A small Piping Plover stands calmly on a sandy beach, its delicate features highlighted by the soft sunlight. The calm water in the background contrasts with the intricate textures of the sand. Photography by Debra Martz
Wouter Verhelst
@[email protected]
10/12/2025, 20:08 Edited
@aral Good thing #FOSDEM isn't about freedom/privacy/human rights/democracy, then. It's *just* about Free and Open Source Software.
(disclaimer: yes I'm a FOSDEM organizer, but no l don't speak for FOSDEM, my thoughts are my own)
RT: mastodon.ar.al/users/aral/stat...
Because “Free and Open Source Software isn’t about freedom/privacy/human rights/democracy” is one helluva take.
(And yes, you’re right, “open source” isn’t about any of those things. It’s just about the source being openly available. Not about protecting its openness or anything. It’s open as in “open for business.” But free (as in freedom) software/technology…? Well, I guess some of us would beg to differ.)
Oh, and if you want a philosophy/movement that isn’t shy or apologetic about being about freedom/privacy/human rights/democracy, see Small Tech:
@OpenTech_AUC
@MishaVelthuis I think both things can be true at the same time. This is why we need Small Tech (which can run on your phone or anywhere else).
A cute reindeer with large eyes is surrounded by fluffy clouds and colorful baubles. Blue and orange hues enhance the magical ambiance.
A sweet baby reindeer sits nestled in a dreamy winter wonderland, surrounded by soft clouds and candy-colored trees that sparkle under a golden and twilight sky. With big, gentle eyes and a tuft of soft fur curling between its antlers adorned with pastel pom-poms, this little reindeer seems to embody the very spirit of Christmas magic. The air glows with starlight and wonder, wrapping the scene in warmth and innocence. It’s a tender reminder of the joy and love that fill the season — truly a moment of “Merry Christmas to All — Big and Small!”
In a land where snowflakes sparkle like tiny stars, a little reindeer sits happily among fluffy white clouds and sugar-puff trees. His bright eyes shine with joy, and his tiny antlers are decorated with colorful pom-poms that twinkle in the light. The sky glows with soft shades of pink, gold, and blue, as if Christmas magic itself is painting the world around him. This cheerful reindeer is ready to share smiles, love, and a wish that everyone—big and small—has the merriest Christmas of all!
A feel a greeting card or product of this image would be suitable for small children.
THE FINE ART AMERICA LOGO WILL NOT APPEAR ON PURCHASED PRINTS OR PRODUCTS.
I’m sorry, I didn’t know he was a dollar-store Elon Musk at the time.
What can I say? He duped me with his “small tech” talk, making me think we were talking about the same thing. Which, clearly, we weren’t, because Small Tech is all about inclusivity and a non-colonial approach to designing and developing human-scale technology:
“Small Tech is political through and through. It stands with both middle fingers raised high against Big Tech and capitalism. It’s proudly progressive. Small Tech is the opposite of Big Tech, not Big Tech Light.”
If your criticism of "big tech" is merely a result of the unhappiness about the fact that Meta, Google and Microsoft aren't EU-corporations you are missing the point.
There is nothing that indicates that SAP or Deutsche Telekom would hesitate a second at the chance of becoming the equally violent and exploitive forces.
The solution to Big Tech isn't EU Big Tech. It's de-commercialisation and democratization of tech.