1. What are we celebrating?
Raul Suarez
September 19, 2009

2. About me Computer hobbyist Since 1982
Computers professional since 1987
Free software user and advocate since 2005
I prefer conversations than lectures, let's make this one a conversation

3. Overview The short explanation
What does Software have to do with your freedom?
Why is it important for you?
What happens when we get complacent?
Why are we celebrating?

4. What are we celebrating?
Freedom!!

5. Relationship between Software & Freedom
Most content digitalized
Books
News TV
Personal Data
Votes
Freedom to access that content in our terms
Freedom to control content created by us
Freedom to exercise our rights
Freedom to choose
Freedom to share

6. What happens when we loose that freedom?
Watching TV and listening to music
eBooks
Voting machines
My personal experience
Quicken kept my data hostage
“Free trials” kept my content hostage
A large company's experience
The vendor removed access to the data
The vendor decided how the data could be used
Another vendor went out of business
Really interesting contradiction

7. Why are we celebrating?
To create awareness that will help you defend and exercise your freedoms
Free and Open source software helps you defend that freedom

8. Thank you! More questions?
Raul Suarez
The working centre
Kitchener-Waterloo Linux User's group