FSFLA is the Latin American organization
member of the international network of FSFs,
Free Software Foundations.
Our mission is to defend the rights and freedoms of software users and developers, to fight for your freedom to run the software you use for any purpose you wish, to study its source code if you wish and adapt it to do what you wish, and to copy it, distribute it and publish it when you wish, with or without improvements you may have made. This way, you, we and everyone can use computers in freedom.
When you permit others to trample your freedoms over some software you use, the harm isn't limited to you. Without resistance, they will extend their power over you and everyone.
It's a social problem, curable with your help, rejecting non-Free Software and replacing it with Free Software. Stand up for your freedoms: try to resist the control imposed on us through the software we use.
The more people resist,
the more people will be Free, and
the more people will be free to be Free.
For your own good, and
in solidarity to all,
choose freedom.
Copying and Sharing in Self Defense
Based on the widely-recognized and seldom-disrespected human rights to enjoy and memorize works of art one can access, and to grant and accept access to them, this article claims legitimate rights to preserve access to works, to convert works to different formats and media, to download and to upload works on the Internet, and to receive and to share works in P2P networks. The full enjoyment of these human rights amounts to self defense against the constant attacks to them.
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the GNU project
Few people had access to computers back when Richard Matthew Stallman realized the then-nascent software industry was adopting a business model based on denying software users their four essential freedoms, and that he could do something about it. Today, millions of people, businesses and governments run the result of the efforts to preserve and defend their freedoms he started 25 years ago, but few even know about the GNU project. Let's celebrate the accomplishments, and spread the word!
Authoriterrorism and surveillance, the Brazilian way
Brazil, July 7, 2008—Pressure from banks against on-line fraud, already covered by existing law, is being used as excuse to push through major threats to society. Puppets in the Brazilian Senate are about to approve a bill supported by banking and copyright profiteers in detriment of freedom and privacy of the people they were elected to serve and represent. Bill 89/2003 criminalizes day-to-day Internet activities, and it is likely to be voted in the Senate this week.
DMCAnada: DRM versus society
Subject: DRM versus society
From: Alexandre Oliva <lxoliva@fsfla.org>
To: Prentice.J@parl.gc.ca, Minister.Industry@ic.gc.ca, Verner.J@parl.gc.ca, pm@pm.gc.ca
Cc: anti-drm@fsfla.org
Organization: FSF Latin America
Be Free from Imposed Tax Software: IRPF-Livre 2008 liberated
Campinas, Brazil, April 25, 2008—FSFLA is honored to announce the availability of a completely Free program to prepare Natural Person's Income Tax (IRPF) returns for 2008 in the standards set by the Brazilian Receita Federal. It's a major step with regards to transparency, safety, freedom and respect to the taxpayer, on whom the non-Free Software IRPF2008 was imposed by Receita Federal.
stdlib: FSFLA's Workgroup for Free Open Standards
FSFLA has launched a workgroup to promote the adoption of Free Open Standards, including in international and Latin-American national standardization bodies, and the rejection of non-standard file formats and of proposals of standards that do not qualify as Free Open Standards.
FSFLA confirms presence at FISL 9.0
Brazil, March 13, 2008—One of the greatest Free Software events in the world is coming up: the ninth edition of "Fórum Internacional de Software Livre", to be held on April 17-19, 2008, in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. As expected, FSFLA will be present, and it hopes to count on your help!
FSFLA board member requests source code of Brazilian tax software
Brazil, February 18, 2008—Last year, FSFLA supported the release, as Free Software, of the Brazilian income tax software distributed by Receita Federal. We are already working to make it happen earlier in 2008, but Receita Federal insists in breaking the law and disrespecting citizens, taxpayers and Free Software developers.
On the constitutional preference for Free Software
Law number 11871 of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), published on December 19, 2002 is known as the Free Software Law, despite the fact that it does not define Free Software and apparently uses it as a synonym with open software. This law is being challenged on constitutional grounds, under case number 3059/03.
A Freedom Festival & Free Software and The Matrix
This is the material FSFLA has prepared and offered to FLISoL organizers and attendants.
Last update: 2009-01-19 (Rev 4682)