# Free Software Supporter -- Issue 202, February 2025
*Please consider adding to your address book, which will ensure that our messages reach you and not your spam box.*
*Read and share online: *
Welcome to the *Free Software Supporter*, the Free Software Foundation's (FSF) monthly news digest and action update -- being read by you and 231,457 other activists.
## TABLE OF CONTENTS
* February FSF40 challenge * Announcing the winner of the FSF40 Anniversary Logo Contest * Organize a community meetup in your area * Llama 3.1 Community License is not a free software license * We surpassed our year-end goal of $400,000 USD thanks to you! * Anchoring the FSF in its values * Psychological care should grant you freedom and protection * FSF associate members to decide the logo for the FSF's fortieth anniversary * SFC-funded lawsuit gets software repair and reinstall for users of AVM routers * Router freedom in Germany: A victory for consumers! * I Love Free Software Day 2025 is around the corner! * Executive order to the US State Department sideswipes freedom tools, threatens censorship resistance, privacy, and anonymity of millions * Heads up: Microsoft is leaving you logged on starting in February * January GNU Emacs news * Join the FSF and friends in updating the Free Software Directory * LibrePlanet featured resource: Group:Software/FSDG distributions/CrossDistroBootstrap * January GNU Spotlight with Amin Bandali: Seventeen new GNU releases! * FSF and other free software events * Thank GNUs! * GNU copyright contributions * Translations of the *Free Software Supporter* * Take action with the FSF!
View this issue online here:
Encourage your friends to subscribe and help us build an audience by adding our subscriber widget to your website.
* Subscribe: * Widget:
Miss an issue? You can catch up on back issues at .
Want to read this newsletter translated into another language? Scroll to the end to read the *Supporter* in French, Spanish, or Portuguese.
***
### February FSF40 challenge
Almost every month during our fortieth anniversary year, we're inviting free software supporters everywhere to join us in celebrating FSF40 all year long in 2025. For February, join this month's FSF40 challenge and add "**The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is ending their thirties on a high note! Join the FSF in celebrating their fortieth birthday: u.fsf.org/44j**" to your email signature. Even if you don't take part in this #FSF40Challenge, fear not - we've got ten more coming.
Have an idea for a challenge? Send us a message at !
### Announcing the winner of the FSF40 Anniversary Logo Contest
*From January 22*
After two weeks of voting on twelve designs submitted by free software supporters, the community chose an image that will represent the fortieth FSF anniversary. Take a look at all the designs submitted, including a closer look at the winning logo seen in the banner above!
*
### Organize a community meetup in your area
*From January 30*
We're inviting free software supporters like you to organize an in-person community meetup in your area to bring people all over the world together and celebrate forty years of commitment to software freedom. If you're up for organizing a get-together in your area in May 2025, either by yourself or with someone, we've put together a guide to get you started!
*
### Llama 3.1 Community License is not a free software license
*From January 24*
The FSF has published its evaluation of the Llama 3.1 Community License Agreement. This is not a free software license and you should not use it, nor any software released under it. You can review the reasons that the Llama 3.1 Community License Agreement does not qualify as a free software license below.
*
### We surpassed our year-end goal of $400,000 USD thanks to you!
*From January 21*
We want to thank all our individual donors and members who gave to us what they could spare, pushing our progress bar to its max. We also received a major anonymous donation that put us well beyond our fundraising goal! The overwhelming support from the community makes the FSF stronger and all its staff feel empowered and motivated to take on our fortieth year of promoting computer user freedom. Just because the fundraiser is over doesn't mean that the work is, though. There's still a lot that we can do together to cement free software's role in our societies. You can read on for a few ideas on what you can do to stay involved.
*
### Anchoring the FSF in its values
*From January 10*
The founders of the FSF started the Free Software Foundation (FSF) in 1985, with the moral goal of giving users control over their computing, what we call software freedom -- and specifically to support developing the GNU operating system that would make software freedom a practical possibility. The FSF hasn't strayed from this core value after almost forty years of work. In this article by the FSF Board of Directors, they cover some of the factors that led to the current board structure.
*
### Psychological care should grant you freedom and protection
*From January 7*
While any tool that claims to improve mental healthcare and parenting can sound promising, especially in stretched healthcare systems, the rise of proprietary apps designed to help new parents is concerning. Soula, a large language model written to support pregnant and postpartum parents, is one of many mental healthcare apps that could potentially harm instead of help vulnerable people. Not only does Soula block users from exercising the four freedoms, it also collects an immense amount of sensitive data (including menstruation cycles and physical/mental well-being) that it gives to other companies, like OpenAI. If you're not yet aware of the dangers of these proprietary mental healthcare apps, now is a good time to acquaint yourself with what you could be getting into if you use one of these programs.
*
### FSF associate members to decide the logo for the FSF's fortieth anniversary
*From January 6*
In early January, voting was opened for the logos submitted in late 2024 to decide the logo for the fortieth anniversary of the FSF. Associate members of the FSF were invited to vote for their favorite design, with the knowledge that their chosen design would be displayed on the FSF homepage, printed on all of the celebration materials, and possibly even stamped on some merchandise. You can see all twelve submitted designs by visiting the (now closed) voting page.
*
### SFC-funded lawsuit gets software repair and reinstall for users of AVM routers
*From January 9 by Software Freedom Conservancy*
After more than a year, the Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC)-funded lawsuit lawsuit against AVM, the largest home router manufacturer in Germany, came to a satisfactory conclusion in early January. Ultimately, the resolution exemplifies the power of copyleft — granting users the freedom to modify, repair, and secure the software on their own devices. This lawsuit reminded AVM, and hopefully other companies, that users must receive the same rights that AVM does under copyleft.
