Irish Free Software Organisation
Encyclopedia
The Irish Free Software Organisation (or IFSO) is a member organisation based in the Republic of Ireland which works to promote the use of free software
in Ireland, and oppose legal or political developments which would interfere with the use or development of Free Software.
It is an associate organization of Free Software Foundation Europe
(FSFE), with which it continues to maintain close ties.
IFSO was originally founded as an extension of work on the EU Software Patents directive being performed by an ad-hoc group, who perceived a threat to the Free Software community
from that legislation. The organisation was intended to foster the Free Software community in Ireland, and to continue this legal and political work in a coherent manner.
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
in Ireland, and oppose legal or political developments which would interfere with the use or development of Free Software.
It is an associate organization of Free Software Foundation Europe
Free Software Foundation Europe
The Free Software Foundation Europe was founded in 2001 as an official European sister organization of the U.S.-based Free Software Foundation to take care of all aspects of free software in Europe. FSF and FSFE are financially and legally separate entities.FSFE believes that access to and...
(FSFE), with which it continues to maintain close ties.
History
IFSO was founded in January 2004 with the aims of promoting and protecting the freedom to study, modify and redistribute Free Software.IFSO was originally founded as an extension of work on the EU Software Patents directive being performed by an ad-hoc group, who perceived a threat to the Free Software community
Free software community
The free-software community is an informal term that refers to the users and developers of free software as well as supporters of the free-software movement. The movement is sometimes referred to as the open-source software community or a subset thereof...
from that legislation. The organisation was intended to foster the Free Software community in Ireland, and to continue this legal and political work in a coherent manner.
Activities
- IFSO has been involved in organising several public lectures on Free Software, Software Patentability and other related topics.
- It has lobbied on the subject of the EU Software Patents directive, and other elements of European and Irish legislation.
- It has worked to raise awareness and promote the use of Free Software (for example, by participating in Software Freedom DaySoftware Freedom DaySoftware Freedom Day is an annual worldwide celebration of Free Software. SFD is a public education effort with the aim of increasing awareness of Free Software and its virtues, and encouraging its use....
)