BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Thursday, November 7th, 2019 -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) today awarded Respects Your Freedom (RYF) certification to the Talos II and Talos II Lite mainboards from Raptor Computing Systems, LLC. The RYF certification mark means that these products meet the FSF's standards in regard to users' freedom, control over the product, and privacy.

While these are the first devices from Raptor Computing Systems to receive RYF certification, the FSF has supported their work since 2015, starting with the original Talos crowdfunding effort. Raptor Computing Systems has worked very hard to protect the rights of users.

"From our very first products through our latest offerings, we have always placed a strong emphasis on returning control of computing to the owner of computing devices -- not retaining it for the vendor or the vendor's partners. We hope that with the addition of our modern, powerful, owner-controlled systems to the RYF family, we will help spur on industry adoption of a similar stance from the many silicon vendors required to support modern computing," said Timothy Pearson, Chief Technology Officer, Raptor Computing Systems, LLC.

These two mainboards are the first PowerPC devices to receive certification. Several GNU/Linux distributions endorsed by the FSF are currently working towards offering support for PowerPC platform.

"These certifications represent a new era for the RYF program. Raptor's new boards were designed to respect our rights, and will open up new possibilities for free software users everywhere," said the FSF's executive director, John Sullivan.

The Talos II and Talos II Lite also represent an interesting first in terms of reproducible builds. When two people compile the same code, the resulting object code usually differs slightly because of variables like build timestamps and other differences affecting the object code. Making it so users can independently reproduce exactly the same builds for important free software programs makes it so that anyone can distribute the builds with more certainty that they do not contain hidden malware. For the Talos II, the FSF was able to reproduce the build that is loaded onto the FPGA chip of the board that was tested, and will include the checksum of that build along with the source code we publish.

"We want to congratulate Raptor Engineering on this, and we encourage vendors to ship more reproducible builds, which we will be happy to reproduce as part of the RYF certification," said the FSF's senior system administrator, Ian Kelling.

To learn more about the Respects Your Freedom certification program, including details on the certification of these Raptor Computing Systems devices, please visit https://ryf.fsf.org.

Retailers interested in applying for certification can consult https://ryf.fsf.org/about/criteria.

About the Free Software Foundation

The Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985, is dedicated to promoting computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and use of free (as in freedom) software -- particularly the GNU operating system and its GNU/Linux variants -- and free documentation for free software. The FSF also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and political issues of freedom in the use of software, and its Web sites, located at https://fsf.org and https://gnu.org, are an important source of information about GNU/Linux. Donations to support the FSF's work can be made at https://donate.fsf.org. Its headquarters are in Boston, MA, USA.

More information about the FSF, as well as important information for journalists and publishers, is at https://www.fsf.org/press.

About Raptor Computing Systems, LLC

Raptor Computing Systems, LLC is focused on developing and marketing user-controlled devices.

Media Contacts

Donald Robertson, III
Licensing and Compliance Manager
Free Software Foundation
+1 (617) 542 5942
licensing@fsf.org

Raptor Computing Systems, LLC sales@raptorcs.com

Image of Talos II by Raptor Computing Systems, LLC Copyright 2018 licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0.

BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Thursday, November 7, 2019 -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) today announced that registration is open for the twelfth LibrePlanet conference on free software. The annual technology and social justice conference will be held in the Boston area on March 14 and 15, 2020, with the theme "Free the Future." Session proposals will be accepted through November 20.

The FSF invites activists, hackers, law professionals, artists, students, developers, young people, policymakers, tinkerers, newcomers to free software, and anyone looking for technology that respects their freedom to register to attend, and to submit a proposal for a session for LibrePlanet: "Free the Future."

Submissions to the call for sessions are being accepted through Wednesday, November 20, 2019, at 12:00 EST (17:00 UTC).

LibrePlanet provides an opportunity for community activists, domain experts, and people seeking solutions for themselves to come together in order to discuss current issues in technology and ethics.

"LibrePlanet attendees and speakers will be discussing the hot button issues we've all been reading about every day, and their connection to the free software movement. How do you fight Facebook? How do we make software-driven cars safe? How do we stop algorithms from making terrible, unreviewable decisions? How do we enjoy the convenience of mobile phones and digital home assistants without being constantly under surveillance? What is the future of digital currency? Can we have an Internet that facilitates respectful dialogue?" said FSF's executive director, John Sullivan.

The free software community has continuously demanded that users and developers be permitted to understand, study, and alter the software they use, offering hope and solutions for a free technological future. LibrePlanet speakers will display their unique combination of digital knowledge and educational skills in the two day conference, as well as give more insights into their ethical dedication to envision a future rich with free "as in freedom" software and without network services that mistreat their users. The FSF's LibrePlanet 2020 edition is therefore aptly named "Free the Future."

"For each new technological convenience we gain, it seems that we lose even more in the process. To exchange intangible but vital rights to freedom and privacy for the latest new gadget can make the future of software seem bleak," said Zoë Kooyman, program manager for the FSF. "But there is resistance, and it is within our capabilities to reject this outcome."

Thousands of people have attended LibrePlanet over the years, both in person and remotely. The conference welcomes visitors from up to 15 countries each year, with many more joining online. Hundreds of impressive free software speaker sessions, including keynote talks by Edward Snowden and Cory Doctorow, can be viewed on the conference's MediaGoblin instance, in anticipation of further program announcements.

