Software Freedom Conservancy

… I was quoted quoted in *The Register*:
> “The problems w/ #GitHub have been growing for some time. We at #SFC have always been concerned about the issue of using proprietary software to write #FOSS. However, the integration w/ #Copilot so deeply into the platform, and #Microsoft's flagrant use of content hosted on GitHub to train their own LLMs makes a departure from GitHub urgent for all FOSS developers.”
https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/15/codeberg_beset_by_ai_bots/
I hope it inspires you to #GiveUpGitHub! https://giveupgithub.org

😲🤬 re: what's happened to @Codeberg today
The AI ballyhoo *is* a real DDoS against one of the few code hosting sites that has taken a stand against slurping #FOSS code into LLM training sets — in violation of #copyleft licenses.
This is what lawless & deregulation bring us. ∃ plenty of blame to go around, but #Microsoft & #GitHub deserve the bulk of it as they trailblazed the idea that FOSS code-hosting sites are lucrative targets.
https://giveupgithub.org
#GiveUpGitHub #FreeSoftware #OpenSource

3 yrs ago, @downey wrote:
> “💡 Today is a perfect day to exercise your independence from #BigTech, & #GiveUpGitHub.
> ☣️ #GitHub is the equivalent of #Twitter & #Facebook for software development -- creators of the most enticing proprietary walled garden ever made for #FOSS…
> Don't be stuck when #Microsoft…change[s] the rules on you.“
> https://GiveUpGitHub.org
…now ∃ more reasons to stop procrastinating & GiveUpGitHub *now*…
https://social.kernel.org/objects/bd3ddc58-31ee-41df-a326-e6619b3960e9
https://mastodon.social/@glyph/114995950245874315

Try @Codeberg today!

Thank you, Open Signal PDX (https://www.opensignalpdx.org/), for your support of @conservancy's #FOSSY Conference AND for all your work developing completely Free and Open Source Software solutions for video/media production. Your work serves as a proof of concept for those who doubt the capabilities of #opensource as an "industry standard."

At #FOSSY25, I participated in a panel¹ discussion w/ @allison (SFC's Board Chairperson), Denver Gingerich, & Rick Sanders (SFC'S GC) about SFC's #Vizio case…
https://sfc.ngo/vizio
… There were lots of interesting questions both during the session & from the crowd that gathered afterward.

If you are not at #FOSSY & have questions of your own, feel free to ask them in this thread.

Also, *come to the trial*!!
https://sfconservancy.org/news/2025/jul/24/travel-grants-for-vizio-trial-to-foss-community/

¹ Sadly @karen couldn't travel here due to recent ❤️surgery.

👀 … *huge* opportunity for travel to a key #FOSS event! Don't miss it…
https://fedi.copyleft.org/@conservancy@sfconservancy.org/114909678896224276
https://sfconservancy.org/news/2025/jul/24/travel-grants-for-vizio-trial-to-foss-community/
… #SFC'll cover travel expenses for select qualified individuals who produce blogs, “toots”, articles, videos, podcasts, etc. during the historic trial in the #SoftwareFreedom #Conservancy v. Vizio case.
If you're available the week of 2025-09-22, & have a little experience writing/broadcasting about #FreeSoftware online, apply by emailing <travelforvizio@sfconservancy.org>!

I'll be at all of @conservancy #FOSSY25 next week -- hope to see many of you there!
Let me know if you'll be around.

https://2025.fossy.us/attend/tickets/