, MA, USA.

MEDIA CONTACT

Miriam Bastian
Program Manager
Free Software Foundation
+1 (617) 542 5942
campaigns@fsf.org

Image Copyright © 2023, David Wilson, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.