Communicating freely

Thoughts on how we can all talk a little easier, and how that can make life better.

Advocacy for everyone

The fellowship of FSFE is currently drafting an interesting new project about advocacy.  It’s here if you want to read more about it.

I’m really excited about this.  I think advocacy is a really important aspect of Free Software at the moment.  We’re moving more and more into the mainstream but there is still a lot of explaining and engagement that needs to be done.

A key thing about Free Software advocacy is to contextualise according to the audience.  People are sensitive about getting preached at.  A business man needs to hear about the bottom line.  A political scientist needs to hear about the social impact.  A programmer needs to hear about how their work will be made more productive.  This does not mean changing the overarching message of freedom, but delivering it with consideration.

The FSFE advocacy project will be building a collection of material to enable people to advocate Free Software effectively in multiple contexts.  The idea is to collect slides, FAQs, essays and everything else that needs to go into a speaker’s tool kit.