Difference between revisions of "Remote Communication"

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[[File:Remote.png|x300px|right|link=https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/fsf-gives-freedom-respecting-videoconferencing-to-all-associate-members|class=img-responsive]]
 
[[File:Remote.png|x300px|right|link=https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/fsf-gives-freedom-respecting-videoconferencing-to-all-associate-members|class=img-responsive]]
  
''This list is work in progress. We have not audited the software listed on this page for security or privacy concerns beyond what developers of the software, and potentially other sites tell us about it. We have done some initial research into software licenses.
+
''This list is work in progress. We have not audited the software listed on this page for security or privacy concerns beyond what developers of the software, and potentially other sites tell us about it. We have done some initial research into software licenses. Entries with Free Software Directory links have been thoroughly reviewed from a licensing perspective.
 
''
 
''
  
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= Chat =
 
= Chat =
 
== Video ==
 
== Video ==
 +
 +
Real-time voice and video chat is an item on the FSF's High Priority Projects list.
  
 
* BigBlueButton (BBB)
 
* BigBlueButton (BBB)
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*** Frontend for BigBlueButton that adds more administration functions such as users, permissions, etc.
 
*** Frontend for BigBlueButton that adds more administration functions such as users, permissions, etc.
 
*** Install doc: https://docs.bigbluebutton.org/greenlight/gl-install.html
 
*** Install doc: https://docs.bigbluebutton.org/greenlight/gl-install.html
*** https://github.com/bigbluebutton/greenlight LGPL-3.0
+
*** https://github.com/bigbluebutton/greenlight LGPL-3.0-or-later
 
*** Note: Requires a '''separate''' BigBlueButton instance.
 
*** Note: Requires a '''separate''' BigBlueButton instance.
 +
** BBB Live Streaming
 +
*** Streams a given BBB Meeting to an RTMP Server.
 +
*** https://github.com/aau-zid/BigBlueButton-liveStreaming GPL-3.0-or-later
  
 
* Jitsi Meet
 
* Jitsi Meet
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** https://icecast.org/
 
** https://icecast.org/
 
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Icecast
 
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Icecast
** https://git.xiph.org/?p=icecast-server.git;a=summary GPL
+
** https://gitlab.xiph.org/xiph/icecast-server GPL
 
** https://gstreamer.freedesktop.org/
 
** https://gstreamer.freedesktop.org/
 
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Gstreamer
 
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Gstreamer
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** https://github.com/obsproject/obs-studio GPL-2.0
 
** https://github.com/obsproject/obs-studio GPL-2.0
 
** https://nginx.org/
 
** https://nginx.org/
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Nginx
 
** https://trac.nginx.org/nginx/browser Cryptix General License/BSD 2-clause
 
** https://trac.nginx.org/nginx/browser Cryptix General License/BSD 2-clause
  
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* Apache OpenMeetings
 
* Apache OpenMeetings
 
** https://openmeetings.apache.org/
 
** https://openmeetings.apache.org/
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Apache_OpenMeetings
 +
 +
* SIP Thor
 +
** SIP based video chat
 +
** https://ag-projects.com/msp-platform/
 +
 +
* Tox
 +
** https://tox.chat/
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Tox
 +
** https://github.com/TokTok/c-toxcore GPL-3.0
  
 
== Audio ==
 
== Audio ==
 +
 +
Real-time voice and video chat is an item on the FSF's High Priority Projects list.
  
 
* Mumble
 
* Mumble
 
** Audio chat room server with clients for all major operating systems.
 
** Audio chat room server with clients for all major operating systems.
 
** https://www.mumble.info/
 
** https://www.mumble.info/
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Mumble
 
** French guide: https://www.chapril.org/Mumble.html
 
** French guide: https://www.chapril.org/Mumble.html
 
** Note: Mumble is pretty easy for end users, and there are free native clients for major platforms. On the server, it has a low memory footprint, but can use a lot of server bandwidth if many people are talking at once in a channel that has many people listening in. Clients would see an increase in downlink bandwidth at these times, which is okay, since most asymmetrical residential connections allow for a larger downlink. Event in direct face to face communication, it is generally only possible to understand what is being said when no more than a few people are speaking at once. BSD-like
 
** Note: Mumble is pretty easy for end users, and there are free native clients for major platforms. On the server, it has a low memory footprint, but can use a lot of server bandwidth if many people are talking at once in a channel that has many people listening in. Clients would see an increase in downlink bandwidth at these times, which is okay, since most asymmetrical residential connections allow for a larger downlink. Event in direct face to face communication, it is generally only possible to understand what is being said when no more than a few people are speaking at once. BSD-like
 +
 +
* wahay
 +
** A decentralized conference call application.
 +
** https://wahay.org/
 +
** https://github.com/digitalautonomy/wahay GPL-3.0
  
 
* Icecast
 
* Icecast
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** A microblogging that uses ActivityPub. AGPLv3orlater
 
** A microblogging that uses ActivityPub. AGPLv3orlater
 
** https://joinmastodon.org/
 
** https://joinmastodon.org/
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Mastodon
 
** https://github.com/tootsuite/mastodon AGPL-3.0
 
** https://github.com/tootsuite/mastodon AGPL-3.0
  
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** https://www.gnu.org/software/social/
 
