Promoting and defending Free Software

Founded in 1996, April is the main French advocacy association devoted to promote and protect Free/Libre Software.

April, made up of nearly 2 000 members (individuals, companies, and organizations), is a pioneer of Free Software in France. Since 1996, it is a major player in the field of Free Software. Its aim: making Free Software more accessible for the general public, professionals and institutions, and thus more widespread. It also acts as a watchdog on digital freedoms, warning the public about the dangers of private interests keeping an exclusive stranglehold on information and knowledge.

Its goals are to promote free software and open standards towards individuals, institutions and companies in the French-speaking space, to protect free software users and authors rights, and to favour knowledge sharing.

Its actions and campaigns are very diversified :

• relay information and actions towards written press, radio and television. April is now seen by journalists are a reference for questions related to free software and numeric freedoms, and is often asked to give its opinion about new issues, or to answer interviews or write articles ;
• keep a constant vigilance about all decisions, articles concerning free software, and react appropriately ;
• inform elected persons and political representatives, promote a progressist legislation concerning information technology, patents and copyright, in order to protect the interests of free software authors and users, and to create a legislative environment favorable to free software ;
• raise awareness of the public of the dangers of DRM, patents, over-protection of copyright, and more generally of the dangers of an exclusive appropriation of knowledge and information ;
• give around thirty conferences each year, take part to around twenty events, in several program commitees, jurys, and take part in the organization of big events such as the Libre Software Meeting and Paris Capitale du Libre ;
• create parternship with institutions, non-governemental organizations. For example, April takes part of a new course dedicated to "Free Software Engineering" created in the University of Calais ;
• be present in commitees that influence the governement decisions (Forum of Internet Rights, Superior Council of Literary and Artistic Property) ;
• inform decision-makers and institution about the interests of switching to free software, and help them in their move.

Until 2004, the association activities were completely achivied by volunteers, but in the face of an increasing number of matters, an increasing complexity and an increasing need for highly-specizialed skills, the association decided to develop its human and financial means. In March 2005, the association engaged its first employee, as a full-time general delegate, Frédéric Couchet, one of the founder. Two years later, the association has three full-time employees, one general delegate, an administrative assistant, and a person in charge of institutional relations. However, even with three full-time employees, the volunteer work is still very important, and represented around 5,300 hours of work in 2006.

Fore more information please visit our web site a the following address : http://www.april.org/, or contact us by email contact@april.org or by phone at +33 11 46 49 25 15.

Partners

Niveau supérieur | Généré le //2008-05-15 par Frédéric Couchet

Sauf mention contraire indiquée plus haut, le présent document est soumis aux conditions d'exploitation suivantes : copyright 2008-05-15 April. Ce document peut être reproduit par n'importe quel moyen que ce soit, pourvu qu'aucune modification ne soit effectuée et que cette notice soit préservée.

Hébergé par Free