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FOSDEM

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Free and Open source Software Developers' European Meeting
GenreSoftware engineering conference
VenueCampus Solbosch [nl] of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Location(s)Brussels
CountryBelgium
Inaugurated2000 (2000) (as OSDEM), 2001 (2001) (as FOSDEM)[1]
Previous event3-4 February 2024
Next event1-2 February 2025
Websitefosdem.org Edit this at Wikidata

Free and Open source Software Developers' European Meeting (FOSDEM) is a non-commercial, volunteer-organized European event centered on free and open-source software development. It is aimed at developers and anyone interested in the free and open-source software movement. It aims to enable developers to meet and to promote the awareness and use of free and open-source software.

FOSDEM is held annually, usually during the first weekend of February, at the Campus Solbosch [nl] of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) in the southeast of Brussels, Belgium.

Richard (RichiH) Hartmann and Basti Schubert explain the organization of FOSDEM with free software, 02/2023.

History

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FOSDEM was started in 2000[2] under the name Open Source Developers of Europe Meeting (OSDEM) by Raphael Bauduin. Bauduin said that since he felt he lacked the brains to properly contribute to the open-source community, he wanted to contribute by launching a European event in Brussels. Bauduin teamed up with Damien Sandras.[3] The team repeated the event. The F (of FOSDEM) was added at the request of Richard Stallman.[4]

The Free Software Foundation's ceremony for the Award for the Advancement of Free Software was held at FOSDEM from 2002 to 2006 (for the awards for 2001 to 2005).[5][6]

The event has been held annually in February since then, with growing numbers of visitors, talks and tracks. It is organized thanks to the help of many volunteers.

The conference attracted about 4,000 visitors as of 2011.[7] By 2013 this grew to 5,000 attendees.[8] Since 2017, FOSDEM attendance is estimated at over 8,000 visitors.[9][10]

FOSDEM 2017

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, FOSDEM 2021 and 2022 were held entirely online.[11][12][13] In the following editions (2023 to 2025) of FOSDEM the main structure has comprised keynotes, main tracks, developer rooms[14], lightning talks, stands and Birds Of a Feather (BOF, which is a freer format spread over 3 different rooms). As in previous editions, the activities were held at the Université Libre de Bruxelles using a total of 35 rooms.[15]

FOSDEM 2023[16]
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It was organised again in Brussels, celebrating 25 years of free software[17], with a total of 787 speakers spread over 781 events, and 63 tracks. Beyond the core activities FOSDEM also organised the FOSDEM Fringe as a set of independent events also related to free and open source. The number of attends was about 8000 for this edition, the two external keynotes speakers of this edition came from the Linux Foundation and NASA open source.[18]

FOSDEM 2024[19]
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View from the speaker's desk towards the audience during the opening keynote at FOSDEM 2024

As usual, it was held in Brussels, with 948 speakers spread over 875 events and 67 themes, using the same infrastructure as the previous edition at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. The programme was similar to that of 2023 with a FOSDEM Fringe[20] and a new set of activities named FOSDEM Junior designed as workshops for children/teenagers from 7 to 17 years old[21]. The keynotes of this edition were about the historical value of women in technology[22] by Laura Durieux[23] (a recurring topic of keynotes and talks in FOSDEM to improve the inclusion of diversity in the FOSS community[24][25]) and the achievements of Outreachy.

FOSDEM 2025[26]
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As usual, it will be held in Brussels with 1118 speakers spread over 1074 events and 78 tracks, showing that the size of the event is growing steadily. As usual beyond BoF[27], also FOSDEM Fringe[28] and FOSDEM Junior[29] has been organized. The number of keynotes at this edition has increased compared to 2023 and 2024. However, Jack Dorsey's scheduled talk[30] has generated controversy[31][32] within the open-source community due to ethical considerations[33] in particular the speaker's involvement in bitcoin[34]/cryptocurrency[35] which many open-source developers consider unethical[36].

[edit]
  • FOSDEM-2012 Opening Talk
    FOSDEM-2012 Opening Talk
  • FOSDEM 2017
    FOSDEM 2017
  • FOSDEM 2024
    FOSDEM 2024
  • FOSDEM-2024 Plenary Discussion-Talk
    FOSDEM-2024 Plenary Discussion-Talk
  • FOSDEM-2023 Stickers at Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
    FOSDEM-2023 Stickers at Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
  • FOSDEM 2024 Stands section
    FOSDEM 2024 Stands section
  • FOSDEM-2024 Outreachy Keynote commented in the main text
    FOSDEM-2024 Outreachy Keynote commented in the main text
  • FOSDEM-2023: one of the developer rooms
    FOSDEM-2023: one of the developer rooms

