UK Free Software Movement
=========================

UK subscribers to the Free Software Foundation Europe discussion list are embarking on the creation of a UK-based organisation for the promotion of Free Software. Currently based around the FSFE Discussions UK mailing list, we're calling on all people actively interested in the Free Software Movement (and particularly the setting up of a UK organisation) to join this list and contribute to the discussion and, soon, the creation of this organisation.

More information:

FSFE Discussions UK:			http://www.x31.com/~ukfsfe/
Charter for the discussion list:	?
Free Software Foundation Europe:	http://www.fsfeurope.org/

Further details

* What is the Free Software Foundation Europe?

The Free Software Foundation Europe is the sister organisation of the Free Software Foundation created 1984 by Richard M. Stallman in the United States of America. 

Main purpose of the FSF Europe is to coordinate Free Software initiatives throughout Europe, to provide a Free Software competence-centre for politicians and journalists and to provide infrastructure for Free Software projects and especially the GNU Project. 

Further information about the FSF Europe can be found at http://www.fsfeurope.org/

* What is this UK initiative about?

The UK is currently one of the few major western countries without it's own Free Software organisation. We feel a Free Software organisation is required in the UK to promote Free Software, raise awareness of Free Software, and also highlight issues which potentially pose a threat to Free Software (such as the UK Government's stance on software patenting, for example). We also intend to become an associate organisation of the FSFE, to help coordinate Free Software-related events and resources local to the
UK, and generally contribute positively to the European Free Software movement. 

An example of the type of organisation we're talking about is APRIL, the "Association pour la Promotion et la Recherche en Informatique Libre" (Association for the Promotion and Research of Free Software). Further information about APRIL can be found at http://www.april.org/index.html.en

There have been few decisions about what form this UK organisation should take, other than those set out in the charter. So, if you believe in Free Software and feel you have a valid contribution to make, please join our discussion list and take part in this!