*Please consider adding to your address book, which will ensure that our messages reach you and not your spam box.*
Dear Ruben Safir,
This Saturday and Sunday, March 18 and 19, we'll be charting a course to software freedom through the fifteenth edition of the annual LibrePlanet conference, organized by the Free Software Foundation (FSF). We're excited to be meeting again in person, and look forward to seeing all of you both at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) and online. We're proud to be hosting thirty-nine sessions from free software advocates, developers, tinkerers, and philosophers from all over the world.
Whether you're joining us online or in person, here's what you need to know.
### How to attend
Registration is temporarily closed while we prepare for on-site registration. **[Registration will reopen][1]** on Friday, March 17. Registration will be open all day at the BCEC.
While it's not required if you're attending online, it does help us tremendously in organizing future iterations of the conference. Walk-ins are permitted (space permitting), and please remember that students and FSF [associate members][2] get into the conference free of charge.
The physical conference will be held at the BCEC, a convenient and central location in Boston, MA which is located at 415 Summer Street, Boston, MA, 02210.
The closest MBTA stop is World Trade Center which can be reached with silver line buses SL1, SL2, and SL3. Follow the "BCEC" signs to get from the stop to the venue. Another option is to take the red line to South Station. From there it is a twelve-minute walk to the BCEC.
For more information regarding transportation, accommodation, and restaurants, please visit the [lodging & travel][3] section of the conference page.
Badge pickup, registration, and coffee begin at 09:00 EDT each day at the conference site. Be sure to stop by the GNU Press shop for a quick way to pick up this year's [LibrePlanet T-shirt][4]!
The full [conference program][5] has been released. If you're having trouble deciding what from our three tracks to see, remember that, following the conference, videos of every session will be uploaded to the [LibrePlanet archives][6] and our [Peertube][7] page.
You're invited to the [social][8] and [community][9] events happening before the conference and during the conference weekend. All ages are welcome at all social events, and we strongly recommend using public transportation.
Remember that the [libreplanet-discuss][10] mailing list is great for planning ride-shares or social events during the conference weekend, and also for participating in the year-round conversation about free software events and issues.
On Friday night, the LibrePlanet festivities start early at the FSF office. Join us for socializing and snacks, but plan to arrive early! We have a small office, so in accordance to recommended COVID-19 precautions, we're capping the attendance at fifty. FSF staffers will be letting more people in as others leave, so you may have to wait at the door.
At the open house, you'll be able to pick up your conference badge (and purchase raffle tickets), allowing you to skip the line on Saturday morning! We're also happy to register you there if you're not yet registered. The FSF office is a short walk from the Downtown Crossing, State, and Park Street MBTA stops. The [FSF office][11] is an accessible space, and is at 51 Franklin Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02110.
If you'll be in Boston as early as Friday, there are also still limited seats available for an in-person lecture by Richard M. Stallman (RMS) in nearby Somerville. This event will also be [livestreamed][13].
* Time: 15:00 - 16:15, Friday 3/17 * Location: Somerville, MA and online * Sign up: [RSVP][13] is necessary
On Saturday evening, starting at 18:35, join us for a walking tour of historic Boston (7.5 kilometers or 4.5 miles, about 100 minutes). It's an opportunity for you to get some fresh air and exercise, see a bit of Boston, and, if you want, interact with other conference goers in a COVID-conscious and relaxed environment. We'll be going past the first fourteen of the landmarks of the Freedom Trail. An RSVP to , while not required, is greatly appreciated as it will help us gauge interest.
This is a space for women, nonbinary people and all those who have been traditionally excluded from technological and social causes to feel at home and find ways for people of similar backgrounds to participate. Please RSVP by emailing campaigns-at-fsf.org, so we can tell the restaurant how many people we expect.
* Time: 18:35, Saturday 3/18 * Location: MJ O'Connor's Seaport, located at the Westin Boston Seaport District, 425 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210 * Sign up: Contact
#### Hack night
Looking for a little quieter social time? The FSF office will be open late for hacking and hanging out. Snacks, drinks, and power will be provided! Please be aware that this is an alcohol-free event. We have a small office, so in accordance to recommended COVID-19 precautions, we're capping the attendance at fifty.