** https://www.gnu.org/software/social/
 
** https://git.gnu.io/gnu/gnu-social AGPLv3orlater
 
** https://git.gnu.io/gnu/gnu-social AGPLv3orlater
 +
 +
* Pleroma
 +
** Social server federated with ActivityPub.
 +
** https://pleroma.social/
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Pleroma
 +
** https://git.pleroma.social/pleroma/ AGPL-3.0
  
 
* Pump.io
 
* Pump.io
 
** Social server federated with ActivityPub.
 
** Social server federated with ActivityPub.
 
** https://pumpio.readthedocs.io/
 
** https://pumpio.readthedocs.io/
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Pump.io
 
** https://github.com/pump-io/pump.io Apache-2.0
 
** https://github.com/pump-io/pump.io Apache-2.0
  
* Pleroma
+
* Lemmy
 +
** Link aggregation similar to Reddit.
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Lemmy
 +
** https://github.com/LemmyNet/lemmy AGPL-3.0
 +
 
 +
* diaspora*
 +
** Distributed social networking server.
 +
** https://diasporafoundation.org
 +
** https://github.com/diaspora/diaspora AGPL-3.0-or-later
 +
 
 +
* Anahita
 +
** Platform and framework for developing knowledge sharing applications on a social networking foundation.
 +
** https://www.getanahita.com
 +
** https://github.com/anahitasocial/anahita GPL-3.0
  
 
== Text and possibly document sharing ==
 
== Text and possibly document sharing ==
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* Email and mailing lists
 
* Email and mailing lists
 
** Email is already commonly used by many people, and is a decentralized social network. One option is to email your coworkers, friends and family by listing multiple people in your email's To: or Cc: fields. Setting up mailing lists is a better long term strategy, especially if people are expected to join or leave groups, or they want to read the full history of, or stop following a long-running thread.
 
** Email is already commonly used by many people, and is a decentralized social network. One option is to email your coworkers, friends and family by listing multiple people in your email's To: or Cc: fields. Setting up mailing lists is a better long term strategy, especially if people are expected to join or leave groups, or they want to read the full history of, or stop following a long-running thread.
 +
** IceDove/Thunderbird - Popular email client for desktop.  Also includes chat functionality (IRC/XMPP).
 +
*** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Icedove
 
** GPG
 
** GPG
 
*** Encryption can be added on top of email through GPG.
 
*** Encryption can be added on top of email through GPG.
 
*** The FSF has a guide for configuring and testing GPG at https://emailselfdefense.fsf.org/en/
 
*** The FSF has a guide for configuring and testing GPG at https://emailselfdefense.fsf.org/en/
 +
*** https://gnupg.org/
 +
*** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Gnupg
 +
*** https://gnupg.org/download/git.html
 +
*** Enigmail - GPG plugin for Icedove/Thunderbird email client.
 +
**** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Enigmail
 
** Mailman
 
** Mailman
 
*** Manage discussion mailing lists.
 
*** Manage discussion mailing lists.
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*** https://gitlab.com/mailman GPL-3.0
 
*** https://gitlab.com/mailman GPL-3.0
  
* IRC
+
* Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
** IRC
+
** IRC is a text based chat protocol that works well for groups regardless of connection speed.  There are free software IRC clients for all major platforms.
*** There are free software IRC clients for all major platforms. If you want to create a channel on Freenode (a popular IRC server), but your channel isn't about free software or broadly licensed creative works, you can still create topical channels that begin with '##'. Note that in this case if you need help from Freenode staff, your request won't be as high priority as requests for help with a free software project's channel. Alternatively, there should be other IRC servers that meet your needs.
+
** Freenode IRC
 +
*** Freenode is the most popular IRCd server.  If you want to create a channel on Freenode and your channel is not about free software or broadly licensed creative works, you can still create topical channels that begin with '##'. Note that in this case if you need help from Freenode staff from #freenode, your request will not be as high priority as requests for help with a free software project's channel.
 +
** Self-host an Internet Relay Chat daemon (IRCd) server
 +
*** atheme: https://atheme.github.io/
 +
*** ircdseven: https://github.com/freenode/ircd-seven GPL-2.0
 +
** Off-the-record (OTR)
 +
*** A library to encrypt private messages through many IRC clients and other text based communications beyond IRC.
 +
*** https://otr.im/ LGPL-2.1
 +
*** https://otr.im/clients.html
 
** KiwiIRC
 
** KiwiIRC
*** KiwiIRC is a self-hosted web interface for IRC with a simple design that can make its usage easy for newcomers to IRC. Apache-2.0
+
*** KiwiIRC is a self-hosted web interface for IRC with a simple design that can make its usage easy for newcomers to IRC.
 
*** https://kiwiirc.com/
 
*** https://kiwiirc.com/
*** Freedom note: Don't add a captcha key in the site config, otherwise it will add a non-free captcha system when users try to log in.
+
*** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/KiwiIRC
 +
*** https://github.com/kiwiirc/kiwiirc Apache-2.0
 +
*** Freedom note: Do not add a captcha key in the site config, otherwise it will add a non-free captcha system when users try to log in.
 
