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Dear Free Software Supporter,

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an enormous amount of changes in how people
work, play, and communicate. By now, many of us have settled into the
routine of using remote communication or videoconferencing tools to
keep in touch with our friends and family. In the last few weeks we've
also seen a number of lists and guides aiming to get people set up
with the "right" tools for communicating in hard times, but in almost
every case, these articles recommend that people make a difficult
compromise: trading their freedom in order to communicate with the
people they care about and work with.

In times like these it becomes all the more important to
remember that tools like Zoom, Slack, and Facebook Messenger are not
benign public services, and while the sentiment they've expressed to
the global community in responding to the crisis may be sincere, it
hasn't addressed the fundamental ethical issues with any piece of
[proprietary software][1].

[1]: [link removed]

After taking the [LibrePlanet 2020][2] conference online, we received
a number of requests asking us to document our streaming setup. As the
pandemic grew worse, this gave way to more curiosity about how the
Free Software Foundation (FSF) uses free tools and free communication
platforms to conduct our everyday business. And while the stereotype
of hackers hunched over a white on black terminal session applies to
us in some ways, many of the tools we use are available in any
environment, even for people who do not have a lot of technical
experience. We've started documenting ethical solutions on the
[LibrePlanet wiki][3], in addition to starting a [remote communication
mailing list][4] to help each other advocate for their use.

[2]: [link removed]
[3]: [link removed]
[4]: [link removed]

In the suggestions that follow, a few of the tools we will recommend
depend upon some "self-reliance," that is, steering clear of
proprietary network services by hosting free software solutions
yourself, or asking a technical friend to do it for you. It's a
difficult step, and the benefits may not be immediately obvious, but
it's a key part of preserving your autonomy in an age of ubiquitous
digital control.

To those who have the technical expertise and available
infrastructure, we urge you to consider hosting instances of free
communication platforms for your friends, family, and your community
at large. For example, with a modest server and some GNU/Linux
knowledge, you could help local students learn in freedom by
volunteering to administer an instance of one of the programs we'll be
recommending below.

The need to self-host can be an uncomfortable reminder of our
dependence on the "cloud" -- the network of someone else's computers
-- but acknowledging our current reliance on these providers is the
first step in making new, dependable systems for ourselves. During
dangerous and stressful times, it's tempting to sideline our ethical
commitments for easier or more convenient ways to get things done, and
software freedom is no exception. We hope these suggestions will
inspire you to inform others about the importance of their freedom,
privacy, and security.

## Chat

When we can no longer communicate face-to-face, tools for voice and
video calling often come to mind as the next best thing. But as
evidenced by the size and success of the proprietary software
companies that sponsor these tools, their development isn't easy.
Promoting [real-time voice and video chat clients][5] remains a High
Priority Project of ours. Though we may still be waiting for a truly
perfect solution, there are some projects that are far enough along in
their development that we can recommend them to others.

[5]: [link removed]

### Audio calls

* **[Mumble][6]**: Mumble is a real-time, low latency program for hosting
and joining audio conversations. Clients are available for every major
operating system, and even large rooms tend not to put too much
stress on the network. When it was time for us to go fully remote,
the FSF staff turned to Mumble as a way to have that "in-office"
feel, staying in touch in rooms dedicated to each of our teams and a
general purpose "water cooler" room.

[6]: [link removed]

* **[Asterisk/SIP][7]**: When we give tours of the FSF office, people
often think we're joking when we mention that even the FSF's
*conference phones* run free software. But through Asterisk and our
use of the SIP protocol, it's entirely true. Although it can be
difficult to set up, it's worth mentioning that free software can
manage your traditional phone lines, and even transfer calls
seamlessly to digital extensions or SIP clients like [Jami][8] and
[Linphone][9].

[7]: [link removed]
[8]: [link removed]
[9]: [link removed]

### Video calls and presentations

* **[Jitsi][10]**: Jitsi was a key part of LibrePlanet 2020's success.
Providing video and voice calls through the browser via WebRTC, it
also allows for presenters to share their screen in a similar way to
Zoom. And unlike Zoom, it doesn't come with serious [privacy
violations][11] or threats to user freedom. The connection between
callers is direct and intuitive, but a central server is still required
to coordinate callers and rooms. Some of these, like the Jitsi
project's own "Jitsi Meet" server, recommend proprietary browser
extensions and document sharing tools. If you're able, hosting your
own instance is the most free and reliable method.