We're hosting an exhibit hall for a select group of projects and businesses in the free software world. Come by from 09:00 until 18:00 EDT on both days of the conference to check out the tables.
If you can't participate in person, never fear. There will also be an exhibit hall in LibreAdventure.
#### Raffle
This year, LibrePlanet will be having another awesome raffle. Buy tickets to support free software while also getting a chance to win:
* A Librem 5 USA phone from [Purism][14];
* a ThinkPad X230 with LibrePlanet boot splash logo, brought to you by [Vikings GmBH][15];
* an Asus C201 with free BIOS and Trisquel GNU/Linux from [Technoethical][16];
* a Galaxy S2 smartphone preloaded with Replicant, also from Technoethical;
* a [ThinkPenguin][17] mini VPN router;
* digital (and DRM-free!) ebook vouchers from [No Starch Press][18];
* an [Aeronaut Brewing][19] gift card;
* plus, what LibrePlanet would be complete without raffle prizes from the [GNU Press][20] shop?
You can purchase raffle tickets at the GNU Press shop during LibrePlanet and the Friday open house. Drawings will be held on both days in the Jupiter conference room before the closing keynotes.
If you're missing that in-person conference feel, you can participate in the LibreAdventure virtual (libre!) universe with other attendees. By popular demand, we've brought back our free fork of WorkAdventure. In LibreAdventure, you can roam around the event area, bump into other participants (for instant videoconferencing with up to four people), watch livestreams of session talks, and explore.
If you want to meet your friends in LibreAdventure, you can use the #libreplanet IRC room to coordinate with other visitors.
#### Minetest
We're running a Minetest server this year. Minetest is a fun, classic free software game in which players build with blocks and craft items. To get started, install Minetest `5.x` on Trisquel 10 by running `sudo apt-get install minetest`.
To connect to our server, use the `minetest.libreplanet.org` URL and the default port `30000`.
#### IRC text chat
If you're online, [IRC][21] will be the main way to communicate with other participants and stay informed of everything that is happening during LibrePlanet. You will find we are livestreaming all sessions and have a dedicated IRC channel (on Libera.Chat) for each room for session-specific conversation, plus a more general `#libreplanet` room.
[21]: https://libreplanet.org/wiki/IRC_Help
### Get involved
Do you want to participate in LibrePlanet within a more active role? If so, you can [sign up for a lightning talk,][22] either in person or online. You're also welcome to organize or participate in a [Birds of a Feather (BoF)][23] session. There's still time!
LibrePlanet is a fun experience for everyone. Please remember that the conference [safe space policy][24] remains in effect in all physical and virtual conference spaces.
If you're attending personally, please make yourself aware of the event's [COVID-19 policy][25] and the venue's [prohibited items policy][26], which includes weapons of any type.
If you lose something during the conference, please stop by the registration desk! We'll be using that as a catch-all for things that go missing. We might have your prized possession!
[We're so thankful for all the support][27] we have received for LibrePlanet 2023. From our donors and supporters, to the extraordinary number of registrations and our wonderful speakers, we are all determined to create a successful and exciting event that will remain fully free.
If you want to support our work, please consider sharing your attendance on social media, and/or make a [small donation][28]. While we do a professional photographer at the event this year, we also hope to you will share your own documented moments from LibrePlanet by uploading photos, videos, and/or screenshots and tag `#libreplanet` on your favorite [microblog][29].
As a final note, we hope that you'll be patient with us during the livestream, brought to you as always by a fully free software stack. Circumstances necessitate using the venue's WiFi uplink, which may cause slight delays or buffering issues.
See you this weekend!
In freedom,
The LibrePlanet team
----- * Let's put the planet in LibrePlanet by donating to the FSF: * Follow us on Mastodon at , GNU social at , PeerTube at , and on Twitter at -at-fsf. * Read about why we use Twitter, but only with caveats at . * Subscribe to our RSS feeds at . * Join us as an associate member at . * Read our Privacy Policy at .
