= Call for events: Be a part of Document Freedom Day 2015 =
[ Read online: https://fsfe.org/news/2015/news-20150224-01.fi.html ]
Document Freedom Day (#DFD2015) is a global campaign for document
liberation, with grassroots events throughout the world taking place on
March 25, 2015. Add your voice to this worldwide celebration of Open
Standards, and register your DFD event for 2015![1]
Every year since 2008, people who care about a free information society
celebrate Document Freedom Day to raise awareness of Open Standards[2].
On this day activists around the world come together to talk about
access to communications, run local public activities, and generally
spread the word about Open Standards in a dozen different ways. Be part
of the movement and sign up your DFD team today![3]
== How to get involved ==
"Every year, the most important part of this campaign is being done
by people just like yourself that run local events around the world.
For this, we have made it easier than ever to organise an event"
says Erik Albers, head of the international Document Freedom Day
team. "We are offering promotion materials[4] in many languages, and
artwork you can remix, share and improve[5] to publicise your own
event."
To coordinate this year's DFD campaign, FSFE's Document Freedom Day team
has also built a shiny new website[6], making it easier for you to get
in touch with other people participating in DFD around the world, and
with FSFE's campaign staff.
If you are running a local event, we may be able to offer funding of
your local activities or your local print runs[7] - thanks to DFD's
generous sponsors[8]. To get inspired, take a look at what other groups
from Mexico to Japan did last year[9].
--
Free Software Foundation Europe <https://fsfe.org>
FSFE News <https://fsfe.org/news/news.en.rss>
Upcoming FSFE Events <https://fsfe.org/events/events.en.rss>
Fellowship Blog Aggregation <https://planet.fsfe.org/en/rss20.xml>
Free Software Discussions <https://fsfe.org/contact/community.en.html>
1. https://www.documentfreedom.org/registerevent.html
2. https://fsfe.org/activities/os/index.fi.html
3. https://www.documentfreedom.org/registerevent.html
4. https://www.documentfreedom.org/promotion.html
5. https://gitorious.org/document_freedom_day/artwork
6. https://www.documentfreedom.org/index.html
7. https://www.documentfreedom.org/funding-expenses.html
8. https://www.documentfreedom.org/sponsors.html
9. https://www.documentfreedom.org/news/2014/news-20140424-01.en.html
== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in
the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free
Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the
furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study,
modify and copy. Founded in 2001, creating awareness for these issues,
securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people
Freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues
of the FSFE.
http://fsfe.org/
= Position paper for the boost of Open Educational Resources on the basis of Free Software =
[ Read online: https://fsfe.org/news/2015/news-20150210-01.fi.html ]
Together with FSFE and other partners, the Bündnis Freie Bildung ("Free
Education Alliance") today publishes its position paper about the
creation and usage of Open Educational Resources (OER). Therein, the
Bündnis demands a consequent publishing of all OER-material under public
licences and their availability as Free Software and in Open Standard
formats.
The Bündnis Freie Bildung is following a vision to have "all educational
resources usable without any legal or technical barriers". This can only
be achieved by using Free Software and Open Standards. Consequently, we
find it as a core postulation of the alliance's initial position
paper[1] "Der Weg zur Stärkung freier Bildungsmaterialien" ("The road to
boost Open Educational Resources" only available in German). The paper
has a specific focus on the creation and usage of OER inside the German
educational system.
"In the upcoming years, Open Educational Resources will receive an
ever growing importance inside all sectors of public and private
education", says Erik Albers from the FSFE. "To bring OER to their
full potential, Free Software is indispensable. We are happy to join
the Bündnis Freie Bildung today to bring an understanding of this
context into politics and society."
Furthermore, the position paper demands to consider the use of Free
Software already during the development or extension of IT
infrastructures. In addition, it shall be mandatory to publish
educational resources that have been paid with public money as Open
Educational Resources. By this, the Bündnis Freie Bildung expects a
higher fairness in education and the promotion of participative
structures inside the educational system. Both are characteristics, that
experience an ever growing importance with the ongoing digitalisation of
learning and teaching.
"The more we see classic educational environments equipped with
computers, the more important it is to offer every learner an
education that is independent from manufacturers and products, that
is participative and is built on top of free educational material.
For the FSFE, this begins with Free Software and achieves perfection
in interaction with OER", says Erik Albers.
