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- a line in the .gitignore file to ignore the built documentation
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- a complete revision/editorial pass of all non-technical documents
  that outline process, project fundamentals, and background. These
  edits clarified the text, unified the style, and elaborated on
  stubs.
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tycho garen
2011-08-27 17:43:14 -04:00
parent 7d6a9058dd
commit 6503d66c98
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docs/source/about_mediagoblin.rst
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What is GNU MediaGoblin
=======================
Three years ago (2008), a number of free software luminaries got
together at the FSF office to answer the question, "What should
software freedom look like on the participatory web?" Those thinkers
included Richard Stallman---founder of the free software movement and
instigator of the GNU project, Evan Prodromou---the driving force
behind Status.net, a highly sucessful federated micro-blogging
service, and FIXME.
In 2008 a number of free software developers and activists gathered at
the FSF to attempt to answer the question "What should software
freedom look like on the participatory web?" Their answer, the
`Franklin Street Statement <http://autonomo.us/2008/07/franklin-street-statement/>`_,
has lead to the development of `autonomo.us <http://autonomo.us/>`_
community, and free software projects including `Identi.ca <http://identi.ca/>`_
and `Libre.fm <http://libre.fm/>`_.
Since that time Identi.ca and Libre.fm have answered the
freedom-loving web-user's need for micro-blogging and music sharing.
Now, GNU MediaGoblin is building a format for users to share photos.
Later versions of MediaGoblin will include support for video and other
media as well as tools to encourage collaboration on media projects.
Identi.ca and Libre.fm address the need for micro-blogging and music
sharing services and software that respect users' freedom and
autonomy. GNU MediaGoblin emerges from this milieu to create a
platform for us to share photos in an environment that respects our
freedom and independence. In the future MediaGoblin will include
support other media, like video, and provide tools to facilitate
collaboration on media projects.
Why Build GNU MediaGoblin
=========================
Why are we doing this?
======================
The Internet is designed--and works best--as a complex and endlessly
resilient network. When key services and media outlets are
concentrated in centralized platforms, the network becomes less useful
and increasingly fragile. As always, the proprietary nature of these
systems, hinders users ability to develop, extend, and understand
their software; however, in the case of network services it also means
that users must forfeit control of their data to the service
providers.
Centralization and proprietization of media on the internet is a
serious problem and makes the web go from a system of extreme
resilience to a system of frightening fragility. We believe people
should be able to free their data from proprietary control and that
means someone has to build the tools to make it possible. We decided
that in this case, that someone would be us!
Therefore, we believe that network services must be federated to avoid
centralization and that everyone ought to have control over their
data. In support of this, we've decided to help build the tools to
make these kinds of services possible. We hope you'll join us, both as
users and as contributors.
Who are you?
============
Who Contributes to the Project
==============================
Free software activists and folks who have worked on a variety of
other projects like Libre.fm, GNU Social, Status.net, Miro, Miro
Community, OpenHatch and other projects as well. We're admirers and
contributors. We're writers and painters. We're friendly and
dedicated to computer user freedom.
You do!
We are free software activists and folks who have worked on a variety
of other projects including: Libre.fm, GNU Social, Status.net, Miro,
Miro Community, and OpenHatch among others. We're programmers,
musicians, writers, and painters. We're friendly and dedicated to
software and network freedom.
How can I participate?
How Can I Participate?
======================
See `Get Involved <http://mediagoblin.org/join/>`_ on the website..
@@ -56,15 +65,15 @@ How is GNU MediaGoblin licensed?
GNU MediaGoblin software is released under an AGPLv3 license.
See the ``COPYING`` file in the source for details.
See the ``COPYING`` file in the source repository for details.
Is this an official GNU Project? What does that mean?
======================================================
Is MedaGobilin an official GNU project? What does that mean?
=============================================================
We are! It means that we meet the GNU Project's rigourous standards
for free software. To find out more about what that means, check out
`the GNU site <http://gnu.org/>`_.
MediaGoblin is an official GNU project! This status means that we the
meet the GNU Project's rigorous standards for free software. To find
out more about what that means, check out `the GNU site <http://gnu.org/>`_.
Please feel free to contact us with further questions!