Sent from the Free Software Foundation,
51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor Boston, Massachusetts 02110-1335 United States
You can unsubscribe from this mailing list by visiting:
Please consider adding info@fsf.org to your address book, which will ensure that our messages reach you and not your spam box.
Dear Ruben Safir,
This Saturday and Sunday, March 18 and 19, we'll be charting a course to software freedom through the fifteenth edition of the annual LibrePlanet conference, organized by the Free Software Foundation (FSF). We're excited to be meeting again in person, and look forward to seeing all of you both at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) and online. We're proud to be hosting thirty-nine sessions from free software advocates, developers, tinkerers, and philosophers from all over the world.
Whether you're joining us online or in person, here's what you need to know.
How to attend
Registration is temporarily closed while we prepare for on-site registration. Registration will reopen on Friday, March 17. Registration will be open all day at the BCEC.
While it's not required if you're attending online, it does help us tremendously in organizing future iterations of the conference. Walk-ins are permitted (space permitting), and please remember that students and FSF associate members get into the conference free of charge.
Getting around
The physical conference will be held at the BCEC, a convenient and central location in Boston, MA which is located at 415 Summer Street, Boston, MA, 02210.
The closest MBTA stop is World Trade Center which can be reached with silver line buses SL1, SL2, and SL3. Follow the "BCEC" signs to get from the stop to the venue. Another option is to take the red line to South Station. From there it is a twelve-minute walk to the BCEC.
src="https://static.fsf.org/nosvn/libreplanet/2023/maps/bcec-area-map.png" alt="Simple map of the area surrounding the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, including basic route instructions" style="width:100%">
A simple map of the area surrounding the BCEC.
For more information regarding transportation, accommodation, and restaurants, please visit the lodging & travel section of the conference page.
Badge pickup, registration, and coffee begin at 09:00 EDT each day at the conference site. Be sure to stop by the GNU Press shop for a quick way to pick up this year's LibrePlanet T-shirt!
src="https://static.fsf.org/nosvn/libreplanet/2023/maps/simple-map.png" alt="Simple map of the rooms for LibrePlanet. At the lower right, it says entrance-exit, which is on a dark grey rectangle labled hallway track. Above that (to the right when entering) are restrooms. Past the restrooms, on the right from the entrance, are escalators and elevators. In the image, registration is at the lower-left, which would be at your left as you go down the hall from the entrance. Across from registration is Neptune, Saturn, Jupiter, and Exhibitors/Staff rooms, in that order on your right from the perspective of coming from the entrance. In the image, those rooms are pictured at the upper-left." style="width:100%">
A simple map of the physical venue at BCEC for LibrePlanet 2023.
What to see
The full conference program has been released. If you're having trouble deciding what from our three tracks to see, remember that, following the conference, videos of every session will be uploaded to the LibrePlanet archives and our Peertube page.
Social events
You're invited to the social and community events happening before the conference and during the conference weekend. All ages are welcome at all social events, and we strongly recommend using public transportation.
Remember that the libreplanet-discuss mailing list is great for planning ride-shares or social events during the conference weekend, and also for participating in the year-round conversation about free software events and issues.
Open house
On Friday night, the LibrePlanet festivities start early at the FSF office. Join us for socializing and snacks, but plan to arrive early! We have a small office, so in accordance to recommended COVID-19 precautions, we're capping the attendance at fifty. FSF staffers will be letting more people in as others leave, so you may have to wait at the door.
At the open house, you'll be able to pick up your conference badge (and purchase raffle tickets), allowing you to skip the line on Saturday morning! We're also happy to register you there if you're not yet registered. The FSF office is a short walk from the Downtown Crossing, State, and Park Street MBTA stops. The FSF office is an accessible space, and is at 51 Franklin Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02110.
Time: 18:00 - 20:00, Friday 3/17
Location: FSF office
Sign up: Not necessary
If you'll be in Boston as early as Friday, there are also still limited seats available for an in-person lecture by Richard M. Stallman (RMS) in nearby Somerville. This event will also be livestreamed.