== About the Bündnis Freie Bildung ==
The Bündnis Freie Bildung[2] is a coalition of organisations and
individuals with the aim to pin the usage and support of Open Education
Resources into politics and society. The alliance was founded by
Creative Commons Germany, Open Knowledge Foundation Germany and
Wikimedia Germany. The FSFE affiliates with the Bündnis as a partner.
Inside the alliance, the FSFE raises awareness about free technology -
namely Free Software and Open Standards - as a necessary condition for a
sustainable development of Open Educational Resources.
--
Free Software Foundation Europe <https://fsfe.org>
FSFE News <https://fsfe.org/news/news.en.rss>
Upcoming FSFE Events <https://fsfe.org/events/events.en.rss>
Fellowship Blog Aggregation <https://planet.fsfe.org/en/rss20.xml>
Free Software Discussions <https://fsfe.org/contact/community.en.html>
1. http://buendnis-freie-bildung.de/positionspapier-oer/
2. http://buendnis-freie-bildung.de/
== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in
the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free
Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the
furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study,
modify and copy. Founded in 2001, creating awareness for these issues,
securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people
Freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues
of the FSFE.
http://fsfe.org/
= Show your love for Free Software =
[ Read online: https://fsfe.org/news/2015/news-20150209-01.fi.html ]
Every year on 14th February, the Free Software Foundation Europe asks
all Free Software users to think about the hard-working people in the
Free Software community and to show them their appreciation individually
on this "I love Free Software"-Day.
Like last year[1] the campaign is dedicated to the people behind Free
Software because they enable us to use, study, share and improve the
software which enables us to work in freedom. This time the focus
especially lies on the small contributions to the big picture of the
Free Software community.
"When people think of the Free Software they need and admire, many
think of large well-known applications. These softwares and the
organisations behind it are very important indeed. But we should
also think of the countless developers who spend their free or work
time to write and improve the smaller bits of software we also rely
on." says Max Mehl, this year's #ilovefs[2] campaign manager.
"Coders are no machines and their contributions deserve our respect
and gratitude."
For I love Free Software Day 2015 FSFE has several suggestions how to
show one's love to the people behind Free Software, for example:
- *Pictures* A picture is worth thousand words. The Free Software
Foundation Europe already collected some images[3] of people showing
how they express their support for Free Software developers in public.
That's a very individual way to participate.
- *Postcards* If you rather prefer to clothe your thoughts in words the
brand-new postcards enable you to do so. It's either suitable for your
valentine or for developers which software you adore. The postcards
can be ordered[4] for free just like FSFE's other promotion material.
- *#ilovefs* always had great online impact so FSFE is once again
looking forward to seeing a lot of messages on microblogs, social
networks, mailing lists, and blogs in a variety of languages.
- *Donations* to developers and organisations dedicated to Free Software
are another way how to declare one's appreciation. Invite them for a
drink or donate to their projects, to FSFE[5] or to other supporters
of Free Software[6].
"Software is deeply involved in all aspects of our lives. It is
important that this technology empowers rather than restricts us.
Free Software contributors give everybody else the freedom to use,
understand, adapt and share the software they have written. This way
they help to support other fundamental freedoms like freedom of
speech, freedom of press and privacy." says Matthias Kirschner,
FSFE's Vice President. "We should not underestimate the power of a
simple "thank you" to motivate them in their important work for
society. So say thank you on 14th February!"
--
Free Software Foundation Europe <https://fsfe.org>
FSFE News <https://fsfe.org/news/news.en.rss>
Upcoming FSFE Events <https://fsfe.org/events/events.en.rss>
Fellowship Blog Aggregation <https://planet.fsfe.org/en/rss20.xml>
Free Software Discussions <https://fsfe.org/contact/community.en.html>
1. https://fsfe.org/news/2014/news-20140221-01.fi.html
2. http://ilovefs.org
3. https://fsfe.org/campaigns/ilovefs/whylovefs/gallery.fi.html
4. https://fsfe.org/contribute/spreadtheword.fi.html#ilovefs-campaign
5. https://fsfe.org/donate/index.fi.html
6. https://wiki.fsfe.org/DonateToFreeSoftwareProjects
== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in
the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free
Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the
furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study,
modify and copy. Founded in 2001, creating awareness for these issues,
securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people
Freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues
of the FSFE.
http://fsfe.org/