= Hamburg wants to focus more on Free Software =
[ Read online: https://fsfe.org/news/2020/news-20200610-01.sv.html ]
In Hamburg, the SPD and the Greens are stating in their coalition
agreement to focus more on Free Software during their future term. The
FSFE welcomes this step and will critically monitor its implementation.
In order to strengthen digital sovereignty of Hamburg, the city wants to
use more Free Software in the future (see the PDF of the coalition
agreement) [1]. The goal is to minimise the dependence on individual
providers and create transparency. Wherever it appears meaningful,
cooperation with other administrations should be established. However,
the coalition agreement contains several loopholes, for example for
procurement procedures and diffuse justification to protect proprietary
software vendors.
Alexander Sander, the FSFE's Policy Manager, explains: "We are pleased
that Hamburg has recognised the problems associated with the use of
proprietary software and wants to focus more on the use of Free
Software. However, the exceptions in the coalition agreement indicate at
this point in time that the implementation could lead to problems and
counteracting the goals. We will critically monitor the process and
demand that first steps be taken quickly to make software developed with
public money available to the general public. If it is public money, it
should be public code as well." Free Software gives everyone the right
to use, understand, distribute and improve software for any purpose.
Administrations also benefit from these freedoms when they rely on Free
Software. More and more administrations all over Europe are using and
developing Free Software in order to benefit from interoperable
solutions, to avoid vendor lock ins, to be transparent and sovereign, to
spend funds in the most efficient way and to foster innovation and
collaboration.
As part of the "Public Money? Public Code!" campaign, FSFE is
specifically campaigning for a change in policy towards Free Software.
The "Public Money? Public Code!" initiative aims to set Free Software as
the standard for publicly financed software. The Free Software
Foundation Europe together with over 180 civil society organisations and
more than 27.000 individuals signed the open letter. We will use the
signatures to contact decision makers and political representatives all
over Europe and convince them to make public code the standard. You are
invited to add your signature to make a bigger impact on publiccode.eu
[2] /
1: https://www.spd-hamburg.de/fileadmin-hamburg/user_upload/Koalitionsvertrag2…
2: https://publiccode.eu
== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==
Free Software Foundation Europe is a charity that empowers users to
control technology. Software is deeply involved in all aspects of our
lives; and it is important that this technology empowers rather than
restricts us. Free Software gives everybody the rights to use,
understand, adapt and share software. These rights help support other
fundamental freedoms like freedom of speech, press and privacy.
The FSFE helps individuals and organisations to understand how Free
Software contributes to freedom, transparency, and self-determination.
It enhances users' rights by abolishing barriers to Free Software
adoption, encourage people to use and develop Free Software, and
provide resources to enable everyone to further promote Free Software
in Europe.
http://fsfe.org