FOSDEM explained

Free and Open source Software Developers' European Meeting
Genre:	Free and open-source software development conference
Location:	Brussels
Country:	Belgium
First:	(as OSDEM), (as FOSDEM)^[1]
Next:	3-4 February 2024
Prev:	4–5 February 2023

Free and Open source Software Developers' European Meeting (FOSDEM) is a non-commercial, volunteer-organized European event centered on free and open-source software development. It is aimed at developers and anyone interested in the free and open-source software movement. It aims to enable developers to meet and to promote the awareness and use of free and open-source software.

FOSDEM is held annually, usually during the first weekend of February, at the Université Libre de Bruxelles Solbosch campus in the southeast of Brussels, Belgium.

History

FOSDEM was started in 2000^[2] under the name Open Source Developers of Europe Meeting (OSDEM) by Raphael Bauduin. Bauduin said that since he felt he lacked the brains to properly contribute to the open-source community, he wanted to contribute by launching a European event in Brussels. Bauduin teamed up with Damien Sandras.^[3] The team repeated the event. The F (of FOSDEM) was added at the request of Richard Stallman.^[4]

The event has been held annually in February since then, with growing numbers of visitors, talks and tracks. It is organized thanks to the help of many volunteers.

The meeting hosted about 4,000 visitors every year by 2011.^[5]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, FOSDEM 2021 and 2022 were held entirely online.^{[6] [7]}

Conference history

• 2001 – Event named OSDEM, started by a team of five people. Organized in two months.
• 2002 – Event renamed to FOSDEM, at the request of Richard Stallman. Attendance grew to a few thousand.
• 2003
  • Keynotes: The History of Free Software (Jon 'Maddog' Hall), FSF (Richard Stallman)
  • Tracks: databases, desktop, education, multimedia, security, toolkit, tutorials
  • Developer rooms: embedded software, gnome developers, GNUstep, KDE, Mozilla, PostgreSQL
• 2004
  • Keynotes: The open source paradigm shift (Tim O'Reilly), FSF (Richard Stallman)
  • Tracks: accessibility, Java, Linux kernel, Scripting languages, security, X&Co
  • Developer rooms: Debian, Java, OpenMosix, MySQL, Embedded software, KDE, Mozilla, Tcl
  • Tutorials, unofficial talks served as a platform for ad hoc talks.

• 2005
  • Keynotes: Wikipedia (Jimmy Wales), FSF (Richard Stallman)
  • Tracks: Desktop, Development tools, GRID/Clusters, Linux kernel, Packaging tools, security
  • Developer rooms: Calibre, Clustering, Dokeos, Embedded software, Gnome, GNU Hurd, KDE, Opengroupware, PHP/Pear, GNU Classpath, Debian, Drupal, Gentoo, GNUstep, Jabber, Mozilla, Perl, Tcl
  • Unofficial talks were again present.
• 2006
  • Keynotes: Richard Stallman, GPLv3 discussion
  • Tracks: Desktop, Development, Security, Systems, Voice over IP, Web 2.0
  • Developer rooms: Ada, GNU Classpath, Embedded software, Gnome, Jabber, Linux on Laptops, Opengroupware, Tcl/Tk, Calibre, Debian, Gentoo, GNUstep, KDE, Mozilla, openSUSE, X.org
• 2007
  • Keynotes: OLPC (Jim Gettys), Liberating Java (Simon Phipps)
  • Tracks:
    • main tracks: Opening/closing talks, Security, Desktop applications, Development and languages, Kernel, Web, Internet Services
    • side tracks: Lightning Talks, Key signing party
  • Developer rooms: CrossDesktop, KDE, Gnome, openSUSE, Mozilla, GNU Classpath+OpenJDK DevJam, CentOS+Fedora, Jabber, OpenGroupware+GNUstep, Python, Research Room, X.org, Gentoo, Debian, Embedded
• 2008
  • Keynotes: "Tux with Shades, Linux in Hollywood" (Robin Rowe), How a large scale opensource project works (Robert Watson), Status update of Software Patents (Pieter Hintjens)
  • Tracks: Opening/Closing talks, Languages, Build Systems, Games, Packaging, Virtualization, Web
  • Developer rooms: BSD+PostgreSQL, CentOS+Fedora, CrossDesktop, Debian, Drupal, Embedded, Free Java, GNOME, JBoss, Mozilla, OpenOffice.org, openSUSE, Research Room, Ruby on Rails, X.org
  • There were lightning talks about miscellaneous subjects.
• 2009
  • Keynotes: "Free. Open. Future?" (Mark Surman), Debian (Bdale Garbee), Google Summer of Code: A behind the scenes look at a large scale community (Leslie Hawthorn)
  • Tracks: Distributions, Languages, Security, Systems, Collaboration, Kernel
  • Developer rooms: Ada, BSD+PostgreSQL, CentOS+Fedora, CrossDesktop, Debian, Drupal, Embedded, Free Java, GNOME, GNUStep+Groupware, Jabber+XMPP, KDE, Mozilla, OpenOffice.org, openSUSE, Ruby on Rails, X.org
  • There were lightning talks about miscellaneous subjects.
  • Various activities: Key Signing Party, Open Source Initiative special session, etc.