*
### Router freedom in Germany: A victory for consumers!
*From January 24 by Free Software Foundation Europe*
Just before the 9th anniversary of a 2016 law introducing router freedom to Germany, the German telecom regulator, Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA), successfully defended against fiber network providers' attempt to circumvent the router freedom law. In 2023, an association of fiber network operators in Germany submitted a request to exclude router freedom requirements from fiber networks. In its comprehensive decision, BNetzA rejected all the arguments brought forward by the telecom operators, confirming continued router freedom for German users, including those on fiber. You can read more about why BNetzA ultimately rejected the request to operate fiber networks without complying to router freedom requirements below.
*
### I Love Free Software Day 2025 is around the corner!
*From January 15 by Free Software Foundation Europe*
We hope you love free software every day of the year, but if you're looking for an excuse to celebrate how much you love free software than I Love Free Software Day 2025 is a great day to observe. This year's theme is "Hidden Projects," which highlights free software initiatives that are perhaps less talked about but is the foundation to the overall infrastructure that we use each day. It's time that we recognize how important things from server software to critical tools really are. We will be participating in I Love Free Software Day 2025 and will be posting more about it next week. In the meantime, the FSFE has some great ideas on how you can share your love of free software!
*
### Executive order to the US State Department sideswipes freedom tools, threatens censorship resistance, privacy, and anonymity of millions
*From January 30 by Corynne McSherry and Cindy Cohn*
One of the many actions issued on the first day of President Trump's second term, the Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid Executive Order (RRUSFA), threatens user security, privacy, and anonymity. RRUSFA immediately suspended contracts with hundreds of organizations in the US and globally, including many freedom technologies that use cryptography, fight censorship, and protect freedom of speech, privacy, and anonymity for millions of people. As a result, many of these projects have to stop or severely cut back on their projects, lay off talented workers, and stop or slow further development. We urge you to stay informed about what RRUSFA means for your freedom.
*
### Heads up: Microsoft is leaving you logged on starting in February
*From January 22 by Katie Scott*
We don't have to tell you that there's a lot of reasons why you shouldn't use Microsoft software, but here we are with yet another one. Starting this month, if you or your loved ones use Microsoft on public computers, or perhaps at work, you will have to make a very conscious choice to log out of any Microsoft software used before leaving the computer to keep your information as safe as you can when using Microsoft, which isn't very. While this might seem like just a slightly annoying change, it is a major threat to user data and security, because if you do forget to log out (which, who hasn't, especially when in a rush), then your data and work is readily available to whoever uses that computer next. If your local library is using Microsoft on library computers, now is a good time to advocate for a free operating system to become the default.
* *
### January GNU Emacs news
*From January 31, 2025 by Sacha Chua*
In these issues: M-x research, Emacs - recursive edit, and more!
### Join the FSF and friends in updating the Free Software Directory
Tens of thousands of people visit directory.fsf.org each month to discover free software. Each entry in the Directory contains a wealth of useful information, from basic category and descriptions to version control, IRC channels, documentation, and licensing. The Free Software Directory has been a great resource to software users over the past decade, but it needs your help staying up-to-date with new and exciting free software projects.
To help, join our weekly IRC meetings on Fridays. Meetings take place in the #fsf channel on Libera.Chat, and usually include a handful of regulars as well as newcomers. Libera.Chat is accessible from any IRC client -- Everyone's welcome!
The next meeting is Friday, February 7 from 12:00 to 15:00 EST (17:00 to 20:00 UTC). Details here: https://www.fsf.org/events/fsd-2025-02-07-irc
*
### LibrePlanet featured resource: Group:Software/FSDG distributions/CrossDistroBootstrap
Every month on [the LibrePlanet wiki](https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Main_Page), we highlight one resource that is interesting and useful -- often one that could use your help.
For this month, we are highlighting Group:Software/FSDG distributions/CrossDistroBootstrap, which provides a quick guide on which tools can script installations of an FSDG distribution rootfs from another FSDG distribution. You are invited to adopt, spread and improve this important resource.
*
Do you have a suggestion for next month's featured resource? Let us know at .
### January GNU Spotlight with Amin Bandali: Seventeen new GNU releases!
Seventeen new GNU releases in the last month (as of January 31, 2025):
For announcements of most new GNU releases, subscribe to the info-gnu mailing list: .
To download: nearly all GNU software is available most reliably from . Optionally, you may find faster download speeds at a mirror located geographically closer to you by choosing from the list of mirrors published at , or you may use to be automatically redirected to a (hopefully) nearby and up-to-date mirror.
A number of GNU packages, as well as the GNU operating system as a whole, are looking for maintainers and other assistance. Please see if you'd like to help. The general page on how to help GNU is at .
If you have a working or partly working program that you'd like to offer to the GNU project as a GNU package, see .
As always, please feel free to write to me, , with any GNUish questions or suggestions for future installments.
### FSF and other free software events
* March 6-9, 2025, Pasadena, CA, [Scale](https://www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale/22x) * March 14-16, 2025, Kozhikode, India [FOSSMeet'25](https://marketing.fossmeet.net/) * March 17-21, 2025, online, FSF Silent Auction * March 23, 2025, online, FSF Live auction * May, 2025 in-person worldwide and online, [LibreLocal month](https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/organize-a-community-meetup-in-your-area) * May 3, 2025, Zurich, Switzerland [Community meetup](https://libreplanet.org/wiki/FSF40/meetups) * May 10, 2025, Livermore, California [Community meetup](https://libreplanet.org/wiki/FSF40/meetups) * October 4, 2025, Boston, MA, FSF40 Celebration
### Thank GNUs!
We appreciate everyone who donates to the Free Software Foundation, and we'd like to give special recognition to the folks who have donated $500 or more in the last month.
*
This month, a big Thank GNU to:
* Brett Stevens * Crystal Moreno * David Ignat * Inouye Satoru * Martin Jässing * Michal Toman * Simon Josefsson * Terence O'Gorman
You can add your name to this list by donating at .
### GNU copyright contributions
Assigning your copyright to the Free Software Foundation helps us defend the GNU GPL and keep software free. Want to see your name on the list? Contribute to GNU and assign your copyright to the FSF.
