2010 11 eek kangas

Distributed E-mailDelivering infrastructure, the syndicated way

Gustav Eek Stefan Kangas

Fellowship of Free Software Foundation Europe Göteborg

FSCONS, November 7 2010

Fripost – The free email association

Overview

Introduction

Background – power over the infrastructure

Free computer labour

The Free E-mail Association


Centralisation of Internet

Distributed ⇒ Centralised


Software as a Service

Users perform their computer work on servers controlled byothers.


Privacy and Surveillance

We are not only being spied on by states!

“Services” you get with Google’s mail service:

I AdvertisementI Semantic analysesI Spying




“Services” you get with Google’s mail service:

I AdvertisementI Semantic analysesI Spying




“Services” you get with Google’s mail service:I AdvertisementI Semantic analysesI Spying


Free software

The four freedoms of free software

Freedom to. . .0. Run, for any purpose1. Study and modify2. Share3. Share modified versions



The four freedoms of free computer labour1.

The work is performed exclusively with free software

2.

The work is performed with computer hardware thatentirely is at one’s possession and control

3.

The information worked with is information that onepossess

4.

The result from the computer work also is at one’spossession and control



The four freedoms of free computer labour1. The work is performed exclusively with free software2.

The work is performed with computer hardware thatentirely is at one’s possession and control

3.


4.




The four freedoms of free computer labour1. The work is performed exclusively with free software2. The work is performed with computer hardware that

entirely is at one’s possession and control3.


4.





entirely is at one’s possession and control3. The information worked with is information that one

possess4.





entirely is at one’s possession and control3. The information worked with is information that one

possess4. The result from the computer work also is at one’s

possession and control


Internet’s servers

Distributed ⇒ Centralised


Software as a Service, Round II

Non-free in a double sense



Let’s get organized

FRIPOST

the free e-mail association


Distributed e-mail system

mail gateway

IMAP server

Backup serverLog server

mail gatewayInternet



mail gateway

IMAP server





mail gateway

IMAP server





mail gateway

IMAP server





mail gateway

IMAP server




Organizational principles

The association promises to. . .

1. Receive e-mail in a reliable manner2.

Provide for administrative transparency

3.

Protect its members’ integrity: never...3.1

Read or analyse emails, manually or automatically

3.2

Gather statistics about or analyse the members’ traffic

3.3

Hand out any information to third party




1. Receive e-mail in a reliable manner2. Provide for administrative transparency3.

Protect its members’ integrity: never...3.1


3.2


3.3





1. Receive e-mail in a reliable manner2. Provide for administrative transparency3. Protect its members’ integrity: never...

3.1


3.2


3.3






3.1 Read or analyse emails, manually or automatically3.2


3.3






3.1 Read or analyse emails, manually or automatically3.2 Gather statistics about or analyse the members’ traffic3.3






3.1 Read or analyse emails, manually or automatically3.2 Gather statistics about or analyse the members’ traffic3.3 Hand out any information to third party


Distributed e-mail?

mail gateway

IMAP server





Whats’s the difference?

The e-mail service provided through FRIPOST is free!

Free as in freedom (not free candy).


This is only the beginning

I GNU SocialI DiasporaI . . .



I GNU Social

I DiasporaI . . .



I GNU SocialI Diaspora

I . . .



I GNU SocialI DiasporaI . . .


What can we hope for?

Larger structural change is needed.

We might:I Be instrumental in bringing about that changeI Provide an alternative for the eager


What can we hope for?

Larger structural change is needed.

We might:I Be instrumental in bringing about that changeI Provide an alternative for the eager



References

Turner, M. et.al. (2003). “Turning Software into a Service”,Computer vol. 36

Stallman, R. M (2010). “Who does that server really serve?”,Boston review

Moglen E. (2010). Freedom in the Cloud, (talk)

Free Software Foundation. “The Free Software Definition”

Brownlow M. (2010). “Email and webmail statistics”


Distributed E-mailDelivering infrastructure, the syndicated way

Gustav Eek Stefan Kangas

Fellowship of Free Software Foundation Europe Göteborg

FSCONS, November 7 2010

2010 11 eek kangas

Technology

free email association

free email association

infrastructure free

organized fripost

computer work

computer hardware

mail service

reliable manner