On March 24th and 25th, 2018, the free software community will come together at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to learn, exchange ideas, catch up with friends, and plan the future of the movement. Will you join us?

It's the tenth anniversary of LibrePlanet, and now is a good time to register to attend. As always, Free Software Foundation (FSF) members and students attend gratis.

Hundreds of people from across the globe will converge on Cambridge, Massachusetts to explore this year's theme, "Freedom Embedded." We'll look at embedded systems in everything from our cars to our bodies, discuss how these systems affect our entire society, and talk about how to change the narrative, making free software the norm, instead of walled gardens, Digital Restrictions Management (DRM), and proprietary code.

In addition to the keynote speakers we announced last month, LibrePlanet 2018 will feature a panoply of presentations. Our lineup includes Jeremiah Foster, who will examine free software and vehicles; a panel of speakers including Karen Sandler, Mad Ball, Rachel Kalmar, and Dana Lewis, who will discuss freedom and devices used for health, medicine, and wellness; and Bob Call, who will talk about libreCMC, a distro for embedded devices.

LibrePlanet 2018 offers lots of opportunities for fun, too: in addition to the annual FSF open house the evening of Friday, March 23rd, and the LibrePlanet party on Saturday night, there will be a special piano concert featuring freely licensed arrangements. And the conference looks at gaming and art, too: Noah Swartz will walk us through the roguelikes game genre, and Bassam Kurdali will teach a workshop in free software photogrammetry! The full program will be published soon. In the meantime, check out the list of confirmed speakers.

LibrePlanet brings together software developers, activists, policy experts, and computer users to share accomplishments, learn new skills, and address challenges to software freedom. Newcomers are always welcome, and LibrePlanet 2018 will feature programming for all experience levels, including students.

LibrePlanet 2018 is produced by the Free Software Foundation in partnership with the Student Information Processing Board (SIPB) at MIT.

Pre-order a LibrePlanet 2018 T-shirt by February 28th

You can also pre-order a LibrePlanet 2018 commemorative T-shirt in the GNU Press shop. Order your shirt by February 28th, 7am EST/13:00 UTC to guarantee availability in your size. If you will be picking up the shirt at the conference, use the code LPSHIRT18 to waive shipping costs. If you want it shipped to you, do not use that code, and expect it to arrive in April.

LibrePlanet needs volunteers -- maybe you!

In ten years, LibrePlanet has grown in size and scope -- and its continued success is thanks to dozens of volunteers who help prepare for and run the conference. Volunteering is a great way to meet fellow community members and contribute to LibrePlanet, even if you can't attend in person! If you are interested in volunteering for LibrePlanet 2018, email resources@fsf.org. We thank all of our volunteers by offering them gratis conference admission and a LibrePlanet T-shirt.

Seeking raffle prizes!

We are still looking for prizes to raffle off at this year's LibrePlanet. If you or your company have a prize you would like to donate, please email campaigns@fsf.org. Examples of past LibrePlanet raffle prizes include a 3D printer running free software, a laptop with free BIOS and free GNU distro, and DRM-free eBook gift certificates.

Donating a prize is a great way to support LibrePlanet and the FSF while engaging the diverse audience who attends the conference. Raffle ticket sales support travel scholarships, student admission, and other LibrePlanet expenses (including coffee!). Donors receive acknowledgment on the Web, via social media, and at the conference at the raffle ticket booth and during the prize drawings.

Spread the word about LibrePlanet 2018: blog or microblog to let people know that you'll be there, using the hashtag #libreplanet.