Association francophone des utilisateurs de logiciels libres

The Association francophone des utilisateurs de logiciels libres (AFUL) is a French non-profit association founded in 1998 to promote free software, free operating systems such as GNU/Linux and the BSDs, and the use of open standards. It is a loi de 1901 association that brings together individual users, free-software professionals, commercial companies and other associations located in about ten francophone countries or regions, including France, Belgium, Switzerland, Quebec and francophone Africa. Until 31 January 2009, when its general assembly voted to change its long name, AFUL stood for Association Francophone des Utilisateurs de Linux et des Logiciels Libres. AFUL's activities include maintaining a canonical list of Linux/free-software user groups (GUL/LUG) in the francophone world, running working groups on education, interoperability, professionals and business models related to free software, and publishing positions, press releases and news. It has had framework agreements with the French Ministry of National Education, Research and Technology (since 1998) and with the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (since 1999). The association is represented at the Conseil supérieur de la propriété littéraire et artistique (CSPLA), where its vice-president is a member. In the late 2000s AFUL campaigned against a framework agreement between Microsoft and the French Ministry of Defence. In the early 2010s it developed the 'Non aux racketiciels' website, aimed at forcing computer manufacturers not to bill customers for unwanted software; the campaign led to the condemnation of several manufacturers. AFUL continues to publish open letters and positions, such as a 2022 open letter on the universal right to install any software on any device, and maintains racketiciel.info for its actions on tied software sales. Notable members and former officers include Roberto Di Cosmo, Stéfane Fermigier, Bernard Lang, François Elie, Tristan Nitot and Pierre Jarillon. The association is headquartered in Paris and operates primarily in French-speaking markets.

The Association francophone des utilisateurs de logiciels libres (AFUL) was founded in 1998 by Stéfane Fermigier, Bernard Lang, Jean-Pierre Laisné, Nat Makarevitch and Thierry Stœhr. It is a French non-profit association under the loi de 1901, bringing together users, free-software professionals, commercial companies and other associations across about ten francophone countries or regions, including France, Belgium, Switzerland, Quebec and francophone Africa. Until 31 January 2009, when its general assembly voted to change its long name, AFUL stood for Association Francophone des Utilisateurs de Linux et des Logiciels Libres. From its early years AFUL established institutional relationships: a framework agreement with the French Ministry of National Education, Research and Technology in 1998, and a framework agreement with the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie in 1999. The association maintains a canonical list of Linux/free-software user groups (GUL/LUG) in the francophone world and runs working groups on education, interoperability, professionals and business models related to free software. It is present at the Conseil supérieur de la propriété littéraire et artistique (CSPLA), where its vice-president is a member. In the late 2000s AFUL campaigned against a framework agreement between Microsoft and the French Ministry of Defence. In the early 2010s it developed the 'Non aux racketiciels' website, aimed at forcing computer manufacturers not to bill customers for unwanted software; the campaign led to the condemnation of several manufacturers. The association continues to publish positions, press releases and news, including a 2022 open letter on the universal right to install any software on any device, and maintains racketiciel.info for its actions on tied software sales. Notable members and former officers include Roberto Di Cosmo, Stéfane Fermigier, Bernard Lang, François Elie, Tristan Nitot and Pierre Jarillon. The association is headquartered in Paris and operates primarily in French-speaking markets.

• 2022

  Publication of an open letter on the universal right to install any software on any device.

• 2010

  Launch of the 'Non aux racketiciels' website and campaign against tied software sales.

• 2009

  On 31 January, the general assembly votes to change the long name from Association Francophone des Utilisateurs de Linux et des Logiciels Libres to Association francophone des utilisateurs de logiciels libres.

• 1999

  Framework agreement signed with the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie.

• 1998

  AFUL founded by Stéfane Fermigier, Bernard Lang, Jean-Pierre Laisné, Nat Makarevitch and Thierry Stœhr.

• 1998

  Framework agreement signed with the French Ministry of National Education, Research and Technology.

Non-profit advocacy association for free software and open standards in the francophone world.

• Canonical list of francophone GUL/LUG user groups

  AFUL maintains a canonical list of Linux/free-software user groups in the francophone world.

• Working groups

  Education, interoperability, professionals, and business models related to free software.

• racketiciel.info

  Website dedicated to actions on tied software sales.

1. 1AFUL: Logiciel libre et interoperabiliteaful.org
2. 2Association francophone des utilisateurs de logiciels libresfr.wikipedia.org
3. 3Association francophone des utilisateurs de logiciels libreswikidata.org