FSF Launches Associated Membership Program

Andy Tai writes "The Free Software Foundation (FSF) has launched an associated membership program. Support Free Software by becoming an FSF associated member. From the FSF website: On Monday 25 November 2002, we launched the FSF Associate Membership program. Now, you can support FSF by becoming a card-carrying associate member. You can find out about the rates and benefits of membership, sign up to be an Associate Member, login to edit your membership options, and even read briefly about some current projects of FSF. " Seems a little odd to me, but what do i know ;)

Bad links

[mcgroarty]

At present, the article's links are pointing back at Slashdot itself. The full page with the links pointing correctly are here [fsf.org].

Corected Links Here...

[qtp]

Here are the corrected links:

Benefits [fsf.org]

Sign Up [fsf.org]

Yeah, I'm cheap...
so what.

Re:Communists?

[Daniel Dvorkin]

Well, yeah, and of course that's the association Daddy Bush was going for when he called Michael Dukakis a "card-carrying member of the ACLU." Dukakis missed a golden opportunity at that moment, because at that time (IIRC) ACLU membership cards had the Bill of Rights printed on the back. Dukakis could have pulled out his card, read the Bill of Rights, and then said, "Okay, George, which of these do you object to?" Unfortunately, Dukakis didn't have the showmanship for something like that.

Anyway ... seems to me "card-carrying" FSF'ers could do something similar. If you really believe in the ideology of the FSF (I don't, exactly, though I'm in sympathy with it; I posted elsewhere in this topic about "useful fanatics") then get a card. If someone then uses "card-carrying member of the FSF" as an insult, give them the "free as in ..." spiel and then ask, "What exactly do you object to?" If you're reasonably polite about it, and assuming you bathe more frequently than Stallman, you might even change someone's mind.

Re:Is it really Free then?

[Synn]

The profit motive has done more for the world than any other motive force since the middle ages. The FSF seeks to undermine the profit motive by lobbying for a world in which one is no longer free to do whatever one wishes with the products of one's labor. This would be an awful, awful thing.


Utter BS. The FSF copyright is a property owner's empowering license. As the copyright holder of GPL software I am the one who's solely able to release the software under any other license I choose.

What the license doesn't do is allow you to profit from the products of MY labor without first negotiating with me for another license.

Re:I just won't (and can't) do it

[rindeee]

Thank you, and well said. I personally own a small technology business that developes turnkey and custom systems (primarily in the medical market) based on Open Source software (shameless plug:

Premier Networks [premiernetworks.net]

). The FSF is charged with "getting the word out" and can do so much more effectively and on a larger scale than I can. I do my part locally, and I support the FSF (yes, I am a member) to do the same nationally. The single biggest impedement to sales (as is true with any kind of technology product or service) is ignorance on the part of the customer. Where a commercial products pimp would try to overcome this with glossy flyers, smooth talking sales people, etc...we try to overcome it with knowledge transfer, education, etc. We offer classes, lectures, etc. on Open Source and how it can truly benefit a business, interact with commercial software and such. The FSF is a very important organization, and one worth supporting (presently). As a matter of fact, when we sell a system we include a 1 year FSF membership. Just my $.02, all naysayers welcome. ER

Not THAT big change, anyway...

[Anonymous Coward]

Donating to the FSF is not a new thing, see e.g. https://agia.fsf.org/mp/order.py?make-donation=1 And... they're NOT selling anything you would not get by FTP: Complimentary Copy of Free Software, Free Society - all text's in it are on the GNU homepage (there was an old slashdot story, don't remember...) 20% Discount on GNU Press Purchases - the text behind this says it all: NOT software. T-Shirts etc. Email Forwarding - this is a service, not software... they e.g. have to run the machines doing the forwarding... Bootable Membership Card -this actually is software. But it's available on the net... so you pay for the CD manufacture and, according to the GPL, this is allright with any GNU-ware. Biannual FSF Bulletin - you can get this anyway... Invitation to Annual Meeting - they're probably paying for the rooms etc. by your membership money. Sustaining Support of FSF - yes, indeed, a very softwareish thing... but you can't copy it :) All in all, WHERE IS THE CHANGE??