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "about FOSDEM".
  2. ^ "FOSDEM 2018 – About FOSDEM". fosdem.org. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  3. ^ "FOSDEM 2007 over". Archived from the original on 2015-02-01. Retrieved 2015-02-01.
  4. ^ "Fosdem 2002: Fosdem organiser interview". Retrieved 2011-03-16.
  5. ^ GNU Project (26 September 2008). "Prior Years' Free Software Award". Free Software Foundation. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  6. ^ Sullivan, John. "Award for the Advancement of Free Software". Free Software Foundation. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  7. ^ "About FOSDEM". FOSDEM. 2011. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  8. ^ "About FOSDEM 2013". archive.fosdem.org. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  9. ^ "Home - FOSDEM 2017". archive.fosdem.org. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  10. ^ "Home - FOSDEM 2024". archive.fosdem.org. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  11. ^ "FOSDEM 2021 Online". fosdem.org. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  12. ^ "FOSDEM 2022 Online". fosdem.org. Retrieved 2022-09-25.
  13. ^ Verhelst, Wouter (2022), FOSDEM Conference Infrastructure, Kyle Robbertze, doi:10.5446/57001, retrieved 2025-01-19
  14. ^ "FOSDEM 2024 - Institute of Citizen Science". Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  15. ^ Hartmann, Richard; Schubert, Basti (2023), FOSDEM infrastructure review, doi:10.5446/61517, retrieved 2025-01-19
  16. ^ "FOSDEM 2023 | Interoperable Europe Portal". interoperable-europe.ec.europa.eu. 2023-02-04. Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  17. ^ Vidal, Nick (2023), Celebrating 25 years of Open Source: Past, Present, and Future, doi:10.5446/61499, retrieved 2025-01-19
  18. ^ Crawford, Steve (2023), Open Source Software at NASA, doi:10.5446/61586, retrieved 2025-01-19
  19. ^ "FOSDEM 2024 | Interoperable Europe Portal". interoperable-europe.ec.europa.eu. 2024-02-03. Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  20. ^ "FOSDEM 2024 Fringe: FOSS license and security compliance tools - Open Collective". opencollective.com. 2024-05-05. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  21. ^ info@klascement.net, KlasCement (2024-12-16). "Free open source workshops: FOSDEM junior". KlasCement (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  22. ^ "Where have the women of tech history gone?". archive.fosdem.org. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  23. ^ "Where have the women of tech history gone". lordievader's blog. 2024-02-03. Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  24. ^ "Impact Story Project/Action: Mentor leads developer room at annual FOSDEM in Brussels". TechWomen. Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  25. ^ Progri, Kristi; Dwomoh, Gloria (2018), Diversity User Research and Women in Open Source: Becoming a Better Listener and Women in Open Source Technologies. Developing a deeper understanding of minorities in tech., doi:10.5446/41983, retrieved 2025-01-19
  26. ^ "FOSDEM 2025 | Interoperable Europe Portal". interoperable-europe.ec.europa.eu. 2025-02-01. Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  27. ^ "NLnet; Let's meet at FOSDEM 2025". nlnet.nl. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  28. ^ "FOSDEM 2025 Fringe: FOSS license and security compliance tools workshop". workshop.aboutcode.org. 2025-01-31. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  29. ^ "FOSDEM and FOSDEM junior 2025". MIT App Inventor Community. 2024-10-28. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  30. ^ "Infusing Open Source Culture into Company DNA: A Conversation with Jack Dorsey and Manik Surtani, Block's head of Open Source". fosdem.org. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  31. ^ "Statement on planned protests during the upcoming FOSDEM 2025". fosdem.org. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  32. ^ Aufranc (CNXSoft), Jean-Luc (2025-01-17). "Jack Dorsey talk at FOSDEM 2025 may lead to protest - CNX Software". CNX Software - Embedded Systems News. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  33. ^ "No billionaires at FOSDEM". drewdevault.com. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  34. ^ Sen, Vivek (2024-10-24). "Does Jack Dorsey Influence Bitcoin?". Bitcoin Magazine - Bitcoin News, Articles and Expert Insights. Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  35. ^ Sigalos, Ari Levy,MacKenzie (2024-11-08). "Jack Dorsey dramatically scales back crypto ambitions for Block". CNBC. Retrieved 2025-01-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  36. ^ Diehl, Stephen; Akalin, Jan; Tseng, Darren (June 17, 2022). Popping the Crypto Bubble. Consilience Consulting UK. ISBN 9781915597014.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
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Media related to FOSDEM at Wikimedia Commons

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