For those who cannot attend LibrePlanet in person, there are plenty of other ways to participate remotely. The FSF is encouraging free software advocates worldwide to use the tools provided on libreplanet.org to host satellite viewing parties and other events. They also opened applications for scholarships for people around the globe to attend the conference in Boston, and encourage supporters who are able to help others attend by donating to the LibrePlanet travel fund.

About the Free Software Foundation

The Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985, is dedicated to promoting computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and use of free (as in freedom) software -- particularly the GNU operating system and its GNU/Linux variants -- and free documentation for free software. The FSF also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and political issues of freedom in the use of software, and its Web sites, located at https://www.fsf.org and https://www.gnu.org, are an important source of information about GNU/Linux. Donations to support the FSF's work can be made at https://donate.fsf.org. Its headquarters are in Boston, MA, USA.

MEDIA CONTACT

Zoë Kooyman
Program Manager
Free Software Foundation
+1 (617) 542 5942
campaigns@fsf.org

The Free Software Foundation (FSF) and the GNU Project were both started by Richard M. Stallman (RMS), and he served until recently as the head of both. Because of that, the relationship between the FSF and GNU has been fluid.

As part of our commitment to supporting the development and distribution of fully free operating systems, the FSF provides GNU with services like fiscal sponsorship, technical infrastructure, promotion, copyright assignment, and volunteer management.

GNU decision-making has largely been in the hands of GNU leadership. Since RMS resigned as president of the FSF, but not as head of GNU ("Chief GNUisance"), the FSF is now working with GNU leadership on a shared understanding of the relationship for the future. As part of that, we invite comments from free software community members at fsf-and-gnu@fsf.org.

BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Wednesday, September 25th, 2019 -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) today awarded Respects Your Freedom (RYF) certification to the Free Software Wireless-N Mini Router v2 (TPE-R1200) from ThinkPenguin, Inc. The RYF certification mark means that these products meet the FSF's standards in regard to users' freedom, control over the product, and privacy.

This is ThinkPenguin's fourteenth device to receive RYF certification in 2019. The FSF announced certification of seven devices from ThinkPenguin on March 21st, as well as announcing six additional certifications on May 16th. ThinkPenguin continues to expand their collection of RYF-certified devices, already the largest collection of any RYF retailer. This is the first wireless router to receive RYF certification since the Free Software Wireless-N Mini Router (TPE-R1100) in 2016. This latest addition offers users several improvements over previously certified devices.

"The TPE-R1200 is a more powerful version of a previously RYF-certified router and ships with some new features, including two external RP-SMA antennas that provide for a greater wireless range. For those looking to hack on the router, there is a new, more powerful CPU, as well as significantly more NAND, NOR, and RAM," said Christopher Waid, founder and CEO of ThinkPenguin.

As with previous routers from ThinkPenguin, the Free Software Wireless-N Mini Router v2 ships with an FSF-endorsed fully free embedded GNU/Linux distribution called libreCMC. It also comes with a custom flavor of the U-Boot boot loader, assembled by the maintainer of libreCMC and former FSF intern Robert Call. The router enables users to run multiple devices on a network through a VPN service, helping to simplify the process of keeping their communications secure and private. While ThinkPenguin offers a VPN service, users are not required to purchase a subscription, and the device comes with detailed instructions on how to use the router with a wide variety of VPN providers.

"Protecting privacy is more important than ever. It's exciting to have an updated option for users seeking to shield their networks and their personal data," said the FSF's executive director, John Sullivan.

The first Free Software Wireless-N Mini Router served as an example case study in excellent free software license compliance for devices in Copyleft and the GNU General Public License: A Comprehensive Tutorial and Guide.

"ThinkPenguin continues its tradition of exemplary work with the latest edition of the router. It's great to have an organization like ThinkPenguin showing the world what is possible when it comes to offering freedom-respecting devices. They continue to raise the bar in terms of their dedication to offering products that meet the stringent criteria of the Respects Your Freedom certification program," said the FSF's licensing and compliance manager, Donald Robertson, III.

To learn more about the Respects Your Freedom certification program, including details on the certification of these ThinkPenguin devices, please visit https://fsf.org/ryf.

Retailers interested in applying for certification can consult https://www.fsf.org/resources/hw/endorsement/criteria.

About the Free Software Foundation

The Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985, is dedicated to promoting computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and use of free (as in freedom) software -- particularly the GNU operating system and its GNU/Linux variants -- and free documentation for free software. The FSF also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and political issues of freedom in the use of software, and its Web sites, located at https://fsf.org and https://gnu.org, are an important source of information about GNU/Linux. Donations to support the FSF's work can be made at https://donate.fsf.org. Its headquarters are in Boston, MA, USA.

More information about the FSF, as well as important information for journalists and publishers, is at https://www.fsf.org/press.

About ThinkPenguin, Inc.

Started by Christopher Waid, founder and CEO, ThinkPenguin, Inc. is a consumer-driven company with a mission to bring free software to the masses. At the core of the company is a catalog of computers and accessories with broad support for GNU/Linux. The company provides technical support for end-users and works with the community, distributions, and upstream projects to make GNU/Linux all that it can be.

Media Contacts

Donald Robertson, III
Licensing and Compliance Manager
Free Software Foundation
+1 (617) 542 5942
licensing@fsf.org

ThinkPenguin, Inc.
+1 (888) 39 THINK (84465) x703
media@thinkpenguin.com

The board will be conducting a search for a new president, beginning immediately. Further details of the search will be published on fsf.org.

For questions, contact FSF executive director John Sullivan at johns@fsf.org.