Instant messaging for Free Software

May 1st, 2009, for immediate release

FSF France [1] has decided to offer a server [2] to freenode.net [3], in order to ensure the sustainability of instant messaging tools used for Free Software-related projects. It hosts over 4,000 people per day.

IM (Instant Messenging), quicker than e-mail and less time-consuming than voice communication is an ideal mean of communication for users and developers of Free Software. Various instant messaging protocols exist: IRC, Jabber or AIM for example. Each provides access to different networks, which offer different possibilities of real-time communication, from private conversations to chats involving hundreds of people.

Freenode.net, one of these messaging networks, is widely used by Free Software projects. The network welcomes 50.000 users every day. The additional server provided by FSF France can accommodate between 8.000 and 15.000 new connections [4], primarily from France. Freenode users are connected to a specific server based on their location.

Unlike messaging networks owned by corporations, where the creation and deletion of the servers are controlled by a central authority, freenode is a cooperative network in which the possibility of hosting a server is freely available to any actor who so wishes.

This flexible and scalable structure ensures that the resources offered by freenode will not disappear in the future. With the strengthening of this network, the FSF ensures the sustainability of IM tools essential to the Free Software community.

References

[1] - http://www.fsffrance.org/

[2] - pratchett.freenode.net also known as freenode.fsffrance.org is found in the list of active freenode servers

[3] - http://www.freenode.org/

[4] - On April 30th 2009, pratchett.freenode.net hosted 4,333 users i.e. 9.0% of freenode.net users

About Free Software Foundation France

The FSF France (http://www.fsffrance.org/) is a non-profit organization dedicated to all aspects of Free Software. Access to software determines who may participate in a digital society. Therefore the freedoms to use, copy, modify and redistribute software - as described in the Free Software definition - allow equal participation in the information age. Creating awareness for these issues, securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues of the FSF France.

Press contacts

Loïc Dachary. E-mail : loic@gnu.org Phone : +33 6 64 03 29 07

Frédéric Couchet. E-mail : fcouchet@fsffrance.org Phone : +33 6 60 68 89 31