154 lines
5.2 KiB
HTML
154 lines
5.2 KiB
HTML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
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<html>
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<version>1</version>
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<head>
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<title>Declaration of Intent</title>
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</head>
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<body>
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<div align="center">
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<h2>Declaration of Intent - Free Software Foundation Europe</h2>
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Georg C. F. Greve <<a href="mailto:greve@gnu.org">greve@gnu.org</a>>
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<br/>22 Nov 2000<br/>
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</div>
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<p>
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A group of people have begun working on the concept of a "Free
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Software Foundation Europe" which will essentially be a sister
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organisation of the Free Software Foundation founded by Richard
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M. Stallman.
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</p>
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<p>
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It has become evident that the FSF in the U.S., being in a totally
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different time and culture zone, can hardly keep in touch with the
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strong developments and currents in European Free Software. Legally
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independent of the FSF in America it will seek to grant an
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organisational backbone for Free Software in Europe - especially for
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(although not limited to) the GNU Project. Furthermore it will provide
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the necessary local organisation for political work and distribution of
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funds.
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</p>
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<p>In achieving the goals</p>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>
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Political mouthpiece for Free Software & the GNU Project
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</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Providing an organisational backbone</p>
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</li>
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<li><p>Raising & Distribution of funds</p></li>
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</ul>
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<p>
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we perceive it as absolutely paramount to maintain the true spirit and
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essence of Free Software.
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</p>
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<p>
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We also would like to avoid creating another splinter group in the
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movement. For this reason we are in contact with Richard M. Stallman as
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the goal is to become the acknowledged "European sister
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organisation" of the FSF - this will also allow Europeans to make
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tax-deductible donations to "the" FSF.
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</p>
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<p>
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Being the official sister organisation brings the responsibility to
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preserve its philosophical standpoints and values. In our eyes it is the
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lastingness of all decisions and workings of the FSF that makes it so
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special; so we will apply the same long-term considerations in all our
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steps.
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</p>
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<p>
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As the recent past has shown, it is quite quite easy to stray off the
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path and lose track of those long-term goals. Hence it is crucial only
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to have members with a firm grasp on the movement, its origins and the
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goals.
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</p>
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<p>
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We felt that this responsibility made it necessary to become aware of
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the possible traps and pitfalls along the way before making our plans
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public. After over a year of discussions and building trust into each
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others integrity, we feel that it is time to bring those plans to
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life.
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</p>
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<p>So far the core consists of</p>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>
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Georg C. F. Greve
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<<a href="mailto:greve@gnu.org">greve@gnu.org</a>>
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</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>
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Bernhard Reiter <<a href="mailto:bernhard@intevation.de">bernhard@intevation.de</a>>
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</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>
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Werner Koch <<a href="mailto:wk@gnupg.org">wk@gnupg.org</a>>
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</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>
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Peter Gerwinski <<a href="mailto:peter@gerwinski.de">peter@gerwinski.de</a>>
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</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<p>
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and we will set up a "FSF Europe" organisation in Germany as a starting
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point. From there on we will follow a step-by-step to other European
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countries with the final plan to have a strong and sound structure in
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Europe that will work towards the goals of Free Software.
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</p>
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<p>
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We will be looking for other people with a firm GNU and Free Software
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awareness especially in France, the U.K. and Spain as our first step of
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becoming truly European. If you feel you should be contacted and we
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haven't done so already, don't despair. You might consider getting in
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touch with us, but please bear in mind that being part of this
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organisation requires a relatively high level of commitment and
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establishing the necessary level of trust into each other is a slow
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process.
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</p>
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<p>
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We intend to do things right as a flawed approach might reap hideous
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results. If you want to help us, feel free to get in touch with us at
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</p>
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<p>
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<<a href="mailto:team@lists.fsfe.org">team@lists.fsfe.org</a>>
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</p>
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<p>
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or <a
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href="mailto:discussion-request@fsfeurope.org?subject=subscribe">subscribe
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to the general discussion list</a> <discussion@lists.fsfe.org>.
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</p>
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<p>
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If you just want to be kept update of the progress, feel free to
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<a
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href="mailto:announce-request@fsfeurope.org?subject=subscribe">subscribe
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to the announcement-only mailing list</a> <announce@fsfeurope.org>.
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</p>
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<p>
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You can subscribe to the mailing lists by sending mail to
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</p>
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<p>
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[name]-request@fsfeurope.org
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</p>
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<p>
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with "subscribe" in the subject or by using the web
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interface at
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</p>
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<p>
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<a href="https://lists.fsfe.org/mailman/listinfo">https://lists.fsfe.org/mailman/listinfo</a>.
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</p>
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</body>
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</html>
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