• 2011
  • Keynotes: "Why Political Liberty Depends on Software Freedom More Than Ever" (Eben Moglen), "LLVM and Clang" (Chris Lattner), "How kernel development goes wrong and why you should be a part of it anyway" (Jonathan Corbet)^[8]
  • Tracks: Systems, Web browsing, Cloud, Languages, Office, Web frameworks^[9]
  • Developer rooms: Crossdesktop, Data analytics, Cross distro, Embedded, Free Java, GNU, Jabber & XMPP, Mono, Mozilla, MySQL & friends, Security & hardware crypto, World of GNUstep, Accessibility, Configuration & Systems management, LibreOffice, New challenges in virtualization, Open source telephony, Perl, PostgreSQL^[9]
  • There were lightning talks about miscellaneous subjects.^[10]
  • Various activities: PGP key signing, certification exams,^[11] beer drinking,^[12] and other social events.
• 2012
  • Keynotes: "Free Software: A viable model for Commercial Success" (Robert Dewar), "A new OSI for a new decade" (Simon Phipps), "Re-thinking system and distro development" (Lars Wirzenius), "Freedom, out of the box!" (Bdale Garbee)^[13]
  • Tracks: Future of UI, Hypervisors, Network and IO, System, Community, Development
  • Developer rooms: Ada, CrossDesktop, CrossDistribution, Embedded, Free Java, GNUstep, Hardware Cryptography, JBoss.org, Jabber and XMPP, Legal Issues, LibreOffice, Mono, Mozilla, Open Mobile Linux, PostgreSQL, Virtualization and Cloud, X.Org+OpenICC, Configuration and Systems Management, Graph Processing, Microkernel OS, MySQL and friends, Open Source Game Development, Perl, Security, Smalltalk, Telephony and Communications,^[14]
  • There were lightning talks about miscellaneous subjects.^[15]
• 2013
  • Keynotes: "How we made the Jenkins community" (Kohsuke Kawaguchi), "The Devil is in the Details" (Amelia Andersdotter), "The Keeper of Secrets" (Leslie Hawthorn)^[16]
  • Tracks: Graphics hardware and FOSS^[17]

• 2014^[18]
  • Developer rooms: Ada, Automotive development, BSD, Configuration management, Desktops, Distributions, Embedded, Energy-efficient computing, Game development, Go, Graph processing, Graphics, High-performance computing and computational science, Internet of things, Java, JavaScript, Legal issues, LLVM, Microkernel and component-based operating systems, Mozilla, MySQL, NoSQL, Open document editors, Perl, PostgreSQL, Python, Smalltalk, Software-defined radio, Testing and automation, Valgrind, Virtualisation, Wikis, Wine.^[19]
• 2015^[20]
  • Keynotes: "Identity Crisis: Are we who we say we are? (Karen Sandler), "What is wrong with Operating Systems" (Antti Kantee), "Living on Mars: A Beginner's Guide" (Ryan MacDonald).^[21]
• 2016^[22]
  • Keynotes: "systemd and Where We Want to Take the Basic Linux Userspace in 2016" (Lennart Poettering), "Ian Murdock – In Memoriam" (Martin Michlmayr), and "Putting 8 Million People on the Map – Revolutionizing crisis response through open mapping tools" (Blake Girardot).^[23]
  • DevRooms: Ada; BSD; Coding for Language Communities; Configuration Management; Containers and Process Isolation; Desktops; Distributions; EDA; Embedded, Mobile and Automotive; Free Java; GNU Guile; Geospatial; Go; Graph Processing; Graphics; high-performance computing, big data and data science; Internet of things (IoT); LLVM toolchain; Legal and Policy Issues; Lua; Microkernels; Mozilla; MySQL and Friends; Open Document Editors; Open Game Development; Open Media; Open Source Design; PHP and Friends; Perl; PostgreSQL; Python; Real Time; Ruby; SDN and NFV; Security; Software Defined Radio; Testing and Automation; Virtualisation and IaaS.^[24]

