Manifesto for FLOSS Competence Centers

Free / Libre / Open Source Software (FLOSS) has proven itself to be a highly advantageous model for software research, development, and commercialization, providing benefits in terms of cost, reliability, security, agility, interoperability, and vendor independence. In addition, unrestricted availability of source code makes knowledge readily available to all of society.

To further promote worldwide adoption and involvement with FLOSS, a group of Competence Centers shall be established and nurtured. Each Competence Center acts locally in its geographical region, working as a meeting point and knowledge repository in its area. Competence Centers also collaborate in a worldwide community exchanging experiences, methods, and solutions to expand and spread knowledge on FLOSS. These Centers work as catalysts, fostering trust and reliability of FLOSS, not only in the software industry but also in society as a whole.

Competence Centers should:

  • be a meeting point for FLOSS users, developers, students, educators, researchers, and other enthusiasts both at the individual and institutional levels;
  • stay up-to-date with FLOSS technology, market, and trends;
  • provide and extend trust in FLOSS methods, tools, and solutions;
  • act as a neutral player within FLOSS matters, trends, and studies;
  • develop, maintain, and publish their work under a free/open license; and
  • explore new innovation and collaboration opportunities by using FLOSS

In summary, by sharing a common ethics and culture of collaboration, Competence Centers promote synergies among educational institutions, industry, government, and communities. They help the dissemination and application of knowledge on open standards and technologies, and promote the development of Information Technology in a way that benefits the entire human society. Furthermore, Competence Centers aim to remain aware of important trends in FLOSS technologies and encourage their use in industry, government, research, and the general population.

Founding signatories:

Jan Ziesing Fabio Kon Pedro Coca
Jesus Gonzalez-Barahona Tony Wasserman Jean-Pierre Laisne
Michel Cezon Michael Tiemann Bartosz Lewandowski
Andrés Leonardo Martínez Thomas Karopka Nelson Lago
Hongbo Xu José Carlos Maldonado Marcio Delamaro
Francisco José Monaco Andrej Kositer Daniel Bled
Stephane Ribas Paulo R. M. Meirelles

 

New signatories:

Balkind Devin UNITED STATES
Bele Amit INDIA
Bezerra Adorilson BRAZIL
Biswas Nirmal INDIA
Bled Daniel UNITED KINGDOM
Borges Roberto BRAZIL
carpinteyrobqe carpinteyrobqe NORFOLK ISLAND
Cezon Michel FRANCE
Cherukulangara Krishnan INDIA
Coca Pedro SPAIN
Colen William BRAZIL
Delamaro Marcio BRAZIL
Fermigier Stefane FRANCE
Gardler Ross UNITED KINGDOM
Gerardo Canfora ITALY
Gonzalez-Barahona Jesus SPAIN
Hansen Morten Kristoffer DENMARK
Hector Talavera hector HONDURAS
thomas UNITED KINGDOM
Hubaux Damien BELGIUM
Issa Kefah JORDAN
Kakakhel Sufyan PAKISTAN
Karopka Thomas GERMANY
Kon Fabio BRAZIL
Kositer Andrej SLOVENIA
Lago Nelson BRAZIL
Laisne Jean-Pierre FRANCE
Latesha Latesha TURKMENISTAN
Lavazza Luigi ITALY
Leal Beraldo BRAZIL
Lewandowski Bartosz POLAND
Maldonado José Carlos BRAZIL
Martínez Andrés SPAIN
Meirelles Paulo R. M. BRAZIL
Melideo Matteo ITALY
Michael s Griddine Michael UNITED STATES
mistypqp Misty SWITZERLAND
Monaco Francisco BRAZIL
Morasca Sandro ITALY
mudassir ali PAKISTAN
Mwai Anthony KENYA
Nkouly Marc Stephan CAMEROON
nobaghi88 mohamad IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF
Numonov Talat TAJIKISTAN
Pappoullis john GREECE
Park Jin Hong KOREA, REPUBLIC OF
Pollard Robert UNITED STATES
Reichert Joe UNITED STATES
Ribas Stephane FRANCE
Ruffatti Gabriele ITALY
Succi Giancarlo ITALY
Taibi Davide ITALY
Tashiro Shuichi JAPAN
Tiemann Michael UNITED STATES
Toman Sean UNITED KINGDOM
Van de Borne Michaël BELGIUM
velardo manuel SPAIN
Wasserman Tony UNITED STATES
Xu Hongbo CHINA
Yatsuzuka Shunjiro JAPAN
Ziesing Jan GERMANY
Zimeo Eugenio ITALY

Download the Manifesto in PDF format.