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1 | --- |
2 | author: christel | |
3 | date: 2017-04-12 20:03:34+00:00 | |
4 | slug: pia-fn | |
5 | title: PIA and freenode joining forces | |
6 | category: community | |
7 | category: general | |
8 | category: freenode | |
9 | --- | |
10 | ||
11 | I am incredibly excited to be able to share some amazing news with you today. | |
12 | For the last few years, Private Internet Access has been a dedicated supporter | |
13 | of the freenode project and we are delighted to be able to announce that | |
14 | freenode is now officially part of the PIA family. | |
15 | ||
16 | freenode has been providing services to Free and Open Source Software projects, | |
17 | peer-directed projects and other projects that have a broadly licensed output | |
18 | for the past 18 years, and there is a great deal of overlap between the visions | |
19 | and missions of the two organisations, as well as the projects and | |
20 | organisations the two organisations have supported, albeit in very different | |
21 | ways over the years. | |
22 | ||
23 | Rob (lilo) founded freenode with the aim of providing a useful service to Free | |
24 | and Open Source Software communities, peer-directed projects and others and I | |
25 | think he would be proud of the growth we have experienced over the years if he | |
26 | were still here to see it. | |
27 | ||
28 | When I took over freenode following his death, my personal circumstances were | |
f709ffa4 | 29 | very different from what they are now. I had time—oodles of it—and volunteering |
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30 | for freenode was very much a pleasure (by all means, it still is! Otherwise I |
31 | wouldn't be here). However, over the years, times changed, the project grew, | |
32 | demands grew, my own responsibilities changed, both professionally and | |
33 | personally and I, along with several other senior freenode volunteers, found | |
34 | that we no longer had quite the same amount of time and energy to dedicate to | |
35 | the project. | |
36 | ||
78147dab MT |
37 | Following discussion and deliberation we have decided to formally (and |
38 | legally) ally ourselves with PIA. Freenode will continue to operate as a | |
39 | not-for-profit entity under the same management, with the same principles, | |
40 | but PIA's involvement going forwards will provide us with opportunities and | |
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41 | resources that we could previously only dream of. PIA will provide an operating |
42 | budget, mentorship and support that will allow freenode to implement some of | |
43 | the projects and ideas that have previously been on the backburner due to | |
44 | constraints in terms of volunteer time and resources. | |
45 | ||
46 | ||
47 | # Why? What is the incentive for PIA? | |
48 | ||
49 | Private Internet Access is committed to bringing the internet back to its | |
50 | original state, where being online meant being in your own private world, | |
51 | exploring, learning and creating. PIA is serious about supporting organisations | |
52 | and individuals that it considers to be in alignment with its mission and | |
53 | freenode is one such project. | |
54 | ||
55 | The founders of PIA feel that freenode has helped a number of open source | |
56 | projects progress, that freenode helps the community produce the pieces that | |
57 | make the internet work smoothly, piece by piece, and that it empowers people. | |
58 | ||
59 | For PIA, this is about giving back, giving back to freenode and to the | |
60 | communities that they consider vital to their success and to their mission. | |
61 | ||
62 | The freenode project would be nothing without its communities. All of our | |
63 | volunteers come from projects that use freenode, projects we are passionate | |
64 | about and projects we want to see continue to succeed. | |
65 | ||
66 | As part of the PIA family, we can guarantee that the freenode project will | |
67 | continue to operate and that we will have the support and resources to further | |
68 | improve the services that we offer to FOSS communities and others, doing our | |
69 | bit to ensure that you can all continue doing what you do best—making the | |
70 | internet and the world a better place. | |
71 | ||
72 | ||
73 | # What next? | |
74 | ||
75 | There will be few noticeable changes in terms of day-to-day operations, the | |
76 | freenode project will continue to operate with much the same structure and | |
77 | volunteer base as it does now. We anticipate that group registration will | |
78 | become a quicker process and we look forward to implementing and announcing new | |
79 | features in the future. | |
80 | ||
81 | On a personal level, I have joined PIA as a full-time employee and I will be | |
82 | holding a dual role. I will continue to head up the freenode project and you | |
83 | will no doubt see and hear more of me as my availability and involvement | |
84 | increases. Some of you might also find yourselves dealing with me in my new | |
85 | role as Director of Sponsorship and Events at Private Internet Access, where I | |
86 | will be heading up the work we undertake to support organisations, campaigns | |
87 | and events globally. | |
88 | ||
89 | This means that you may bump into me at various conferences throughout the | |
90 | year, and if you do, please do come have a chat—whether about PIA, freenode or | |
91 | the weather! | |
92 | ||
93 | On the subject of conferences, I am also extremely happy to announce that | |
94 | freenode #live will be taking place at At-Bristol in Bristol, UK on 28-29th | |
95 | October 2017. We will shortly be making a separate announcement as we open up | |
96 | registration and call for papers and I look forward to seeing you there. | |
97 | ||
98 | Please do not hesitate to drop me a line (`/msg christel`) on IRC if you | |
99 | have any questions. | |
100 | ||
101 | Do keep an eye out for more exciting news! |