*
### Translations of the *Free Software Supporter*
El *Free Software Supporter* está disponible en español. Para ver la versión en español haz click aquí:
**Para cambiar las preferencias de usuario y recibir los próximos números del *Supporter* en español, haz click aquí:**
Le *Free Software Supporter* est disponible en français. Pour voir la version française cliquez ici:
**Pour modifier vos préférences et recevoir les prochaines publications du *Supporter* en français, cliquez ici:**
O *Free Software Supporter* está disponível em português. Para ver a versão em português, clique aqui:
**Para alterar as preferências do usuário e receber as próximas edições do *Supporter* em português, clique aqui:**
### Take action with the FSF!
Contributions from thousands of individual associate members enable the FSF's work. You can contribute by joining at . If you're already a member, you can help refer new members (and earn some rewards) by adding a line with your member number to your email signature like:
> I'm an FSF member -- Help us support software freedom! >
The FSF is always looking for [volunteers](https://www.fsf.org/volunteer). From rabble-rousing to hacking, from issue coordination to envelope stuffing -- there's something here for everybody to do. Also, head over to our [campaigns section](https://www.fsf.org/campaigns) and [take action on software patents](https://endsoftwarepatents.org/), [Digital Restrictions Management](https://www.defectivebydesign.org/), [free software](https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:Freedom_Ladder) adoption, [OpenDocument](https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/opendocument/download), and more.
**Do you read and write Portuguese and English?** The FSF is looking for translators for the *Free Software Supporter*. Please send an email to with your interest and a list of your experience and qualifications. -- Interested in helping us expand our reach?
* Follow us on Mastodon at and PeerTube at , showing your support for federated social networks. * Get active on the LibrePlanet wiki: * Share on your blog or [social network](https://www.fsf.org/share) that you support us, and why you do so. * Subscribe to our RSS feeds: * Join us as an associate member: ; and display your membership button () on your website.
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Welcome to the Free Software Supporter, the Free Software Foundation's (FSF) monthly news digest and action update -- being read by you and 231,457 other activists.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
February FSF40 challenge
Announcing the winner of the FSF40 Anniversary Logo Contest
Organize a community meetup in your area
Llama 3.1 Community License is not a free software license
We surpassed our year-end goal of $400,000 USD thanks to you!
Anchoring the FSF in its values
Psychological care should grant you freedom and protection
FSF associate members to decide the logo for the FSF's fortieth anniversary
SFC-funded lawsuit gets software repair and reinstall for users of AVM routers
Router freedom in Germany: A victory for consumers!
I Love Free Software Day 2025 is around the corner!
Executive order to the US State Department sideswipes freedom tools, threatens censorship resistance, privacy, and anonymity of millions
Heads up: Microsoft is leaving you logged on starting in February
January GNU Emacs news
Join the FSF and friends in updating the Free Software Directory
LibrePlanet featured resource: Group:Software/FSDG distributions/CrossDistroBootstrap
January GNU Spotlight with Amin Bandali: Seventeen new GNU releases!
Want to read this newsletter translated into another language? Scroll to the end to read the Supporter in French, Spanish, or Portuguese.
Join us in celebrating forty years of advocating for software freedom.
February FSF40 challenge
Almost every month during our fortieth anniversary year, we're inviting free software supporters everywhere to join us in celebrating FSF40 all year long in 2025. For February, join this month's FSF40 challenge and add "The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is ending their thirties on a high note! Join the FSF in celebrating their fortieth birthday: u.fsf.org/44j" to your email signature. Even if you don't take part in this #FSF40Challenge, fear not - we've got ten more coming.
Have an idea for a challenge? Send us a message at campaigns@fsf.org!
Announcing the winner of the FSF40 Anniversary Logo Contest
From January 22
After two weeks of voting on twelve designs submitted by free software supporters, the community chose an image that will represent the fortieth FSF anniversary. Take a look at all the designs submitted, including a closer look at the winning logo seen in the banner above!
We're inviting free software supporters like you to organize an in-person community meetup in your area to bring people all over the world together and celebrate forty years of commitment to software freedom. If you're up for organizing a get-together in your area in May 2025, either by yourself or with someone, we've put together a guide to get you started!
Llama 3.1 Community License is not a free software license
From January 24
The FSF has published its evaluation of the Llama 3.1 Community License Agreement. This is not a free software license and you should not use it, nor any software released under it. You can review the reasons that the Llama 3.1 Community License Agreement does not qualify as a free software license below.
We surpassed our year-end goal of $400,000 USD thanks to you!
From January 21
We want to thank all our individual donors and members who gave to us what they could spare, pushing our progress bar to its max. We also received a major anonymous donation that put us well beyond our fundraising goal! The overwhelming support from the community makes the FSF stronger and all its staff feel empowered and motivated to take on our fortieth year of promoting computer user freedom. Just because the fundraiser is over doesn't mean that the work is, though. There's still a lot that we can do together to cement free software's role in our societies. You can read on for a few ideas on what you can do to stay involved.
The founders of the FSF started the Free Software Foundation (FSF) in 1985, with the moral goal of giving users control over their computing, what we call software freedom -- and specifically to support developing the GNU operating system that would make software freedom a practical possibility. The FSF hasn't strayed from this core value after almost forty years of work. In this article by the FSF Board of Directors, they cover some of the factors that led to the current board structure.
Psychological care should grant you freedom and protection
From January 7
While any tool that claims to improve mental healthcare and parenting can sound promising, especially in stretched healthcare systems, the rise of proprietary apps designed to help new parents is concerning. Soula, a large language model written to support pregnant and postpartum parents, is one of many mental healthcare apps that could potentially harm instead of help vulnerable people. Not only does Soula block users from exercising the four freedoms, it also collects an immense amount of sensitive data (including menstruation cycles and physical/mental well-being) that it gives to other companies, like OpenAI. If you're not yet aware of the dangers of these proprietary mental healthcare apps, now is a good time to acquaint yourself with what you could be getting into if you use one of these programs.
