Free Software Foundation Drums Up Community Team

Dec 09, 2009

Richard Stallman's free software organization seeks to assemble a loose and open group of supporters on a voluntary basis to distribute information on the Web and promote free software.

The reason for the FSF's action is, in their words, to influence the open debate about technology by using "an organized and careful approach." Joining the FSF's "Community Team" would make you an official spokesperson responding to questions about free software, working with the FSF campaigns team to react to news items in the press. Forums considered are blogs, social networks and online media. The first step is register with the new mailing list. The second step is to introduce yourself and identify the social media you regularly use and plan to remain active on.

The third step is to undergo some training, in that the FSF presumably has some specific wishes about what kind of writings to distribute. You should at least become familiar with the FSF's existential concepts of Open Source vs. Free Software and Words to Avoid by reading some specific material. The FSF then wants you to follow up by responding briefly to three quoted excerpts as if you were reacting to blog posts or writing an article on the organization's behalf. The goal is for the FSF staff and other volunteers to provide feedback based on your writing style and "show you the ropes."

Details about the Community Team are on the new FSF wiki page.

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