On Saturday evening, starting at 18:35, join us for a walking tour of historic Boston (7.5 kilometers or 4.5 miles, about 100 minutes). It's an opportunity for you to get some fresh air and exercise, see a bit of Boston, and, if you want, interact with other conference goers in a COVID-conscious and relaxed environment. We'll be going past the first fourteen of the landmarks of the Freedom Trail. An RSVP to info@fsf.org, while not required, is greatly appreciated as it will help us gauge interest.
This is a space for women, nonbinary people and all those who have been traditionally excluded from technological and social causes to feel at home and find ways for people of similar backgrounds to participate. Please RSVP by emailing campaigns-at-fsf.org, so we can tell the restaurant how many people we expect.
Time: 18:35, Saturday 3/18
Location: MJ O'Connor's Seaport, located at the Westin Boston Seaport District, 425 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210
Looking for a little quieter social time? The FSF office will be open late for hacking and hanging out. Snacks, drinks, and power will be provided! Please be aware that this is an alcohol-free event. We have a small office, so in accordance to recommended COVID-19 precautions, we're capping the attendance at fifty.
Time: 19:00 - 21:30, Saturday 3/18
Location: FSF office
Sign up: Not necessary
Exhibit hall
We're hosting an exhibit hall for a select group of projects and businesses in the free software world. Come by from 09:00 until 18:00 EDT on both days of the conference to check out the tables.
If you can't participate in person, never fear. There will also be an exhibit hall in LibreAdventure.
Raffle
This year, LibrePlanet will be having another awesome raffle. Buy tickets to support free software while also getting a chance to win:
plus, what LibrePlanet would be complete without raffle prizes from the GNU Press shop?
You can purchase raffle tickets at the GNU Press shop during LibrePlanet and the Friday open house. Drawings will be held on both days in the Jupiter conference room before the closing keynotes.
Online activities
LibreAdventure virtual conference space
If you're missing that in-person conference feel, you can participate in the LibreAdventure virtual (libre!) universe with other attendees. By popular demand, we've brought back our free fork of WorkAdventure. In LibreAdventure, you can roam around the event area, bump into other participants (for instant videoconferencing with up to four people), watch livestreams of session talks, and explore.
If you want to meet your friends in LibreAdventure, you can use the #libreplanet IRC room to coordinate with other visitors.
Minetest
We're running a Minetest server this year. Minetest is a fun, classic free software game in which players build with blocks and craft items. To get started, install Minetest 5.x on Trisquel 10 by running sudo apt-get install minetest.
To connect to our server, use the minetest.libreplanet.org URL and the default port 30000.
IRC text chat
If you're online, IRC will be the main way to communicate with other participants and stay informed of everything that is happening during LibrePlanet. You will find we are livestreaming all sessions and have a dedicated IRC channel (on Libera.Chat) for each room for session-specific conversation, plus a more general #libreplanet room.
Get involved
Do you want to participate in LibrePlanet within a more active role? If so, you can sign up for a lightning talk, either in person or online. You're also welcome to organize or participate in a Birds of a Feather (BoF) session. There's still time!
Important information
LibrePlanet is a fun experience for everyone. Please remember that the conference safe space policy remains in effect in all physical and virtual conference spaces.
If you're attending personally, please make yourself aware of the event's COVID-19 policy and the venue's prohibited items policy, which includes weapons of any type.
If you lose something during the conference, please stop by the registration desk! We'll be using that as a catch-all for things that go missing. We might have your prized possession!
Wrapping up
We're so thankful for all the support we have received for LibrePlanet 2023. From our donors and supporters, to the extraordinary number of registrations and our wonderful speakers, we are all determined to create a successful and exciting event that will remain fully free.
If you want to support our work, please consider sharing your attendance on social media, and/or make a small donation. While we do a professional photographer at the event this year, we also hope to you will share your own documented moments from LibrePlanet by uploading photos, videos, and/or screenshots and tag #libreplanet on your favorite microblog.
As a final note, we hope that you'll be patient with us during the livestream, brought to you as always by a fully free software stack. Circumstances necessitate using the venue's WiFi uplink, which may cause slight delays or buffering issues.
