CeBIT Open Source Project Lounge -- Free Software Foundation Europe
FSFE -- the European Division For the Freedom of Software
ByThe Free Software Foundation Europe is among the 15 projects that will present their work at CeBIT, the European division working for the freedom of software.

In a nutshell: How would you describe your project in one or two sentences?
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a common-usage, politically independent organization committed to all aspects of free software in Europe. Access to software is open to any participant. We therefore provide opportunities in the Digital Age based on the freedom to use, copy, modify and distribute software inherent in the term "free software." To nudge this concept into the collective consciousness and promote world freedom by supporting development of free software is the core mission of the FSFE, which was founded as a sister organization to the U.S. FSF in 2001.
When did the project begin?
March 10, 2001.
How many active members does the project have?
About 45 active European core team and national team members, about 850 Fellows that assist partly in activities through their fellowship arrangements, and about 100 volunteers.
How did the project come into being?
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) was founded in 2001 as a sister organization to the U.S. Free Software Foundation (FSF) to address free software interests in Europe. This step was based on a few factors, which we included on our "Why do we exist?" webpage.
Why should a CeBIT visitor come to your booth?
We inform visitors about the societal, political and economic aspects of free software and are available to answer all technical questions about licensing. We also inform visitors about our Fellowship program that gives everyone an excellent opportunity to participate in the work FSFE is doing. We even demonstrate use of the OpenPGP Smartcard used in the Fellowship program to encrypt and sign files and e-mails.
Who do you make your software for?
Free software provides a groundwork for democratic societies and therefore serves the world community.
Where do you see your biggest current challenge?
To make the concept of free software understandable to all and prepare everyone to participate. We are working continually on this. An example is our "Free PDFreaders.org" campaign. We are trying to stress the importance of open standards and development of a PDF reader based on free software.
Which licensing scheme would you suggest to an enterprise looking to you for advice about a homegrown product?
We stand aside when it comes to recommending licensing, which must be considered on a case-by-case basis. Therefore a specific, concrete licensing recommendation is not always possible.
Project website: www.fsfeurope.org.
During CeBIT the Free Software Foundation Europe will give two talks: Georg Greve, FSFE president, will hold a keynote titled "To dare more freedom" on Tuesday, March 3. Shane Coughlan, Freedom Task Force, will give a talk on Thursday, March 5, titled "The strategic implementation of Free Software in business".
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
Plasma 6.3 Now Available
Plasma desktop v6.3 has a couple of pretty nifty tricks up its sleeve.
-
LibreOffice 25.2 Has Arrived
If you've been hoping for a release that offers more UI customizations, you're in for a treat.
-
TuxCare Has a Big AlmaLinux 9 Announcement in Store
TuxCare announced it has successfully completed a Security Technical Implementation Guide for AlmaLinux OS 9.
-
First Release Candidate for Linux Kernel 6.14 Now Available
Linus Torvalds has officially released the first release candidate for kernel 6.14 and it includes over 500,000 lines of modified code, making for a small release.
-
System76 Refreshes Meerkat Mini PC
If you're looking for a small form factor PC powered by Linux, System76 has exactly what you need in the Meerkat mini PC.
-
Gnome 48 Alpha Ready for Testing
The latest Gnome desktop alpha is now available with plenty of new features and improvements.
-
Wine 10 Includes Plenty to Excite Users
With its latest release, Wine has the usual crop of bug fixes and improvements, along with some exciting new features.
-
Linux Kernel 6.13 Offers Improvements for AMD/Apple Users
The latest Linux kernel is now available, and it includes plenty of improvements, especially for those who use AMD or Apple-based systems.
-
Gnome 48 Debuts New Audio Player
To date, the audio player found within the Gnome desktop has been meh at best, but with the upcoming release that all changes.
-
Plasma 6.3 Ready for Public Beta Testing
Plasma 6.3 will ship with KDE Gear 24.12.1 and KDE Frameworks 6.10, along with some new and exciting features.