• 2017^[25]
  • Keynotes: "Kubernetes on the road to GIFEE" (Brandon Philips), "Software Heritage" (Stefano Zacchiroli, Roberto Di Cosmo), "Understanding The Complexity of Copyleft Defense" (Bradley M. Kuhn), "Using Linux in Air Traffic Control" (Gerolf Ziegenhain)^[26]
  • DevRooms: BSD; Backup and Disaster Recovery; Community; Config management; Decentralised Internet; Desktops; Distributions; Electronic Design Automation (EDA); Embedded, mobile and automotive; Free Java; GNU Guile; Geospatial; Go; Graph; HPC, big data and data science; oT; LLVM toolchain; Legal and Policy Issues; Linux Containers and Microservices; Lua; Microkernels and Component-based OS, Monitoring and Cloud; Mozilla; MySQL and Friends; Open Document Editors; Open Game Development; Open Media; Open Source Design; PHP and Friends; Perl; PostgreSQL; Python; Real Time Communications; Ruby; SDN and NFV; Security; Software Defined Radio; Software Defined Storage; Testing and Automation; Valgrind; Virtualisation and IaaS.^[27]
• 2018^[28]
  • Keynotes: "Consensus as a Service" (Simon Phipps), "Next Generation Internet Initiative" (Rob van Kranenburg, Michiel Leenaars, Marietje Schaake, Georgios Tselentis), "Exploiting modern microarchitectures" (Jon Masters).^[29]
  • DevRooms: Ada; BSD; CAD and Open Hardware; Community; Config Management; Containers; DNS; Debugging tools; Decentralised Internet and Privacy; Distributions; Embedded, mobile and automotive; Free Java; Geospatial; Go; Graph Processing; Graphics; HPC, Big Data, and Data Science; Hardware Enablement; Identity and Access Management; Internet of Things; LLVM Toolchain; Legal and Policy Issues; Microkernels; Monitoring and Cloud; Mozilla; MySQL and Friends; Open Document Editors; Open Media; Open Source Design; Package Management; Perl Programming Languages; PostgreSQL; Real Time Communications; Retrocomputing; Rust; SDN and NFV; Software Defined Radio; Software Defined Storage; Source Code Analysis; Testing and automation; Tool the Docs; Virtualization and IaaS.^[30]
• 2019^[31]
  • Keynotes: "Can Anyone Live in Full Software Freedom Today? Confessions of Activists Who Try But Fail to Avoid Proprietary Software" (Bradley M. Kuhn, Karen Sandler), "FLOSS, the Internet and the Future" (Mitchell Baker), "Blockchain: The Ethical Considerations" (Deb Nicholson), "The Cloud is Just Another Sun" (Kyle Rankin), "2019 – Fifty years of Unix and Linux advances" (Jon 'maddog' Hall).^[32]
  • DevRooms: .NET and TypeScript; Ada; BSD; Blockchain and Crypto Currencies; CAD and Open Hardware; Collaborative Information and Content Management Applications; Community devroom; Containers; DNS; Decentralized Internet and Privacy; Distributions; Free Java; Free Software Radio; Free Tools and Editors; Geospatial; Go; Graph Processing; Graphics; HPC, Big Data and Data Science; Hardware Enablement; Infra Management; Javascript; LLVM; Legal and Policy Issues; ML on Code; Microkernels and Component-based OS; Minimalistic Languages; Monitoring and Observability; Mozilla; MySQL, MariaDB and Friends; Open Document Editors; Open Media; Open Source Design; PHP & Friends; PostgreSQL; Python; Quantum Computing; RISC-V; Real Time Communications (RTC); Retrocomputing; Rust; Search; Security; Software Defined Networking; Software Defined Storage; Tool the Docs; Virtualization and IaaS.^[33]
• 2020^[34]
  • Keynotes: "The Linux Kernel: We have to finish this thing one day ;) - Solving big problems in small steps for more than two decades" (Thorsten Leemhuis), "FOSSH - 2000 to 2020 and beyond! - maddog continues to pontificate" (Jon 'maddog' Hall), "FOSDEM@20 - A Celebration - The cliché of constant change" (Steven Goodwin)
  • DevRooms: Free Java; Software Defined Networking; DNS; Web Performance; Open Source Computer Aided Modeling and Design; Collaborative Information and Content Management Applications; Coding for Language Communities; Erlang, Elixir and Friends; Graph Processing; Ada; Open Research Tools and Technologies; Open Source Game Development; RISC-V; Retrocomputing; LLVM toolchain; X.Org/Graphics; Hardware-aided Trusted Computing; Confidential Consortium Framework; Open Source Firmware, BMC and Bootloader; Security; Quantum Computing; Legal and Policy Issues; Testing and Automation; Python; Open Document Editors; Backup and Recovery; Dependency Management; Infra Management; Containers; Embedded; JavaScript; Software Defined Storage; Virtualization and IaaS; Open Source Design; PostgreSQL; Software Defined Radio; BSD; Minimalistic Languages; Geospatial; Distributions; Rust; Debugging tools; Hardware Enablement; Microkernels and Component-based OS; Mozilla; MySQL, MariaDB and Friends; Kotlin; Decentralized Internet and Privacy; Open Media; Go; Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment; HPC and computational science; Community Development; Free Tools and Editors; Monitoring and Observability; Real Time Communications; Internet of Things ^[35]
• 2021^[36]
  Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this event was held online over Matrix.
• 2022^[37]
  Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this event was held online over Matrix.
• 2023^[38]
  • Keynotes: "Celebrating 25 years of Open Source: Past, Present, and Future" (Nick Vidal), "Open Source Software at NASA" (Steve Crawford)
  • DevRooms: BSD; Binary Tools; Collaboration and Content Management; Community; Confidential Computing; Containers; Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment; DNS; Declarative and Minimalistic Computing; Distributions; Embedded, Mobile and Automotive; Emulator Development; Energy; Erlang, Elixir and Friends; FOSS Educational Programming Languages; FOSS on Mobile Devices; Fast and Streaming Data; Friends of OpenJDK; Go; Graph Systems and Algorithms; HPC, Big Data and Data Science; Haskell; Image-based Linux and Secure Measured Boot; JavaScript; Kernel; Kotlin; LLVM; Legal and Policy Issues; LibreOffice Technology Development Platform; MariaDB, MySQL and Friends; Matrix; Microkernel and Component-based OS; Monitoring and Observability; Mozilla; Network; Nix and NixOS; Open Media; Open Research Tools and Technology; Open Source Design; Open Source Firmware, BMC and Bootloader; PostgreSQL; Public Code and Digital Public Goods; Python; RISC-V; Railways and Open Transport; Real Time Communications; Rust; Security; Software Bill of Materials; Software Defined Storage; Sovereign Cloud; Testing and Automation; Translations; Virtualization and IaaS

