[FSFE PR][ES] Frank Karlitschek receives the European SFS Award at SFSCON23

[press en fsfe.org]

 = Frank Karlitschek receives the European SFS Award at SFSCON23 =

[ Read online: https://fsfe.org/news/2023/news-20231110-01.es.html ]

The founder of Nextcloud received the European SFS Award at SFSCON. This
recognition which was presented for the first time jointly by the Linux
User Group Bolzano and the Free Software Foundation Europe, went to /"a
tireless advocate of digital freedom as universal right"/.

/"He is not only a talented technologist, but also a tireless advocate
of digital freedom as a universal right"/. With these words, the
European SFS Award was presented to Nextcloud founder Frank Karlitschek
today, 10 November, at SFSCON 2023. This is the first time that the
well-established SFS Award has been extended to the European level, a
joint collaboration with the initiators of this recognition, the Linux
User Group BZ (LUGBZ) and the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE).

More than two decades ago, Frank Karlitschek founded the community
website KDE-Look.org, then GNOME-look.org and finally openDesktop.org to
improve Free Software. In 2010, with the ownCloud project, the
Stuttgart-based Free Software developer laid the foundation for a
platform that allows people to store their data securely and
independently. This led to the launch of Nextcloud in 2016.

Today, Nextcloud is a Free Software collaboration tool used by millions
worldwide /"and which some of the biggest technology companies around
the world fear as a competitor"/, as Matthias Kirschner, FSFE president,
pointed out during the Award ceremony. Kirschner further noted that
/“even in situations where he could have personally or with his company
benefited financially, he decided to follow his principles and ensure
that there is a fair level playing field for others in our community as
well"/.

/He[Karlitschek] followed his ideals and his strong believe that users
should have the rights to use, understand, share, and improve their
software—and created a comprehensive, user-friendly and secure
collaboration platform/, added Rafael Barbieri, LUGBZ member.

In his thank you speech, Karlitschek said he can just accept the award
in the name for the Nextcloud community, the ones that really deserve
this recognition.

 == The European SFS Award ==

The first SFS Award was presented to Hugo Leiter in 2004 at the SFSCON
South Tyrol Free Software Conference for the implementation of Libre
Office in all municipalities of South Tyrol. Twenty years later, at the
start of the SFSCON at the NOI Techpark, the award was presented for the
first time on a European level. The Free Software Foundation Europe
teamed up with the initiator of the award, LUGBZ, to jointly honour Free
Software developers who have made outstanding contributions to the
dissemination and promotion of Free Software in Europe.

 == 2023 Laudatio ==

*Rafael*: It’s an honour for me (on behalf of the Board of Linux User
Group Bozen-Bolzano-Bulsan) to present the first European SFS Award,
continuing a twenty year old tradition, since the first SFS Award was
assigned in 2004 to Hugo Leiter, for introducing Libre Office in all
municipalities of South Tyrol. Traditionally the AWARD has always been
given to someone who greatly contributed to the culture of Free Software
in South Tyrol, and this tradition will continue, but as SFSCON this
year we extended the narrative to the essential European level. LUGBZ,
promoting digital sustainability in South Tyrol, joined forces with an
important European association active in the sphere of Free Software,
namely the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE). Let me introduce the
president: Matthias Kirchner.

*Matthias*: Thank you Raphael! As the FSFE we have now participated many
years at the SFSCON, and saw how the LUGBZ was awarding great Free
Software contributors from Italy – so we were happy when we have been
approached to join forces and award European Free Software contributors
together with the LUGBZ.

*Raphael*: As in previous years, we received many nominations for
potential winners. It was not easy for us to choose a winner, since many
of the suggested candidates made enormous contribution to Free Software.

*Matthias*: The deciding factor for us this year was to choose a
European who lives the values of software freedom, a person who has
dedicated decades of work to software freedom and brought it to the next
level, a true visionary and pioneer of software freedom.

*Raphael*: In 2001, over two decades ago, he started KDE-Look.org, later
GNOME-look.org, as well as openDesktop.org to improve Free Software, and
supported many initiatives in our field, including serving as Vice
President of KDE e.V.

In 2010 at Akademy he laid the foundations for a platform that enabled
millions of people to store their data securely and self-determined on
servers. He promoted Open Standards, and inspired people to join the
movement for software freedom.

With the development of a remote collaboration tool for teams, which is
developed under the freedom protecting GNU AGPL license, he followed his
ideals and his strong believe that users should have the rights to use,
understand, share, and improve their software – and created a
comprehensive, user-friendly and secure collaboration platform.

*Matthias*: His tireless commitment to software freedom has resulted in
a Free Software product which some of the biggest technology companies
around the world fear as a competitor.

Even in situations where he could have personally or with his company
benefited financially, he decided to follow his principles and ensure
that there is a fair level playing field for others in our community as
well.

*Raphael*: He is not only a gifted technologist, but also a champion of
the idea of digital freedom as a universal right. With his work he lives
the ideals of transparency, privacy, and individual control over digital
information, but he also laid the foundation for a diverse and engaged
community.

*Matthias*: His dedication, his vision, and his strong principles
enriched and inspired many in our community. We are deeply grateful for
his contributions and look forward to a future he helps shape.

For these reasons, we hereby award Frank Karlitschek, the founder of
Nextcloud, the European SFS Award 2023.

  == About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==

  Free Software Foundation Europe is a charity that empowers users to
  control technology. Software is deeply involved in all aspects of our
  lives; and it is important that this technology empowers rather than
  restricts us. Free Software gives everybody the rights to use,
  understand, adapt and share software. These rights help support other
  fundamental freedoms like freedom of speech, press and privacy.

  The FSFE helps individuals and organisations understand how Free
  Software contributes to freedom, transparency and self-determination. We
  enhance users' rights by abolishing barriers to Free Software adoption,
  encourage people to use and develop Free Software, and provide resources
  to enable everyone to further promote Free Software in Europe.

  https://fsfe.org