Re: federated free software movement

[vidak@riseup.net]

On 2021-11-14 10:03, Arthur Torrey wrote:
> I think that this would be a really good idea, as I see a great deal
> of overlap between the motivations and ideals of the groups...  It
> might also be worth reaching out to the 'maker' world as well since it
> also has a lot of overlap....  I don't do Bird-noises or Mastodon, but
> think it is a good idea in principle.

I have been thinking for some time on trying to revive a 'flagship' Free
Software federated social media. I hate the concept of 'social media'
with all the attention-economy aspects that it brings with it. But, I
think ActivityPub has succeeded as the protocol of choice for federated
online microblogging.

Perhaps this could broaden even further into a reconceptualisation of a
'Free hypertext', but I think that's beyond the scope of this
discussion.
 
> I think the only thing that might be an issue where the groups might
> need to have a significant level of willingness to compromise is on
> the 'purity requirements' (for lack of a better term)  I.e. both the
> OSHW and R2R folks don't necessarily have big issues w/ using
> proprietary software / binary blobs if it makes it possible to
> accomplish their ends of making cool objects (i.e. a gizmo that is
> based on a RasPI) or fixing a device (i.e using a Windows based
> proprietary programming tool)...  So while pointing out how Free
> software might make it easier to make / fix things, the FLOSS
> enthusiasts would need to not be hostile to the idea using software
> that we don't approve of...  This is sort of like my comment that the
> RYF cert would be more popular / desirable if it didn't prohibit
> mentioning compatibility w/ other non-free O/S's...

Personally, the issue isn't with 'purity', it's with 'compromise'.
Purity doesn't exclude variety, and it certainly doesn't indicate
group-think, to my mind. I don't even phrase the concept of only using
Free software as one of being 'pure'--when there are many options and
solutions that are already 'Free', why can't you always choose the right
choice?

> <start Quote>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2021 14:29:30 +0000
> From: Leah Rowe <info@minifree.org>
> To: libreplanet-discuss@libreplanet.org
> Subject: federated free software movement
> Message-ID: <bb3d05f1-70b7-f350-7a86-6b7393a73950@minifree.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; Format="flowed"
> 
> 
> What if there was a combined Free Software, OSHW and Right to Repair 
> group, providing ideological leadership in a peer to peer fashion via 
> federated services (including Git-based code hosting) and an emphasis on 
> teaching how to self-host your own federated hosting infrastructure?
> <snip> <end quote>

I'd definitely be down to help do some leg-work on this. I'd like to
revive total 'Free software' solutions, even put some development, into,
say, GNU Social?

> ------------------
> Arthur Torrey - <arthur_torrey@comcast.net>
> -------------------
> 
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