• 2024^[39]
  • Keynotes: "Welcome to FOSDEM 2024" (staff & Richard "RichiH" Hartmann), "Where have the women of tech history gone?" (Laura Durieux), "Outreachy: 1000 interns" (Karen Sandler, Anna e só, Omotola Eunice, Sage Sharp), "FOSDEM 2024 Highlights" (staff), "Closing FOSDEM 2024" (staff & Richard "RichiH" Hartmann)
  • DevRooms: AI and Machine Learning; APIs & friend; Collaboration and Content Management; Community; Confidential Computing; Containers; DNS; Debuggers and analysis tools; Declarative and Minimalistic Computing; Designing Futures of FOSS Content Management with the Open Website Alliance; Distributions; Embedded, Mobile and Automotive; Emulator; Energy: Reimagining this Ecosystem through Open Source; Erlang, Elixir, Gleam and Friends; FOSS Educational Programming Languages; FOSS on Mobile Devices; Free Java; GCC; Go; Graphics; HPC, Big Data & Data Science; Identity and Access Management; JavaScript; Kernel; LLVM; Legal and Policy Issues; Libre-SOC, FPGA and VLSI; Matrix; Microkernel and Component-based OS; Modern Email; Monitoring & Observability; Mozilla; Network; Nix and NixOS; Open Hardware and CAD/CAM; Open Media; Open Research; Open Source Design; Open Source Firmware, BMC and Bootloader; Open Source In The European Legislative Landscape; Perl and Raku; PostgreSQL; Public Code and Digital Public Goods; Python; RISC-V; Railways and Open Transport; Real Time Communications (RTC); Retrocomputing; Ruby; Rust; Software Bill of Materials; Software Defined Storage; Software-Defined Radio and Amateur Radio; Testing and Continuous delivery; Tool the docs; Translations; Virtualization and Cloud Infrastructure; Web Performance