FSF associate members to decide the logo for the FSF's fortieth anniversary
From January 6
In early January, voting was opened for the logos submitted in late 2024 to decide the logo for the fortieth anniversary of the FSF. Associate members of the FSF were invited to vote for their favorite design, with the knowledge that their chosen design would be displayed on the FSF homepage, printed on all of the celebration materials, and possibly even stamped on some merchandise. You can see all twelve submitted designs by visiting the (now closed) voting page.
SFC-funded lawsuit gets software repair and reinstall for users of AVM routers
From January 9 by Software Freedom Conservancy
After more than a year, the Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC)-funded lawsuit lawsuit against AVM, the largest home router manufacturer in Germany, came to a satisfactory conclusion in early January. Ultimately, the resolution exemplifies the power of copyleft — granting users the freedom to modify, repair, and secure the software on their own devices. This lawsuit reminded AVM, and hopefully other companies, that users must receive the same rights that AVM does under copyleft.
Router freedom in Germany: A victory for consumers!
From January 24 by Free Software Foundation Europe
Just before the 9th anniversary of a 2016 law introducing router freedom to Germany, the German telecom regulator, Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA), successfully defended against fiber network providers' attempt to circumvent the router freedom law. In 2023, an association of fiber network operators in Germany submitted a request to exclude router freedom requirements from fiber networks. In its comprehensive decision, BNetzA rejected all the arguments brought forward by the telecom operators, confirming continued router freedom for German users, including those on fiber. You can read more about why BNetzA ultimately rejected the request to operate fiber networks without complying to router freedom requirements below.
I Love Free Software Day 2025 is around the corner!
From January 15 by Free Software Foundation Europe
We hope you love free software every day of the year, but if you're looking for an excuse to celebrate how much you love free software than I Love Free Software Day 2025 is a great day to observe. This year's theme is "Hidden Projects," which highlights free software initiatives that are perhaps less talked about but is the foundation to the overall infrastructure that we use each day. It's time that we recognize how important things from server software to critical tools really are. We will be participating in I Love Free Software Day 2025 and will be posting more about it next week. In the meantime, the FSFE has some great ideas on how you can share your love of free software!
Executive order to the US State Department sideswipes freedom tools, threatens censorship resistance, privacy, and anonymity of millions
From January 30 by Corynne McSherry and Cindy Cohn
One of the many actions issued on the first day of President Trump's second term, the Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid Executive Order (RRUSFA), threatens user security, privacy, and anonymity. RRUSFA immediately suspended contracts with hundreds of organizations in the US and globally, including many freedom technologies that use cryptography, fight censorship, and protect freedom of speech, privacy, and anonymity for millions of people. As a result, many of these projects have to stop or severely cut back on their projects, lay off talented workers, and stop or slow further development. We urge you to stay informed about what RRUSFA means for your freedom.
Heads up: Microsoft is leaving you logged on starting in February
From January 22 by Katie Scott
We don't have to tell you that there's a lot of reasons why you shouldn't use Microsoft software, but here we are with yet another one. Starting this month, if you or your loved ones use Microsoft on public computers, or perhaps at work, you will have to make a very conscious choice to log out of any Microsoft software used before leaving the computer to keep your information as safe as you can when using Microsoft, which isn't very. While this might seem like just a slightly annoying change, it is a major threat to user data and security, because if you do forget to log out (which, who hasn't, especially when in a rush), then your data and work is readily available to whoever uses that computer next. If your local library is using Microsoft on library computers, now is a good time to advocate for a free operating system to become the default.
Join the FSF and friends in updating the Free Software Directory
Tens of thousands of people visit directory.fsf.org each month to discover free software. Each entry in the Directory contains a wealth of useful information, from basic category and descriptions to version control, IRC channels, documentation, and licensing. The Free Software Directory has been a great resource to software users over the past decade, but it needs your help staying up-to-date with new and exciting free software projects.
To help, join our weekly IRC meetings on Fridays. Meetings take place in the #fsf channel on Libera.Chat, and usually include a handful of regulars as well as newcomers. Libera.Chat is accessible from any IRC client -- Everyone's welcome!
The next meeting is Friday, February 7 from 12:00 to 15:00 EST (17:00 to 20:00 UTC). Details here: https://www.fsf.org/events/fsd-2025-02-07-irc
LibrePlanet featured resource: Group:Software/FSDG distributions/CrossDistroBootstrap
Every month on the LibrePlanet wiki, we highlight one resource that is interesting and useful -- often one that could use your help.
For this month, we are highlighting Group:Software/FSDG distributions/CrossDistroBootstrap, which provides a quick guide on which tools can script installations of an FSDG distribution rootfs from another FSDG distribution. You are invited to adopt, spread and improve this important resource.
To download: nearly all GNU software is available most reliably from https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/. Optionally, you may find faster download speeds at a mirror located geographically closer to you by choosing from the list of mirrors published at https://www.gnu.org/prep/ftp.html, or you may use https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/ to be automatically redirected to a (hopefully) nearby and up-to-date mirror.
We appreciate everyone who donates to the Free Software Foundation, and we'd like to give special recognition to the folks who have donated $500 or more in the last month.
Assigning your copyright to the Free Software Foundation helps us defend the GNU GPL and keep software free. Want to see your name on the list? Contribute to GNU and assign your copyright to the FSF.
Contributions from thousands of individual associate members enable the FSF's work. You can contribute by joining at https://my.fsf.org/join. If you're already a member, you can help refer new members (and earn some rewards) by adding a line with your member number to your email signature like:
Do you read and write Portuguese and English? The FSF is looking for translators for the Free Software Supporter. Please send an email to campaigns@fsf.org with your interest and a list of your experience and qualifications.
# Free Software Supporter -- Issue 202, February 2025
*Please consider adding to your address book, which will ensure that our messages reach you and not your spam box.*
*Read and share online: *
Welcome to the *Free Software Supporter*, the Free Software Foundation's (FSF) monthly news digest and action update -- being read by you and 231,457 other activists.