[10]: [link removed]
[11]: [link removed]

* **OBS**: Another much-used software program this LibrePlanet was
[OBS Studio][12]. Illness, different timezones, or unforeseen travel
were no match for the solutions that OBS Studio offered. It's a flexible
tool for streaming video from multiple inputs to a Web source,
whether that's combining your webcam with conference slides, or even
your favorite free software game. At LibrePlanet, OBS allowed our
remote speakers to record their presentations while speaking in one
screen, and sharing audiovisual materials in a second window.

[12]: [link removed]

### Text chat

* **XMPP**: If you've ever used "Jabber," older iterations of Google
Talk or Facebook Messenger, then you've used XMPP. XMPP is a
flexible and extensible instant messaging protocol that's lately
seen a resurgence from clients like [Conversations.im][13] and
encryption schema like [OMEMO][14]. XMPP is the instant messaging
method we prefer at the FSF when we need to discuss something
privately, or in a secure group chat, as everything is sent through
servers we control and encrypted against individual staff members'
private key. Also, access to the FSF XMPP server is one of the many
benefits of our [associate membership program][15].

[13]: [link removed]
[14]: [link removed]
[15]: [link removed]

* **[IRC][16]**: Messaging services have become all the rage in office
atmospheres, but nothing about Messenger or Slack is new. In fact,
Slack (and its counterpart for video games, Discord) takes more than
a few cues from the venerable Internet Relay Chat (IRC). IRC remains
an enduring way to have a text-based chat in real-time, and as
evidenced by Web clients like [The Lounge][17], or desktop clients
like [Pidgin][18], it can be as stripped down or feature-rich as you
like. For a true hacker experience, you can also log into IRC using
[Emacs][19].

[16]: [link removed]
[17]: [link removed]
[18]: [link removed]
[19]: [link removed]

## Long-form discussion

* **Encrypted email**: While it's asynchronous and maybe the most "old
school" item on our list, GPG-encrypted email is a core part of the
FSF workflow, and helps guard against prying eyes, whether they're
one room over or in an NSA compound across the country. The initial
setup can sometimes be a challenge, which is why we provide the
[Email Self-Defense Guide][20] to get you up and running.

[20]: [link removed]

* **Discourse**: [Discourse][21] is the message board software that powers
the [FSF associate member forum][22], and we couldn't be happier to
recommend it. While the concept may seem a little antiquated,
message boards remain a good way to coordinate discussions on a
particular topic. Discourse's moderation tools are intuitive and
easy to use, and it even includes achievements for users to earn!

[21]: [link removed]
[22]: [link removed]

## Document Sharing

If you're unused to working remotely, finding ways to collaborate with
others on a document or presentation can be a challenge. At the FSF,
[Etherpad][23] is the main tool that we use to keep live meeting notes
and work together on other documents. It provides all the features you
need for quick collaboration, including comments, revision tracking,
and exports to a variety of formats. You can host your own instance,
or you can select an instance [made available][24] by others and start
sharing.

[23]: [link removed]
[24]: [link removed]

## File Sharing

At the FSF office, we have a common server to store our files. Not
everyone has the luxury of a setup like that, and especially not due
to the fast changeover from office to home. To avoid using proprietary
"solutions" and disservices like Dropbox, you can turn to the widely
popular [Nextcloud][25] to synchronize your text and email messages,
share calendars with coworkers, and exchange files privately with your
friends.

[25]: [link removed]

If you need something temporary, there's always [Up1][26]. Up1 is a
temporary, encrypted text and image sharing program you can host
locally, making sure those files you need to exchange are only there
for just as long as it takes for your friend to download them. And
while we don't use it ourselves, we've heard good things about the
[Riseup][27] network's [instance][28] of Up1, and will occasionally
suggest it to those wanting a quick and easy way to share files while
retaining their freedom.

[26]: [link removed]
[27]: [link removed]
[28]: [link removed]

### Conclusion

This is just a small selection of the huge amount of free software out
there, all ready to be used, shared, and improved by the community.
For more suggestions on both local and Web-based programs, visit the
FSF's [Free Software Directory][29], our volunteer-run wiki which aims
to be a comprehensive list of the thousands of free programs available
for everyday use.

[29]: [link removed]

As always, free software is a moving target. We reap as much as
the community puts into it, and as more and more attention shifts to
the crisis caused by the novel coronavirus, the tools themselves are
likely to see an increased amount of development. Please collaborate
with us on the [LibrePlanet wiki][30]'s entry on [remote
communication][31] to help people find ways of communicating that put
user freedom as a priority.

[30]: [link removed]
[31]: [link removed]

In solidarity,

Greg Farough
Campaigns Manager


--
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<[link removed]>, Diaspora at <[link removed]>,
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Sent from the Free Software Foundation,

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