Get ready to Fork the System at LibrePlanet

Dear LWN,

In little more than a month, free software hackers, lawyers,
activists, students, educators, librarians, and community organizers
will gather to Fork the System.

![LibrePlanet Program Cover](https://static.fsf.org/libreplanet/2016/lp2016program-cov...)

Hundreds of people from around the world will meet at
[LibrePlanet 2016: Fork the System][1], March 19-20, 2016 at MIT in
Cambridge, MA. This year's [conference program][0] will examine how
free software creates the opportunity of a new path for its users,
allows developers to fight the restrictions of a system dominated by
proprietary software by creating free replacements, and is the
foundation of a philosophy of freedom, sharing, and change. Sessions
like "Yes, the FCC might ban your operating system" and "GNU/Linux and
Chill: Free software on a college campus" will offer insights about
how to resist the dominance of proprietary software, which is often
built in to university policies and government regulations.

[0]: https://libreplanet.org/2016/program/
[1]: https://libreplanet.org/2016

Activists from EFF, April, FSF Latin America, and the Dudley Street
Neighborhood Initiative will talk about the possibility of changes to
copyright law in the US, how to De-Google-ify the Internet, how our
world resembles dystopian sci-fi, and how to bolster asset-based
community development work.

There are opportunities to learn to use free software, too: there will
be an introduction to using Python in the 3D creation program Blender;
a workshop devoted to LittleSis, a wiki-style database that tracks
connections between the world's most powerful people and
organizations; and an overview of the secure, distributed voice,
video, and chat communication platform Ring.

There will be four keynotes devoted to free software in relation to
surveillance, philosophy, and more. We previously announced our
opening session, a livestreamed conversation between NSA whistleblower
Edward Snowden and ACLU Technologist Daniel Kahn Gillmor, "The last
lighthouse: Free software in dark times," and we are pleased to
announce our three other keynote speakers: Allison Randal, president
of the Open Source Initiative, Karen Sandler, executive director of
the Software Freedom Conservancy, and Richard Stallman, president of
the Free Software Foundation.

[The full draft program is now online][2]. Check it out, then
[register][3] -- we anticipate very high attendance this year, and
advance registration is the best way to guarantee admission to
LibrePlanet. Remember, FSF [members][4] and students attend gratis.

[2]: https://libreplanet.org/2016/program/
[3]: https://my.fsf.org/civicrm/event/register?id=29&reset=1
[4]: https://my.fsf.org/join?pk_campaign=lp16&pk_kwd=progr...

Each year at LibrePlanet, we gather software developers, activists,
policy experts, and computer users to share accomplishments, learn
skills, and address challenges to software freedom. Newcomers are
always welcome, and LibrePlanet 2016 will feature programming for a
broad range of experience levels, including
students. [LibrePlanet 2016][6] is produced in partnership by the
[Free Software Foundation][7] with the
[Student Information Processing Board (SIPB)][8] at MIT.

[6]: https://libreplanet.org/2016 
[7]: https://www.fsf.org
[8]: https://sipb.mit.edu

## Pre-order a LibrePlanet 2016 t-shirt by February 26

You can also [pre-order a LibrePlanet 2016 commemorative t-shirt][5]
in the GNU Press shop. *Order your shirt by Thursday, February 25th to
guarantee availability in your size.*

[5]: https://shop.fsf.org/product/lp16/

## Volunteers make LibrePlanet great

LibrePlanet started out as a Free Software Foundation membership
meeting, but now it is much more. The conference would
never have become the highly anticipated event it is today without the
commitment of dozens of volunteers who aid with the planning and
execution of LibrePlanet each year, in a variety of roles. We are
still looking for volunteers for this year's event. If you are
interested in helping out,
[complete the volunteer interest form][9]. We show our appreciation
for our volunteers by offering gratis conference admission and a
LibrePlanet t-shirt.

[9]: https://my.fsf.org/civicrm/profile/create?gid=435&res...

Don't miss out on your chance to Fork the
System. [Register for LibrePlanet 2016 today][10]!

[10]: https://my.fsf.org/civicrm/event/register?id=29&reset=1

Georgia Young  
Program Manager

*Read online: <https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/get-ready-to-fork-the...>* 
-- 
Register: <https://my.fsf.org/civicrm/event/register?id=29&reset=1>
Support the LibrePlanet Scholarship Fund:
<https://https://my.fsf.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?re...>
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