## TABLE OF CONTENTS
* February FSF40 challenge * Announcing the winner of the FSF40 Anniversary Logo Contest * Organize a community meetup in your area * Llama 3.1 Community License is not a free software license * We surpassed our year-end goal of $400,000 USD thanks to you! * Anchoring the FSF in its values * Psychological care should grant you freedom and protection * FSF associate members to decide the logo for the FSF's fortieth anniversary * SFC-funded lawsuit gets software repair and reinstall for users of AVM routers * Router freedom in Germany: A victory for consumers! * I Love Free Software Day 2025 is around the corner! * Executive order to the US State Department sideswipes freedom tools, threatens censorship resistance, privacy, and anonymity of millions * Heads up: Microsoft is leaving you logged on starting in February * January GNU Emacs news * Join the FSF and friends in updating the Free Software Directory * LibrePlanet featured resource: Group:Software/FSDG distributions/CrossDistroBootstrap * January GNU Spotlight with Amin Bandali: Seventeen new GNU releases! * FSF and other free software events * Thank GNUs! * GNU copyright contributions * Translations of the *Free Software Supporter* * Take action with the FSF!
View this issue online here:
Encourage your friends to subscribe and help us build an audience by adding our subscriber widget to your website.
* Subscribe: * Widget:
Miss an issue? You can catch up on back issues at .
Want to read this newsletter translated into another language? Scroll to the end to read the *Supporter* in French, Spanish, or Portuguese.
***
### February FSF40 challenge
Almost every month during our fortieth anniversary year, we're inviting free software supporters everywhere to join us in celebrating FSF40 all year long in 2025. For February, join this month's FSF40 challenge and add "**The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is ending their thirties on a high note! Join the FSF in celebrating their fortieth birthday: u.fsf.org/44j**" to your email signature. Even if you don't take part in this #FSF40Challenge, fear not - we've got ten more coming.
Have an idea for a challenge? Send us a message at !
### Announcing the winner of the FSF40 Anniversary Logo Contest
*From January 22*
After two weeks of voting on twelve designs submitted by free software supporters, the community chose an image that will represent the fortieth FSF anniversary. Take a look at all the designs submitted, including a closer look at the winning logo seen in the banner above!
*
### Organize a community meetup in your area
*From January 30*
We're inviting free software supporters like you to organize an in-person community meetup in your area to bring people all over the world together and celebrate forty years of commitment to software freedom. If you're up for organizing a get-together in your area in May 2025, either by yourself or with someone, we've put together a guide to get you started!
*
### Llama 3.1 Community License is not a free software license
*From January 24*
The FSF has published its evaluation of the Llama 3.1 Community License Agreement. This is not a free software license and you should not use it, nor any software released under it. You can review the reasons that the Llama 3.1 Community License Agreement does not qualify as a free software license below.
*
### We surpassed our year-end goal of $400,000 USD thanks to you!
*From January 21*
We want to thank all our individual donors and members who gave to us what they could spare, pushing our progress bar to its max. We also received a major anonymous donation that put us well beyond our fundraising goal! The overwhelming support from the community makes the FSF stronger and all its staff feel empowered and motivated to take on our fortieth year of promoting computer user freedom. Just because the fundraiser is over doesn't mean that the work is, though. There's still a lot that we can do together to cement free software's role in our societies. You can read on for a few ideas on what you can do to stay involved.
*
### Anchoring the FSF in its values
*From January 10*
The founders of the FSF started the Free Software Foundation (FSF) in 1985, with the moral goal of giving users control over their computing, what we call software freedom -- and specifically to support developing the GNU operating system that would make software freedom a practical possibility. The FSF hasn't strayed from this core value after almost forty years of work. In this article by the FSF Board of Directors, they cover some of the factors that led to the current board structure.
*
### Psychological care should grant you freedom and protection
*From January 7*
While any tool that claims to improve mental healthcare and parenting can sound promising, especially in stretched healthcare systems, the rise of proprietary apps designed to help new parents is concerning. Soula, a large language model written to support pregnant and postpartum parents, is one of many mental healthcare apps that could potentially harm instead of help vulnerable people. Not only does Soula block users from exercising the four freedoms, it also collects an immense amount of sensitive data (including menstruation cycles and physical/mental well-being) that it gives to other companies, like OpenAI. If you're not yet aware of the dangers of these proprietary mental healthcare apps, now is a good time to acquaint yourself with what you could be getting into if you use one of these programs.
*
### FSF associate members to decide the logo for the FSF's fortieth anniversary
*From January 6*
In early January, voting was opened for the logos submitted in late 2024 to decide the logo for the fortieth anniversary of the FSF. Associate members of the FSF were invited to vote for their favorite design, with the knowledge that their chosen design would be displayed on the FSF homepage, printed on all of the celebration materials, and possibly even stamped on some merchandise. You can see all twelve submitted designs by visiting the (now closed) voting page.
*
### SFC-funded lawsuit gets software repair and reinstall for users of AVM routers
*From January 9 by Software Freedom Conservancy*
After more than a year, the Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC)-funded lawsuit lawsuit against AVM, the largest home router manufacturer in Germany, came to a satisfactory conclusion in early January. Ultimately, the resolution exemplifies the power of copyleft — granting users the freedom to modify, repair, and secure the software on their own devices. This lawsuit reminded AVM, and hopefully other companies, that users must receive the same rights that AVM does under copyleft.
*
### Router freedom in Germany: A victory for consumers!
*From January 24 by Free Software Foundation Europe*
Just before the 9th anniversary of a 2016 law introducing router freedom to Germany, the German telecom regulator, Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA), successfully defended against fiber network providers' attempt to circumvent the router freedom law. In 2023, an association of fiber network operators in Germany submitted a request to exclude router freedom requirements from fiber networks. In its comprehensive decision, BNetzA rejected all the arguments brought forward by the telecom operators, confirming continued router freedom for German users, including those on fiber. You can read more about why BNetzA ultimately rejected the request to operate fiber networks without complying to router freedom requirements below.