*Please consider adding to your address book, which will ensure that our messages reach you and not your spam box.*
Dear Ruben Safir,
This Saturday and Sunday, March 18 and 19, we'll be charting a course to software freedom through the fifteenth edition of the annual LibrePlanet conference, organized by the Free Software Foundation (FSF). We're excited to be meeting again in person, and look forward to seeing all of you both at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) and online. We're proud to be hosting thirty-nine sessions from free software advocates, developers, tinkerers, and philosophers from all over the world.
Whether you're joining us online or in person, here's what you need to know.
### How to attend
Registration is temporarily closed while we prepare for on-site registration. **[Registration will reopen][1]** on Friday, March 17. Registration will be open all day at the BCEC.
While it's not required if you're attending online, it does help us tremendously in organizing future iterations of the conference. Walk-ins are permitted (space permitting), and please remember that students and FSF [associate members][2] get into the conference free of charge.
The physical conference will be held at the BCEC, a convenient and central location in Boston, MA which is located at 415 Summer Street, Boston, MA, 02210.
The closest MBTA stop is World Trade Center which can be reached with silver line buses SL1, SL2, and SL3. Follow the "BCEC" signs to get from the stop to the venue. Another option is to take the red line to South Station. From there it is a twelve-minute walk to the BCEC.
For more information regarding transportation, accommodation, and restaurants, please visit the [lodging & travel][3] section of the conference page.
Badge pickup, registration, and coffee begin at 09:00 EDT each day at the conference site. Be sure to stop by the GNU Press shop for a quick way to pick up this year's [LibrePlanet T-shirt][4]!
The full [conference program][5] has been released. If you're having trouble deciding what from our three tracks to see, remember that, following the conference, videos of every session will be uploaded to the [LibrePlanet archives][6] and our [Peertube][7] page.
You're invited to the [social][8] and [community][9] events happening before the conference and during the conference weekend. All ages are welcome at all social events, and we strongly recommend using public transportation.
Remember that the [libreplanet-discuss][10] mailing list is great for planning ride-shares or social events during the conference weekend, and also for participating in the year-round conversation about free software events and issues.
On Friday night, the LibrePlanet festivities start early at the FSF office. Join us for socializing and snacks, but plan to arrive early! We have a small office, so in accordance to recommended COVID-19 precautions, we're capping the attendance at fifty. FSF staffers will be letting more people in as others leave, so you may have to wait at the door.
At the open house, you'll be able to pick up your conference badge (and purchase raffle tickets), allowing you to skip the line on Saturday morning! We're also happy to register you there if you're not yet registered. The FSF office is a short walk from the Downtown Crossing, State, and Park Street MBTA stops. The [FSF office][11] is an accessible space, and is at 51 Franklin Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02110.
If you'll be in Boston as early as Friday, there are also still limited seats available for an in-person lecture by Richard M. Stallman (RMS) in nearby Somerville. This event will also be [livestreamed][13].
* Time: 15:00 - 16:15, Friday 3/17 * Location: Somerville, MA and online * Sign up: [RSVP][13] is necessary
On Saturday evening, starting at 18:35, join us for a walking tour of historic Boston (7.5 kilometers or 4.5 miles, about 100 minutes). It's an opportunity for you to get some fresh air and exercise, see a bit of Boston, and, if you want, interact with other conference goers in a COVID-conscious and relaxed environment. We'll be going past the first fourteen of the landmarks of the Freedom Trail. An RSVP to , while not required, is greatly appreciated as it will help us gauge interest.
This is a space for women, nonbinary people and all those who have been traditionally excluded from technological and social causes to feel at home and find ways for people of similar backgrounds to participate. Please RSVP by emailing campaigns-at-fsf.org, so we can tell the restaurant how many people we expect.
* Time: 18:35, Saturday 3/18 * Location: MJ O'Connor's Seaport, located at the Westin Boston Seaport District, 425 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210 * Sign up: Contact
#### Hack night
Looking for a little quieter social time? The FSF office will be open late for hacking and hanging out. Snacks, drinks, and power will be provided! Please be aware that this is an alcohol-free event. We have a small office, so in accordance to recommended COVID-19 precautions, we're capping the attendance at fifty.
