Why Software Freedom Matters

Who is this guy ?

Ruwan RanganathDevOps Engineer - WSO2.Telco

Regional Coordinator - Mozilla Foundation

FOSS - NSBM

FOSS Advocate Linux Guy

Using Software without Paying ?

Or

“free software” is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of “free” as in “free speech,” not as in “free beer”.

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Freedom

• Exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.

• The power to determine action without restraint.

• Personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery: a slave who bought his freedom.

(reference: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/freedom )

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Software

Collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions telling a computer

what to do and how to do it.

(reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_software )

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Software is everywhere

• Personal computer, mp3 players, TV, GPS phones, cars

• Governments, banks, planes, most companies• Communication, safety, leisure, work,

education

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Human rights

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Easy examples

• Emails• Browsing• Navigation systems (GPS)• More...

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Freedom

• Taken for granted• Limited• As free as the technology you use

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What do we need?

• Transparent technologies• Sustainable technologies• Technologies under our control

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Transparent

• Emails• Browsing• Navigation systems (GPS)• And the other examples ...

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Less obvious

Sony and the rootkit example:• Spyware install from music CDs• Silent and automatic• Search for piracy breaches• Impossible to remove• Led to new kinds of threats

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Access to source code

Free and Open Source Software:• Access to source code• Trust• Safeguards human rights

Transparent technologies are about ensuring you can trust the results and operation of your

technology.

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Sustainable

• Opening love letters of your youth• Extend to any creation• Public libraries• Any organizations

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Free formats and protocols

Free and Open Source Software:• Publicly known formats and protocols• Everyone is free to implement them• Code accessing the data is readable• Cross program compatibility• Easy to use and implement

Sustainable technologies are about ensuring access to knowledge forever.

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Technologies under our control

• Only accessing the source code is not enough• Can we compile the software?

• To run it on the same device or another device• To change it to do what we need• To know that the software you use was made from

the source code provided

Technologies under our control means we are fully deciding what the software is doing for us and are

able to pass it on to future generations.

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Urgency

• More and more technology• More and more people• Everyday life• Internet world

Technology should empowers everyone equally, where knowledge is forever, and where our basic human freedoms are strengthened by technology,

not hampered.

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What can we do?

• Use and support Free Software• Use and support Free Formats and Protocols• Use and support Free Licenses

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Free Licenses

Many choices• GDL, some CC licenses, AL, etc• Purpose of easily sharing one's creation• Ability to fine tune the level of sharing

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Sita sings the blues

• Free culture artist Nina Paley• www.sitasingstheblues.com• Annette Hanshaw: music of 1920s copyrighted

• Music is locked away• System prevents from making it available

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Lots of free culture resources

• Openclipart.org• Flick'r• Jamendo• Open Font Library• Thingiverse• Open Game Art• Much more...

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What's next?

• Stop• Think• Act

• Use• Share• Participate

foss.lkbsides.lk

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Celebrate Software Freedom

Ask me questions!

This presentation is licensed under a CC-BY-SA 3.0 license

@ruwan_ranganath