*
### I Love Free Software Day 2025 is around the corner!
*From January 15 by Free Software Foundation Europe*
We hope you love free software every day of the year, but if you're looking for an excuse to celebrate how much you love free software than I Love Free Software Day 2025 is a great day to observe. This year's theme is "Hidden Projects," which highlights free software initiatives that are perhaps less talked about but is the foundation to the overall infrastructure that we use each day. It's time that we recognize how important things from server software to critical tools really are. We will be participating in I Love Free Software Day 2025 and will be posting more about it next week. In the meantime, the FSFE has some great ideas on how you can share your love of free software!
*
### Executive order to the US State Department sideswipes freedom tools, threatens censorship resistance, privacy, and anonymity of millions
*From January 30 by Corynne McSherry and Cindy Cohn*
One of the many actions issued on the first day of President Trump's second term, the Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid Executive Order (RRUSFA), threatens user security, privacy, and anonymity. RRUSFA immediately suspended contracts with hundreds of organizations in the US and globally, including many freedom technologies that use cryptography, fight censorship, and protect freedom of speech, privacy, and anonymity for millions of people. As a result, many of these projects have to stop or severely cut back on their projects, lay off talented workers, and stop or slow further development. We urge you to stay informed about what RRUSFA means for your freedom.
*
### Heads up: Microsoft is leaving you logged on starting in February
*From January 22 by Katie Scott*
We don't have to tell you that there's a lot of reasons why you shouldn't use Microsoft software, but here we are with yet another one. Starting this month, if you or your loved ones use Microsoft on public computers, or perhaps at work, you will have to make a very conscious choice to log out of any Microsoft software used before leaving the computer to keep your information as safe as you can when using Microsoft, which isn't very. While this might seem like just a slightly annoying change, it is a major threat to user data and security, because if you do forget to log out (which, who hasn't, especially when in a rush), then your data and work is readily available to whoever uses that computer next. If your local library is using Microsoft on library computers, now is a good time to advocate for a free operating system to become the default.
* *
### January GNU Emacs news
*From January 31, 2025 by Sacha Chua*
In these issues: M-x research, Emacs - recursive edit, and more!
### Join the FSF and friends in updating the Free Software Directory
Tens of thousands of people visit directory.fsf.org each month to discover free software. Each entry in the Directory contains a wealth of useful information, from basic category and descriptions to version control, IRC channels, documentation, and licensing. The Free Software Directory has been a great resource to software users over the past decade, but it needs your help staying up-to-date with new and exciting free software projects.
To help, join our weekly IRC meetings on Fridays. Meetings take place in the #fsf channel on Libera.Chat, and usually include a handful of regulars as well as newcomers. Libera.Chat is accessible from any IRC client -- Everyone's welcome!
The next meeting is Friday, February 7 from 12:00 to 15:00 EST (17:00 to 20:00 UTC). Details here: https://www.fsf.org/events/fsd-2025-02-07-irc
*
### LibrePlanet featured resource: Group:Software/FSDG distributions/CrossDistroBootstrap
Every month on [the LibrePlanet wiki](https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Main_Page), we highlight one resource that is interesting and useful -- often one that could use your help.
For this month, we are highlighting Group:Software/FSDG distributions/CrossDistroBootstrap, which provides a quick guide on which tools can script installations of an FSDG distribution rootfs from another FSDG distribution. You are invited to adopt, spread and improve this important resource.
*
Do you have a suggestion for next month's featured resource? Let us know at .
### January GNU Spotlight with Amin Bandali: Seventeen new GNU releases!
Seventeen new GNU releases in the last month (as of January 31, 2025):
For announcements of most new GNU releases, subscribe to the info-gnu mailing list: .
To download: nearly all GNU software is available most reliably from . Optionally, you may find faster download speeds at a mirror located geographically closer to you by choosing from the list of mirrors published at , or you may use to be automatically redirected to a (hopefully) nearby and up-to-date mirror.
A number of GNU packages, as well as the GNU operating system as a whole, are looking for maintainers and other assistance. Please see if you'd like to help. The general page on how to help GNU is at .
If you have a working or partly working program that you'd like to offer to the GNU project as a GNU package, see .
As always, please feel free to write to me, , with any GNUish questions or suggestions for future installments.
### FSF and other free software events
* March 6-9, 2025, Pasadena, CA, [Scale](https://www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale/22x) * March 14-16, 2025, Kozhikode, India [FOSSMeet'25](https://marketing.fossmeet.net/) * March 17-21, 2025, online, FSF Silent Auction * March 23, 2025, online, FSF Live auction * May, 2025 in-person worldwide and online, [LibreLocal month](https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/organize-a-community-meetup-in-your-area) * May 3, 2025, Zurich, Switzerland [Community meetup](https://libreplanet.org/wiki/FSF40/meetups) * May 10, 2025, Livermore, California [Community meetup](https://libreplanet.org/wiki/FSF40/meetups) * October 4, 2025, Boston, MA, FSF40 Celebration
### Thank GNUs!
We appreciate everyone who donates to the Free Software Foundation, and we'd like to give special recognition to the folks who have donated $500 or more in the last month.
*
This month, a big Thank GNU to:
* Brett Stevens * Crystal Moreno * David Ignat * Inouye Satoru * Martin Jässing * Michal Toman * Simon Josefsson * Terence O'Gorman
You can add your name to this list by donating at .
### GNU copyright contributions
Assigning your copyright to the Free Software Foundation helps us defend the GNU GPL and keep software free. Want to see your name on the list? Contribute to GNU and assign your copyright to the FSF.
