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Dear DRM Elimination Crew Member,

It seems like the usual holiday sales just get earlier and earlier.
Not content with just hammering us with ads, certain megalithic
companies named after large rivers or fruits try to foist their
"deals" on us as soon as they can. Given the degree to which our lives
are mediated by technology, it's no surprise that so many holiday
sales focus on "devices," that catch-all name we've given to those
computers that run in our pockets, laps, and living rooms. Yet before
you cave to pressure, you should make sure that gift isn't putting
your friend or family member under unjust control.

For the last twelve years, the Free Software Foundation (FSF) has
published our [Ethical Tech Giving Guide][1] as a way to help
concerned individuals make sure that the gift they might plan on
giving their loved ones doesn't deprive them of their freedom. It's
natural to want the very best gift for that special person in your
life. It's also natural to want that gift to last them as long as
possible. But if you plan on giving any devices, it's important to
carefully consider the gift that you choose and the message it sends.
The Amazon Echo or Chromebook that you're buying today has a good
chance of being obsolete in the next few years, and more importantly,
could set your friend or family member's digital freedom back even
longer.

[1]: [link removed]

Freedom is the best gift you can give, and the one that keeps on
giving. Rather than purchasing that new gadget, we encourage you to
take the time to explore installing free software on one your friend
or family member already owns. Taking your [first steps to freedom][2]
often doesn't just help you win back your digital autonomy: it
provides an opportunity for you to deepen your relationship with the
ones you care about through a shared learning experience, and
inaugurates you into a worldwide community of users.

[2]: [link removed]

This year, we've bolstered the Guide with new recommendations on
DRM-free media for you and your loved ones to enjoy, including
publishers and storefronts that respect software freedom at the same
time, such as [Nantucket E-Books][3], a publisher and writing platform
interviewed in this season's upcoming *Free Software Foundation
Bulletin*.

[3]: [link removed]

## Taking a step forward


The Giving Guide is a helpful and practical tool we create every year
to highlight issues with technology that other tech gift guides don't
touch. Can you join our effort as an [FSF associate member][12]? You
can start for as little as $10 per month ($5 for students), or $120
per year. With your support we can continue paving a way to freedom
and create practical tools like these that people can use to help
bring them closer to user freedom.

Besides that, your associate membership gives strength to the *idea*
of user software. No other organization stands for this idea like the
FSF does. The more members we have, the better we can defend
everyone's freedoms against the largest companies and governments on
the planet, and this starts with achieving our fall goal of 500 new
associate members. Plus, you'll be able to enjoy all of our
[membership benefits][13], which include merchandise discounts, a 16GB
bootable membership card, and use of our associate member
videoconferencing server.

[12]: [link removed]
[13]: [link removed]


We hope that you'll take the time to [share][14] the Guide with your
friends family, but more importantly, we hope that you'll commit to
moving forward on your own individual journey to freedom. The holiday
season is the best time to get the message of user freedom on
everyone's lips, and around the kitchen table globally. We know that
it can be tempting to buy that new device, especially when you're
looking forward to the reaction of the people you love. Yet no matter
how abstract or lackluster it might initially seem, full freedom is
the greatest gift of all, and each step you or your loved ones take
toward that goal helps us all collectively. We hope that you'll move
forward towards that goal, and climb the Freedom Ladder. For one
thing, it means you'll be safe from those Black Friday lines.

[14]: [link removed]'s%20annual%20Giving%20Guide%20as%20a%20way%20to%20choose%20gifts%20that%20respect%20the%20freedom%20of%20you%20and%20your%20loved%20ones!%20%2523UserFreedom

Happy holidays,

Greg Farough
Campaigns Manager

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