Free Network Services
From Free Knowledge Institute
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
NOTE: under construction, your help to improve is appreciated!
Social Networking sites are becoming more and more popular, as they provide meaningful tools for people to communicate with others. Unfortunately most of the currently dominant social network platforms is controlled not by the users but by a company that often owns the software and the data the users accumulate on the network. Such proprietary control has shown many cases of censorship and limits the level of control the user has.
At this page we can collaboratively define what we understand as Free Network Services and what kind of freedom respecting services are out there, and the tools necessary to set up your own networks.
[edit] Background
Some interesting critical statements and analyses have been formulated in the Franklin Street Statement on Freedom and Network Services. The Open Knowledge Foundation has published the Open Services Definition.
[edit] Definition
In line with the definitions above, we can formulate the definition of Free Network Services as follows. A Free Network service is one:
- that is completely using Free Software, with all source code available to the users
- that licenses all data and content on the site under terms approved for Free Cultural Works or Open Knowledge
- that respects the users privacy and let the user control their private data
[edit] Overview of Freedom Network Services and tools
We can create an updated list based on the following links or add the latest overviews in here:
- http://autonomo.us/2008/07/an-open-software-services-ecology/
- http://autonomo.us/wiki/Wish_list
- http://wiki.okfn.org/openservices
- https://www.knowledgelab.org.uk/OpenSourceSocialNetworking
Some examples:
- tiny url generator service: ur1.ca
- microblogging: identi.ca which runs on the laconi.ca free software
- social networks: elgg, Noosfero
- social bookmarks semantic scuttle, zotero, connotea
- Instant Messaging and Presence: Jabber: uses the Open Standard xmpp protocol
- Voice over IP: the Open Standard SIP protocol is used to built a freedom respecting VoIP infrastructure; various software clients and telephone hardware exist that implement the SIP protocol (e.g. Ekiga SIP-Communicator, etc, as well as Free Software servers such as Asterisk. To connect from the SIP infrastructure to the conventional phone network, many companies provide paid services, see for example the VoIP Info wiki. That latter wiki also provides much more info on how to get started with SIP and VoIP.