*
### Translations of the *Free Software Supporter*
El *Free Software Supporter* está disponible en español. Para ver la versión en español haz click aquí:
**Para cambiar las preferencias de usuario y recibir los próximos números del *Supporter* en español, haz click aquí:**
Le *Free Software Supporter* est disponible en français. Pour voir la version française cliquez ici:
**Pour modifier vos préférences et recevoir les prochaines publications du *Supporter* en français, cliquez ici:**
O *Free Software Supporter* está disponível em português. Para ver a versão em português, clique aqui:
**Para alterar as preferências do usuário e receber as próximas edições do *Supporter* em português, clique aqui:**
### Take action with the FSF!
Contributions from thousands of individual associate members enable the FSF's work. You can contribute by joining at . If you're already a member, you can help refer new members (and earn some rewards) by adding a line with your member number to your email signature like:
> I'm an FSF member -- Help us support software freedom! >
The FSF is always looking for [volunteers](https://www.fsf.org/volunteer). From rabble-rousing to hacking, from issue coordination to envelope stuffing -- there's something here for everybody to do. Also, head over to our [campaigns section](https://www.fsf.org/campaigns) and [take action on software patents](https://endsoftwarepatents.org/), [Digital Restrictions Management](https://www.defectivebydesign.org/), [free software](https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:Freedom_Ladder) adoption, [OpenDocument](https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/opendocument/download), and more.
**Do you read and write Portuguese and English?** The FSF is looking for translators for the *Free Software Supporter*. Please send an email to with your interest and a list of your experience and qualifications. -- Interested in helping us expand our reach?
* Follow us on Mastodon at and PeerTube at , showing your support for federated social networks. * Get active on the LibrePlanet wiki: * Share on your blog or [social network](https://www.fsf.org/share) that you support us, and why you do so. * Subscribe to our RSS feeds: * Join us as an associate member: ; and display your membership button () on your website.
Read our Privacy Policy:
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You can unsubscribe from this mailing list by visiting
https://my.fsf.org/civicrm/mailing/unsubscribe?reset=1&jid=169313&qid=92400784&h=d4bec00b83af164c. To stop all email from the Free Software Foundation, including Defective by Design, and the Free Software Supporter newsletter, visit
Welcome to the Free Software Supporter, the Free Software Foundation's (FSF) monthly news digest and action update -- being read by you and 231,457 other activists.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
February FSF40 challenge
Announcing the winner of the FSF40 Anniversary Logo Contest
Organize a community meetup in your area
Llama 3.1 Community License is not a free software license
We surpassed our year-end goal of $400,000 USD thanks to you!
Anchoring the FSF in its values
Psychological care should grant you freedom and protection
FSF associate members to decide the logo for the FSF's fortieth anniversary
SFC-funded lawsuit gets software repair and reinstall for users of AVM routers
Router freedom in Germany: A victory for consumers!
I Love Free Software Day 2025 is around the corner!
Executive order to the US State Department sideswipes freedom tools, threatens censorship resistance, privacy, and anonymity of millions
Heads up: Microsoft is leaving you logged on starting in February
January GNU Emacs news
Join the FSF and friends in updating the Free Software Directory
LibrePlanet featured resource: Group:Software/FSDG distributions/CrossDistroBootstrap
January GNU Spotlight with Amin Bandali: Seventeen new GNU releases!
Want to read this newsletter translated into another language? Scroll to the end to read the Supporter in French, Spanish, or Portuguese.
Join us in celebrating forty years of advocating for software freedom.
February FSF40 challenge
Almost every month during our fortieth anniversary year, we're inviting free software supporters everywhere to join us in celebrating FSF40 all year long in 2025. For February, join this month's FSF40 challenge and add "The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is ending their thirties on a high note! Join the FSF in celebrating their fortieth birthday: u.fsf.org/44j" to your email signature. Even if you don't take part in this #FSF40Challenge, fear not - we've got ten more coming.
Have an idea for a challenge? Send us a message at campaigns@fsf.org!
Announcing the winner of the FSF40 Anniversary Logo Contest
From January 22
After two weeks of voting on twelve designs submitted by free software supporters, the community chose an image that will represent the fortieth FSF anniversary. Take a look at all the designs submitted, including a closer look at the winning logo seen in the banner above!
We're inviting free software supporters like you to organize an in-person community meetup in your area to bring people all over the world together and celebrate forty years of commitment to software freedom. If you're up for organizing a get-together in your area in May 2025, either by yourself or with someone, we've put together a guide to get you started!
Llama 3.1 Community License is not a free software license
From January 24
The FSF has published its evaluation of the Llama 3.1 Community License Agreement. This is not a free software license and you should not use it, nor any software released under it. You can review the reasons that the Llama 3.1 Community License Agreement does not qualify as a free software license below.
We surpassed our year-end goal of $400,000 USD thanks to you!
From January 21
We want to thank all our individual donors and members who gave to us what they could spare, pushing our progress bar to its max. We also received a major anonymous donation that put us well beyond our fundraising goal! The overwhelming support from the community makes the FSF stronger and all its staff feel empowered and motivated to take on our fortieth year of promoting computer user freedom. Just because the fundraiser is over doesn't mean that the work is, though. There's still a lot that we can do together to cement free software's role in our societies. You can read on for a few ideas on what you can do to stay involved.
The founders of the FSF started the Free Software Foundation (FSF) in 1985, with the moral goal of giving users control over their computing, what we call software freedom -- and specifically to support developing the GNU operating system that would make software freedom a practical possibility. The FSF hasn't strayed from this core value after almost forty years of work. In this article by the FSF Board of Directors, they cover some of the factors that led to the current board structure.
Psychological care should grant you freedom and protection
From January 7
While any tool that claims to improve mental healthcare and parenting can sound promising, especially in stretched healthcare systems, the rise of proprietary apps designed to help new parents is concerning. Soula, a large language model written to support pregnant and postpartum parents, is one of many mental healthcare apps that could potentially harm instead of help vulnerable people. Not only does Soula block users from exercising the four freedoms, it also collects an immense amount of sensitive data (including menstruation cycles and physical/mental well-being) that it gives to other companies, like OpenAI. If you're not yet aware of the dangers of these proprietary mental healthcare apps, now is a good time to acquaint yourself with what you could be getting into if you use one of these programs.
FSF associate members to decide the logo for the FSF's fortieth anniversary
From January 6
In early January, voting was opened for the logos submitted in late 2024 to decide the logo for the fortieth anniversary of the FSF. Associate members of the FSF were invited to vote for their favorite design, with the knowledge that their chosen design would be displayed on the FSF homepage, printed on all of the celebration materials, and possibly even stamped on some merchandise. You can see all twelve submitted designs by visiting the (now closed) voting page.
SFC-funded lawsuit gets software repair and reinstall for users of AVM routers
From January 9 by Software Freedom Conservancy
After more than a year, the Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC)-funded lawsuit lawsuit against AVM, the largest home router manufacturer in Germany, came to a satisfactory conclusion in early January. Ultimately, the resolution exemplifies the power of copyleft — granting users the freedom to modify, repair, and secure the software on their own devices. This lawsuit reminded AVM, and hopefully other companies, that users must receive the same rights that AVM does under copyleft.
Router freedom in Germany: A victory for consumers!
From January 24 by Free Software Foundation Europe
Just before the 9th anniversary of a 2016 law introducing router freedom to Germany, the German telecom regulator, Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA), successfully defended against fiber network providers' attempt to circumvent the router freedom law. In 2023, an association of fiber network operators in Germany submitted a request to exclude router freedom requirements from fiber networks. In its comprehensive decision, BNetzA rejected all the arguments brought forward by the telecom operators, confirming continued router freedom for German users, including those on fiber. You can read more about why BNetzA ultimately rejected the request to operate fiber networks without complying to router freedom requirements below.
I Love Free Software Day 2025 is around the corner!
From January 15 by Free Software Foundation Europe
We hope you love free software every day of the year, but if you're looking for an excuse to celebrate how much you love free software than I Love Free Software Day 2025 is a great day to observe. This year's theme is "Hidden Projects," which highlights free software initiatives that are perhaps less talked about but is the foundation to the overall infrastructure that we use each day. It's time that we recognize how important things from server software to critical tools really are. We will be participating in I Love Free Software Day 2025 and will be posting more about it next week. In the meantime, the FSFE has some great ideas on how you can share your love of free software!
Executive order to the US State Department sideswipes freedom tools, threatens censorship resistance, privacy, and anonymity of millions
From January 30 by Corynne McSherry and Cindy Cohn
One of the many actions issued on the first day of President Trump's second term, the Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid Executive Order (RRUSFA), threatens user security, privacy, and anonymity. RRUSFA immediately suspended contracts with hundreds of organizations in the US and globally, including many freedom technologies that use cryptography, fight censorship, and protect freedom of speech, privacy, and anonymity for millions of people. As a result, many of these projects have to stop or severely cut back on their projects, lay off talented workers, and stop or slow further development. We urge you to stay informed about what RRUSFA means for your freedom.
Heads up: Microsoft is leaving you logged on starting in February
From January 22 by Katie Scott
We don't have to tell you that there's a lot of reasons why you shouldn't use Microsoft software, but here we are with yet another one. Starting this month, if you or your loved ones use Microsoft on public computers, or perhaps at work, you will have to make a very conscious choice to log out of any Microsoft software used before leaving the computer to keep your information as safe as you can when using Microsoft, which isn't very. While this might seem like just a slightly annoying change, it is a major threat to user data and security, because if you do forget to log out (which, who hasn't, especially when in a rush), then your data and work is readily available to whoever uses that computer next. If your local library is using Microsoft on library computers, now is a good time to advocate for a free operating system to become the default.
Join the FSF and friends in updating the Free Software Directory
Tens of thousands of people visit directory.fsf.org each month to discover free software. Each entry in the Directory contains a wealth of useful information, from basic category and descriptions to version control, IRC channels, documentation, and licensing. The Free Software Directory has been a great resource to software users over the past decade, but it needs your help staying up-to-date with new and exciting free software projects.
To help, join our weekly IRC meetings on Fridays. Meetings take place in the #fsf channel on Libera.Chat, and usually include a handful of regulars as well as newcomers. Libera.Chat is accessible from any IRC client -- Everyone's welcome!
The next meeting is Friday, February 7 from 12:00 to 15:00 EST (17:00 to 20:00 UTC). Details here: https://www.fsf.org/events/fsd-2025-02-07-irc
LibrePlanet featured resource: Group:Software/FSDG distributions/CrossDistroBootstrap
Every month on the LibrePlanet wiki, we highlight one resource that is interesting and useful -- often one that could use your help.
For this month, we are highlighting Group:Software/FSDG distributions/CrossDistroBootstrap, which provides a quick guide on which tools can script installations of an FSDG distribution rootfs from another FSDG distribution. You are invited to adopt, spread and improve this important resource.
To download: nearly all GNU software is available most reliably from https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/. Optionally, you may find faster download speeds at a mirror located geographically closer to you by choosing from the list of mirrors published at https://www.gnu.org/prep/ftp.html, or you may use https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/ to be automatically redirected to a (hopefully) nearby and up-to-date mirror.
We appreciate everyone who donates to the Free Software Foundation, and we'd like to give special recognition to the folks who have donated $500 or more in the last month.
Assigning your copyright to the Free Software Foundation helps us defend the GNU GPL and keep software free. Want to see your name on the list? Contribute to GNU and assign your copyright to the FSF.
Contributions from thousands of individual associate members enable the FSF's work. You can contribute by joining at https://my.fsf.org/join. If you're already a member, you can help refer new members (and earn some rewards) by adding a line with your member number to your email signature like:
Do you read and write Portuguese and English? The FSF is looking for translators for the Free Software Supporter. Please send an email to campaigns@fsf.org with your interest and a list of your experience and qualifications.
