FreedomBox

FreedomBox
FreedomBox logo
Stable release
0.13.1[1] / January 23, 2017
Preview release
0.20.0[2] / January 01, 2018
Repository salsa.debian.org/freedombox-team/
Written in Python
Type Encrypted home server
Licence Free software (AGPLv3)
Website freedombox.org

FreedomBox is a community project to develop, design and promote personal servers running free software for distributed social networking, email and audio/video communications.[3][4][5] The project was announced by Eben Moglen at the New York ISOC meeting on February 2, 2010.[6]

On February 4, 2011, Moglen formed the FreedomBox Foundation to become the organizational headquarters of the project,[7] and on February 18, 2011, the foundation started a campaign to raise $60,000 in 30 days on the crowdfunding service, Kickstarter.[8] The goal was met on February 22,[9] and on March 19, 2011, the campaign ended after collecting $86,724 from 1,007 backers.[8]

The project currently describes a FreedomBox as

The developers aim to create and preserve personal privacy by providing a secure platform for building federated social networks.[10] This shall be done by creating a software stack that can run on plug computers that can easily be located in individual residences or offices. The software stack is currently at version 0.11.[11]

The hardware currently put forward for use with the FreedomBox software is explained on the Hardware[12] page. OSHW designs are preferred, like the Olimex A20 OLinuXino Lime 2[13] or the BeagleBone Black,.[14] Closed-source boards like the DreamPlug.,[15] Cubietruck[16] and the Raspberry Pi[17][18] are possible options, while more are on the way. Starting with the 0.6 release there is also a VirtualBox image, and as always, you can install FreedomBox on any clean, installed Debian box.

Screenshot of the front page of FreedomBox
Front page of the FreedomBox user interface with most of the applications installed.

By promoting a decentralized deployment of hardware, the project hopes that FreedomBoxes will "provide privacy in normal life, and safe communications for people seeking to preserve their freedom in oppressive regimes."[19]

FreedomBox and Debian

FreedomBox is a Debian pure blend. All applications on FreedomBox are installed as Debian packages. The FreedomBox project itself distributes its software through Debian repositories.

Depending on Debian for software maintenance is one of the reasons why FreedomBox outlasted many similar projects which used manual installation scripts instead. FreedomBox comes with automatic software updates powered by Debian.

See also

References

  1. ↑ https://freedombox.org/download/
  2. ↑ https://github.com/freedombox/Plinth/releases/tag/v0.20.0
  3. ↑ "FreedomBox/Manual". Debian Wiki. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
  4. ↑ "FreedomBox/Roadmap". Debian Wiki. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
  5. ↑ "What will Freedom Boxes do?". FreedomBox Foundation. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
  6. ↑ "Highlights of Eben Moglen's Freedom in the Cloud Talk". Software Freedom Law Center. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
  7. ↑ "Why Political Liberty Depends on Software Freedom More Than Ever". Software Freedom Law Center. Retrieved 2011-02-20. Yesterday in the United States, we formed the FreedomBox Foundation, which I plan to use as the [...] organizational headquarters [...]
  8. 1 2 "Push the FreedomBox Foundation from 0 to 60 in 30 days". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
  9. ↑ "Thank you Kickstarters". The Freedom Foundation. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  10. ↑ "Linux.conf.au 2012: FreedomBox's privacy". ZDNet. Retrieved 2012-01-19.
  11. ↑ "FreedomBox-Releases". wiki.debian.org.
  12. ↑ "FreedomBox/Hardware - Debian Wiki". debian.org.
  13. ↑ "FreedomBox/Hardware/A20-OLinuXino-Lime2 - Debian Wiki". wiki.debian.org. Retrieved 2015-11-22.
  14. ↑ "FreedomBox/Hardware/BeagleBone - Debian Wiki". debian.org.
  15. ↑ "FreedomBox/TargetedHardware - Debian Wiki". debian.org.
  16. ↑ "FreedomBox/Hardware/Cubietruck - Debian Wiki". debian.org.
  17. ↑ "FreedomBox/Hardware/RaspberryPi - Debian Wiki". debian.org.
  18. ↑ "FreedomBox/Hardware/RaspberryPi2 - Debian Wiki". debian.org.
  19. ↑ "FreedomBox Foundation". Retrieved 2011-02-20.
  20. ↑ Natasha Lomas. "The Server Needs To Die To Save The Internet". TechCrunch. AOL.

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