We're hosting an exhibit hall for a select group of projects and businesses in the free software world. Come by from 09:00 until 18:00 EDT on both days of the conference to check out the tables.
If you can't participate in person, never fear. There will also be an exhibit hall in LibreAdventure.
#### Raffle
This year, LibrePlanet will be having another awesome raffle. Buy tickets to support free software while also getting a chance to win:
* A Librem 5 USA phone from [Purism][14];
* a ThinkPad X230 with LibrePlanet boot splash logo, brought to you by [Vikings GmBH][15];
* an Asus C201 with free BIOS and Trisquel GNU/Linux from [Technoethical][16];
* a Galaxy S2 smartphone preloaded with Replicant, also from Technoethical;
* a [ThinkPenguin][17] mini VPN router;
* digital (and DRM-free!) ebook vouchers from [No Starch Press][18];
* an [Aeronaut Brewing][19] gift card;
* plus, what LibrePlanet would be complete without raffle prizes from the [GNU Press][20] shop?
You can purchase raffle tickets at the GNU Press shop during LibrePlanet and the Friday open house. Drawings will be held on both days in the Jupiter conference room before the closing keynotes.
If you're missing that in-person conference feel, you can participate in the LibreAdventure virtual (libre!) universe with other attendees. By popular demand, we've brought back our free fork of WorkAdventure. In LibreAdventure, you can roam around the event area, bump into other participants (for instant videoconferencing with up to four people), watch livestreams of session talks, and explore.
If you want to meet your friends in LibreAdventure, you can use the #libreplanet IRC room to coordinate with other visitors.
#### Minetest
We're running a Minetest server this year. Minetest is a fun, classic free software game in which players build with blocks and craft items. To get started, install Minetest `5.x` on Trisquel 10 by running `sudo apt-get install minetest`.
To connect to our server, use the `minetest.libreplanet.org` URL and the default port `30000`.
#### IRC text chat
If you're online, [IRC][21] will be the main way to communicate with other participants and stay informed of everything that is happening during LibrePlanet. You will find we are livestreaming all sessions and have a dedicated IRC channel (on Libera.Chat) for each room for session-specific conversation, plus a more general `#libreplanet` room.
[21]: https://libreplanet.org/wiki/IRC_Help
### Get involved
Do you want to participate in LibrePlanet within a more active role? If so, you can [sign up for a lightning talk,][22] either in person or online. You're also welcome to organize or participate in a [Birds of a Feather (BoF)][23] session. There's still time!
LibrePlanet is a fun experience for everyone. Please remember that the conference [safe space policy][24] remains in effect in all physical and virtual conference spaces.
If you're attending personally, please make yourself aware of the event's [COVID-19 policy][25] and the venue's [prohibited items policy][26], which includes weapons of any type.
If you lose something during the conference, please stop by the registration desk! We'll be using that as a catch-all for things that go missing. We might have your prized possession!
[We're so thankful for all the support][27] we have received for LibrePlanet 2023. From our donors and supporters, to the extraordinary number of registrations and our wonderful speakers, we are all determined to create a successful and exciting event that will remain fully free.
If you want to support our work, please consider sharing your attendance on social media, and/or make a [small donation][28]. While we do a professional photographer at the event this year, we also hope to you will share your own documented moments from LibrePlanet by uploading photos, videos, and/or screenshots and tag `#libreplanet` on your favorite [microblog][29].
As a final note, we hope that you'll be patient with us during the livestream, brought to you as always by a fully free software stack. Circumstances necessitate using the venue's WiFi uplink, which may cause slight delays or buffering issues.
See you this weekend!
In freedom,
The LibrePlanet team
----- * Let's put the planet in LibrePlanet by donating to the FSF: * Follow us on Mastodon at , GNU social at , PeerTube at , and on Twitter at -at-fsf. * Read about why we use Twitter, but only with caveats at . * Subscribe to our RSS feeds at . * Join us as an associate member at . * Read our Privacy Policy at .