** The Lounge
 
** The Lounge
*** The Lounge is a self-hosted web interface for IRC with an elegant design that can make its usage easy for newcomers to IRC. MIT
+
*** The Lounge is a self-hosted web interface for IRC with an elegant design that can make its usage easy for newcomers to IRC.
 
*** https://thelounge.chat/
 
*** https://thelounge.chat/
 +
*** https://github.com/thelounge/thelounge MIT
 
*** Note: On public instances of The Lounge, connections to IRC servers are dropped after closing your browser tabs or losing your connection to application's Web page. If you use a private instance, you will need an account created by an administrator to log in, and connections to the IRC server are kept active even after closing your browser tabs or losing your connection.
 
*** Note: On public instances of The Lounge, connections to IRC servers are dropped after closing your browser tabs or losing your connection to application's Web page. If you use a private instance, you will need an account created by an administrator to log in, and connections to the IRC server are kept active even after closing your browser tabs or losing your connection.
 +
** qwebirc
 +
*** A web-based IRC client
 +
*** https://qwebirc.org/
 +
*** https://github.com/qwebirc/qwebirc GPL-2.0 with MIT and BSD parts
  
 
* Jami
 
* Jami
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** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Discourse
 
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Discourse
 
** https://github.com/discourse/discourse GPL-2.0-or-later
 
** https://github.com/discourse/discourse GPL-2.0-or-later
 +
 +
* Forem
 +
** Forum based discussion.
 +
** https://www.forem.com/
 +
** https://github.com/forem/forem AGPL-3.0-or-later
 +
 +
* Flarum
 +
** Forum based discussion.
 +
** https://flarum.org
 +
** https://github.com/flarum/flarum MIT
 +
 +
* MyBB
 +
** Forum based discussion.
 +
** https://mybb.com
 +
** https://github.com/mybb/mybb LGPL-3.0
 +
 +
* bbPress
 +
** Forum based discussion (for WordPress sites).
 +
** https://bbpress.org
 +
** https://bbpress.trac.wordpress.org/browser GPL-2.0-or-later
  
 
* Mattermost
 
* Mattermost
** Anti-feature: the freedom respecting version of Mattermost has less features than the enterprise editions, which are likely non-free. Multiple licenses for different components (MIT, AGPLv3, Apache 2.0)
 
 
** https://mattermost.org/about/
 
** https://mattermost.org/about/
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Mattermost
 
** matterbridge can connect mattermost to just about anything else: https://github.com/42wim/matterbridge Apache-2.0
 
** matterbridge can connect mattermost to just about anything else: https://github.com/42wim/matterbridge Apache-2.0
 +
** Anti-feature: the freedom respecting version of Mattermost has less features than the enterprise editions, which are likely non-free. Multiple licenses for different components (MIT, AGPLv3, Apache 2.0)
  
 
* Rocket.Chat
 
* Rocket.Chat
 +
** https://rocket.chat/
 
** Anti-feature: the freedom respecting version of Rocket.Chat has less features than the enterprise editions, which are likely non-free. MIT
 
** Anti-feature: the freedom respecting version of Rocket.Chat has less features than the enterprise editions, which are likely non-free. MIT
** https://rocket.chat/
 
  
 
* Wire
 
* Wire
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Wire
 +
** https://github.com/wireapp/wire
 
** Note: On their [https://github.com/wireapp/wire client source code repo], they say "a. You agree not to change the way the Open Source App connects and interacts with our servers;...". It's not clear whether this is acceptable for software under a free license.
 
** Note: On their [https://github.com/wireapp/wire client source code repo], they say "a. You agree not to change the way the Open Source App connects and interacts with our servers;...". It's not clear whether this is acceptable for software under a free license.
  
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** XMPP has been around for a long time. There are free clients for major platforms, and a variety of free server codebases to choose from if you want to run your own server.
 
** XMPP has been around for a long time. There are free clients for major platforms, and a variety of free server codebases to choose from if you want to run your own server.
 
** https://xmpp.org/
 
** https://xmpp.org/
 +
** Movim
 +
*** Web-based XMPP client with many features.
 +
*** https://movim.eu/
 +
*** https://github.com/movim/movim AGPL-3.0-or-later
  
 
* Zulip
 
* Zulip
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* Sandstorm
 
* Sandstorm
** Sandstorm makes it easy to install and use free software applications on your Web server. It comes with many free applications, and it's probably best to confirm the licenses of the applications before you install them.
+
** Sandstorm makes it easy to install and use free software applications on your Web server.
 
** Includes document writing and document sharing.
 
** Includes document writing and document sharing.
 
** https://sandstorm.io/
 
** https://sandstorm.io/
** https://github.com/sandstorm-io/sandstorm
+
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Sandstorm
 +
** https://github.com/sandstorm-io/sandstorm Apache-2.0
 +
** Note: It comes with many free applications, and it is probably best to confirm the licenses of the applications before you install them.
  
 
= Document Writing and document sharing =
 
= Document Writing and document sharing =
  
 
* