Join the FSF and friends on Friday September 21st, from 2pm to 5pm EDT (18:00 to 21:00 UTC) to help improve the Free Software Directory by adding new entries and updating existing ones. We will be on IRC in the #fsf channel on freenode.

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 providing detailed info about version control, IRC channels, documentation, and licensing info that has been carefully checked by FSF staff and trained volunteers.

While the Free Software Directory has been and continues to be a great resource to the world over the past decade, it has the potential of being a resource of even greater value. But it needs your help!

If you are eager to help and you can't wait or are simply unable to make it onto IRC on Friday, our participation guide will provide you with all the information you need to get started on helping the Directory today!

If the corrupt European Patent Office succeeds in imitating America's software patent system, it will be a disaster for software development. Join April, the FSF's French ally, in calling for strong legislation against software patents in Europe.

Originally, most countries did not consider software patentable. Over recent decades, however, corporations and the US Patent Office have gradually worked them into the American legal system by any means possible. Software patents have become a real problem for software developers, because they create land mines for anyone trying to write code, leaving small, creative organizations constantly in fear of litigation by the likes of Microsoft and Apple.

Software patents in Europe aren't as bad as here in the US, but there are people trying to change that. Despite a prohibition of software patents by the European Union's parliament, the European Patent Office (EPO) has gone rogue and started handing them out, collecting a hefty fee each time. April, France's primary free software organization and a long-time collaborator with the FSF, recently asked us to spread the word that they are organizing Europeans to demand an end to these illegal patents. They've already helped organize 460 companies to sign a statement against software patents, but to win, they need the grassroots power of people picking up the phone and calling Parliament.

Click here to call your MEP (if you're European).

If you're not European, please share this with anyone you know in Europe; if we can't pass this restriction and get the EPO under control, pro-patent corporations will keep finding new ways to bend the law until they are able to exercise the same stifling control over European software users as they do in the US.

April's president, Lionel Allorge, says, "The EPO keeps on granting software patents, irrespective of the European Convention on Patents that clearly states that computer programs are not patentable. In 2005, at the time of rejection of software patents by the European Parliament, we had called for a democratic control of the EPO. It is time to [finish] the job."

He's right about that. This is our best chance to reign in the corrupt EPO and free Europe from software patents.

You can read the rest of April's statement on their Web site here or check out the homepage for this campaign here.

Join the FSF and friends on Friday September 14th, from 2pm to 5pm EDT (18:00 to 21:00 UTC) to help improve the Free Software Directory by adding new entries and updating existing ones. We will be on IRC in the #fsf channel on freenode.

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 providing detailed info about version control, IRC channels, documentation, and licensing info that has been carefully checked by FSF staff and trained volunteers.

While the Free Software Directory has been and continues to be a great resource to the world over the past decade, it has the potential of being a resource of even greater value. But it needs your help!

If you are eager to help and you can't wait or are simply unable to make it onto IRC on Friday, our participation guide will provide you with all the information you need to get started on helping the Directory today!

Software Freedom Day 2012 is Saturday, September 15th at Cambridge College, 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA.

Join us at Cambridge College for Software Freedom Day on Saturday, September 15th from 10am to 5pm. The theme of this year's event is bringing the community together.

10:00am to 12:30pm: Workshops. After complimentary coffee and the welcome address, the morning sessions will focus on hands-on learning featuring tutorials on media editing by Bassam Kurdali who is a well-known Blender expert, and software contribution for beginners by Jessica McKellar. Learners of all levels are welcome, and be sure to bring your laptop for a more enriching education experience!

12:30pm to 1:30pm: Lunch. Lunch is up to you. Cambridge College is located between Harvard Square and Central Square which both have many options, including vegan.

2:00pm to 2:30pm: Lightning talks. Sign up in the morning to participate in one of six lightning talks slots. This is a great opportunity to share a hobby, side-project or emerging project that doesn't yet warrant a full talk slot.

2:40pm to 3:50pm: Talks. Hear talks on decentralizing the web from Deb Nicholson (Community Manager for MediaGoblin ), and campus organizing from Kira (campaigns organizer for the Free Software Foundation and member of the board of directors for Students for Free Culture ).

4:00pm to 4:50pm: Hot topics panel. An exciting new addition to this year's Software Freedom Day: the hot topics panel will consist of 3 experts -- Molly Sauter, Ian Muir from GiveCamp, Paul Tagliamonte -- debating some of the latest topics concerning the Internet, software, and freedom. Audience participation is strongly encouraged and attendees can submit topic ideas earlier in the day.

After party: A social mixer will follow at Tommy Doyle's -- directions will be provided at the event. A great way to wrap up the day, mingle, and network!

Cambridge College is located at 1000 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge. It is conveniently located between the Harvard Square and Central Square subway stations. One can also reach the venue by taking the #1 bus. This event is free and open to the public!

Join the FSF and friends on Friday September 7th, from 2pm to 5pm EDT (18:00 to 21:00 UTC) to help improve the Free Software Directory by adding new entries and updating existing ones. We will be on IRC in the #fsf channel on freenode.

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 providing detailed info about version control, IRC channels, documentation, and licensing info that has been carefully checked by FSF staff and trained volunteers.

While the Free Software Directory has been and continues to be a great resource to the world over the past decade, it has the potential of being a resource of even far greater value. But it needs your help!

If you are eager to help and you can't wait or are simply unable to make it onto IRC on Friday, our participation guide will provide you with all the information you need to get started on helping the Directory today!