Sent from the Free Software Foundation,
51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor Boston, Massachusetts 02110-1335 United States
You can unsubscribe from this mailing list by visiting:
Please consider adding info@fsf.org to your address book, which will ensure that our messages reach you and not your spam box.
Dear Ruben Safir,
This Saturday and Sunday, March 18 and 19, we'll be charting a course to software freedom through the fifteenth edition of the annual LibrePlanet conference, organized by the Free Software Foundation (FSF). We're excited to be meeting again in person, and look forward to seeing all of you both at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) and online. We're proud to be hosting thirty-nine sessions from free software advocates, developers, tinkerers, and philosophers from all over the world.
Whether you're joining us online or in person, here's what you need to know.
How to attend
Registration is temporarily closed while we prepare for on-site registration. Registration will reopen on Friday, March 17. Registration will be open all day at the BCEC.
While it's not required if you're attending online, it does help us tremendously in organizing future iterations of the conference. Walk-ins are permitted (space permitting), and please remember that students and FSF associate members get into the conference free of charge.
Getting around
The physical conference will be held at the BCEC, a convenient and central location in Boston, MA which is located at 415 Summer Street, Boston, MA, 02210.
The closest MBTA stop is World Trade Center which can be reached with silver line buses SL1, SL2, and SL3. Follow the "BCEC" signs to get from the stop to the venue. Another option is to take the red line to South Station. From there it is a twelve-minute walk to the BCEC.
src="https://static.fsf.org/nosvn/libreplanet/2023/maps/bcec-area-map.png" alt="Simple map of the area surrounding the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, including basic route instructions" style="width:100%">
A simple map of the area surrounding the BCEC.
For more information regarding transportation, accommodation, and restaurants, please visit the lodging & travel section of the conference page.
Badge pickup, registration, and coffee begin at 09:00 EDT each day at the conference site. Be sure to stop by the GNU Press shop for a quick way to pick up this year's LibrePlanet T-shirt!
src="https://static.fsf.org/nosvn/libreplanet/2023/maps/simple-map.png" alt="Simple map of the rooms for LibrePlanet. At the lower right, it says entrance-exit, which is on a dark grey rectangle labled hallway track. Above that (to the right when entering) are restrooms. Past the restrooms, on the right from the entrance, are escalators and elevators. In the image, registration is at the lower-left, which would be at your left as you go down the hall from the entrance. Across from registration is Neptune, Saturn, Jupiter, and Exhibitors/Staff rooms, in that order on your right from the perspective of coming from the entrance. In the image, those rooms are pictured at the upper-left." style="width:100%">
A simple map of the physical venue at BCEC for LibrePlanet 2023.
What to see
The full conference program has been released. If you're having trouble deciding what from our three tracks to see, remember that, following the conference, videos of every session will be uploaded to the LibrePlanet archives and our Peertube page.
Social events
You're invited to the social and community events happening before the conference and during the conference weekend. All ages are welcome at all social events, and we strongly recommend using public transportation.
Remember that the libreplanet-discuss mailing list is great for planning ride-shares or social events during the conference weekend, and also for participating in the year-round conversation about free software events and issues.
Open house
On Friday night, the LibrePlanet festivities start early at the FSF office. Join us for socializing and snacks, but plan to arrive early! We have a small office, so in accordance to recommended COVID-19 precautions, we're capping the attendance at fifty. FSF staffers will be letting more people in as others leave, so you may have to wait at the door.
At the open house, you'll be able to pick up your conference badge (and purchase raffle tickets), allowing you to skip the line on Saturday morning! We're also happy to register you there if you're not yet registered. The FSF office is a short walk from the Downtown Crossing, State, and Park Street MBTA stops. The FSF office is an accessible space, and is at 51 Franklin Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02110.
Time: 18:00 - 20:00, Friday 3/17
Location: FSF office
Sign up: Not necessary
If you'll be in Boston as early as Friday, there are also still limited seats available for an in-person lecture by Richard M. Stallman (RMS) in nearby Somerville. This event will also be livestreamed.
