Why I became FSF Associate Member

I learnt about FSF in 2002. It's a guess. I don't remember actually. I started programming professionally in the last quarter of 2002. It was then I learnt about and appreciated the concept of Free Software. Since then I have talked about it to every one. Over the years parts of Free Software branched into Open Source. Together as FOSS, they have taken over the software world today. There is no organization that doesn't support FLOSS in some format today.

The next set of fights are going to be around DRM, Patents, Artificial restrictions in Hardware etc. Issues like restrictions to repair your own gadgets or read books you have bought to web going DRM are real.

To me personally Free Software is about the rights of user and where as Open Source deals mostly with rights of developer. Some of these rights are not mutually exclusive. But its important to know the difference. Its due to this philosophical bend that FSF can and is fighting DRM, Patents, Tivoization etc.

I have thought about contributing to FSF for sometime. Finally a couple of months back I did and instead of making one time donation, I choose to become associate member. As it gives me a chance to be associated with FSF as a software developer, user and be part of a social community that stands for freedom.

Here is my badge of honor

Please take time to donate or better become associate member of FSF and help us to build a better society.