[FSFE PR][EN] FSFE's goal for February 14th: More love reports than bug reports!

[press at fsfeurope.org]

= FSFE's goal for February 14th: More love reports than bug reports! =

  [Read online: http://fsfe.org/news/2012/news-20120209-01.html ]

Free Software Foundation Europe asks all Free Software users to show
their love to Free Software on February 14th.

"Let's be honest: In the Free Software community, we exchange a lot of
criticism. We write bug reports, tell others how they can improve the
software, ask them for new features, and generally are not shy about
criticising others. Sometimes we forget to say "thank you, for all your
work". As in the last years, we want to change this, at least for one
day. So on Tuesday the 14th of February we will celebrate the "I love
Free Software"-Day (http://ilovefs.org), says Matthias Kirschner, FSFE's
#ilovefs campaign manager.

FSFE has several suggestions how to show your love to the people behind
Free Software, including:

- buy your favourite developer a drink
- give them a hug (ask for permission first)
- write an e-mail/letter[1] to a programmer expressing how much you like
  what they are doing
- create nice pictures[2]
- donate to a Free Software initiative
- ...

Everybody can help to spread the love by sharing the campaign
banners[3], by e-mail, (micro)blog or by spreading through any social
network (please use the hashtag #ilovefs for this).

"Free Software is about putting people first", says Karsten Gerloff,
FSFE's president. "Technology is important, but we're passionate about
technology because of what it enables us to do with others, not for its
own sake. So this is the perfect time to say 'thank you' to those people
out there who make technology better for all of us."

If you live in Germany, you can join our whole day event with bands and
workshops in the Unperfekthaus in Essen[4].


  1. http://blogs.fsfe.org/thomaslocke/2012/01/18/why-i-love-free-and-open-source-software/
  2. http://www.marcusmoeller.ch/fsfe/we-love-free-software.html
  3. http://fsfe.org/campaigns/ilovefs/2012/banners.html
  4. http://fsfe.org/campaigns/ilovefs/2012/unperfekthaus.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/

  Contact: Matthias Kirschner, Free Software Foundation Europe,
  Linienstr. 141, 10115 Berlin, t +49-30-27595290, m +49-1577-1780003