On Saturday evening, starting at 18:35, join us for a walking tour of historic Boston (7.5 kilometers or 4.5 miles, about 100 minutes). It's an opportunity for you to get some fresh air and exercise, see a bit of Boston, and, if you want, interact with other conference goers in a COVID-conscious and relaxed environment. We'll be going past the first fourteen of the landmarks of the Freedom Trail. An RSVP to info@fsf.org, while not required, is greatly appreciated as it will help us gauge interest.
This is a space for women, nonbinary people and all those who have been traditionally excluded from technological and social causes to feel at home and find ways for people of similar backgrounds to participate. Please RSVP by emailing campaigns-at-fsf.org, so we can tell the restaurant how many people we expect.
Time: 18:35, Saturday 3/18
Location: MJ O'Connor's Seaport, located at the Westin Boston Seaport District, 425 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210
Looking for a little quieter social time? The FSF office will be open late for hacking and hanging out. Snacks, drinks, and power will be provided! Please be aware that this is an alcohol-free event. We have a small office, so in accordance to recommended COVID-19 precautions, we're capping the attendance at fifty.
Time: 19:00 - 21:30, Saturday 3/18
Location: FSF office
Sign up: Not necessary
Exhibit hall
We're hosting an exhibit hall for a select group of projects and businesses in the free software world. Come by from 09:00 until 18:00 EDT on both days of the conference to check out the tables.
If you can't participate in person, never fear. There will also be an exhibit hall in LibreAdventure.
Raffle
This year, LibrePlanet will be having another awesome raffle. Buy tickets to support free software while also getting a chance to win:
plus, what LibrePlanet would be complete without raffle prizes from the GNU Press shop?
You can purchase raffle tickets at the GNU Press shop during LibrePlanet and the Friday open house. Drawings will be held on both days in the Jupiter conference room before the closing keynotes.
Online activities
LibreAdventure virtual conference space
If you're missing that in-person conference feel, you can participate in the LibreAdventure virtual (libre!) universe with other attendees. By popular demand, we've brought back our free fork of WorkAdventure. In LibreAdventure, you can roam around the event area, bump into other participants (for instant videoconferencing with up to four people), watch livestreams of session talks, and explore.
If you want to meet your friends in LibreAdventure, you can use the #libreplanet IRC room to coordinate with other visitors.
Minetest
We're running a Minetest server this year. Minetest is a fun, classic free software game in which players build with blocks and craft items. To get started, install Minetest 5.x on Trisquel 10 by running sudo apt-get install minetest.
To connect to our server, use the minetest.libreplanet.org URL and the default port 30000.
IRC text chat
If you're online, IRC will be the main way to communicate with other participants and stay informed of everything that is happening during LibrePlanet. You will find we are livestreaming all sessions and have a dedicated IRC channel (on Libera.Chat) for each room for session-specific conversation, plus a more general #libreplanet room.
Get involved
Do you want to participate in LibrePlanet within a more active role? If so, you can sign up for a lightning talk, either in person or online. You're also welcome to organize or participate in a Birds of a Feather (BoF) session. There's still time!
Important information
LibrePlanet is a fun experience for everyone. Please remember that the conference safe space policy remains in effect in all physical and virtual conference spaces.
If you're attending personally, please make yourself aware of the event's COVID-19 policy and the venue's prohibited items policy, which includes weapons of any type.
If you lose something during the conference, please stop by the registration desk! We'll be using that as a catch-all for things that go missing. We might have your prized possession!
Wrapping up
We're so thankful for all the support we have received for LibrePlanet 2023. From our donors and supporters, to the extraordinary number of registrations and our wonderful speakers, we are all determined to create a successful and exciting event that will remain fully free.
If you want to support our work, please consider sharing your attendance on social media, and/or make a small donation. While we do a professional photographer at the event this year, we also hope to you will share your own documented moments from LibrePlanet by uploading photos, videos, and/or screenshots and tag #libreplanet on your favorite microblog.
As a final note, we hope that you'll be patient with us during the livestream, brought to you as always by a fully free software stack. Circumstances necessitate using the venue's WiFi uplink, which may cause slight delays or buffering issues.