FSF Award

The Free Software Foundation's ceremony for the Award for the Advancement of Free Software was held at FOSDEM from 2002 to 2006 (for the awards for 2001 to 2005).^{[40] [41]}

See also

• List of free-software events

Notes and References

1. Web site: about FOSDEM.
2. Web site: FOSDEM 2018 – About FOSDEM. fosdem.org. en. 2018-01-27.
3. Web site: FOSDEM 2007 over . 2015-02-01 . 2015-02-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150201141725/http://blog.ekiga.net/?p=53 . dead .
4. Web site: Fosdem 2002: Fosdem organiser interview . 2011-03-16 .
5. Web site: About FOSDEM . FOSDEM . 16 March 2011 . 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110930085757/http://archive.fosdem.org/2011/about/fosdem . 30 September 2011 .
6. Web site: FOSDEM 2021 Online . 2021-02-03 . fosdem.org . en.
7. Web site: FOSDEM 2022 Online . 2022-09-25 . fosdem.org . en.
8. Web site: Keynotes . 21 March 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110310054954/http://www.fosdem.org/2011/schedule/track/keynotes . 10 March 2011 .
9. Web site: Tracks . 21 March 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110405123527/http://www.fosdem.org/2011/schedule/tracks . 5 April 2011 .
10. Web site: Lightning talks . 21 March 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110302152725/http://www.fosdem.org/2011/schedule/tracks/lightningtalks . 2 March 2011 .
11. Web site: Certification Exams . 21 March 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110303035630/http://fosdem.org/2011/certification . 3 March 2011 .
12. Web site: Beer Event . 21 March 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110227082000/http://fosdem.org/2011/beerevent . 27 February 2011 .
13. Web site: Main Tracks 2012. 14 December 2012.
14. Web site: Devrooms 2012. 14 December 2012.
15. Web site: Lightning Talks 2012. 14 December 2012.
16. https://archive.fosdem.org/2013/schedule/track/keynotes/ FOSDEM 2013 – Keynotes
17. Web site: FOSDEM 2013 – Tracks . Archive.fosdem.org . 2013-02-03 . 2014-01-27.
18. Web site: FOSDEM 2014 – Home . Fosdem.org . 2014-01-27.
19. Web site: FOSDEM 2014 accepted developer rooms . Fosdem.org . 2014-01-27.
20. Web site: FOSDEM 2015 – Home . Fosdem.org .
21. Web site: FOSDEM 2015 Keynote speakers . Fosdem.org.
22. Web site: FOSDEM 2016 . FOSDEM.org .
23. Web site: FOSDEM 2016 Keynote speakers . FOSDEM.org.
24. Web site: FOSDEM 2016 developer rooms . FOSDEM.org.
25. Web site: FOSDEM 2017 . FOSDEM.org .
26. Web site: FOSDEM 2017 Keynote speakers . FOSDEM.org.
27. Web site: FOSDEM 2017 developer rooms . FOSDEM.org.
28. Web site: FOSDEM 2018 . FOSDEM.org .
29. Web site: FOSDEM 2018 Keynote speakers . FOSDEM.org.
30. Web site: FOSDEM 2018 developer rooms . FOSDEM.org.
31. Web site: FOSDEM 2019 . FOSDEM.org .
32. Web site: FOSDEM 2019 Keynote speakers . FOSDEM.org.
33. Web site: FOSDEM 2019 developer rooms . FOSDEM.org.
34. Web site: FOSDEM 2020 . FOSDEM.org .
35. Web site: FOSDEM 2020 developer rooms . FOSDEM.org.
36. Web site: FOSDEM 2021 . FOSDEM.org .
37. Web site: FOSDEM 2022 - Home .
38. Web site: FOSDEM 2023 - Schedule . 2023-02-06 . fosdem.org . en.
39. Web site: FOSDEM 2024 - Schedule . 2024-02-08 . fosdem.org . en.
40. Web site: Prior Years' Free Software Award. Free Software Foundation. 16 March 2011. GNU Project. 26 September 2008.
41. Web site: Sullivan. John. Award for the Advancement of Free Software. Free Software Foundation. 16 March 2011.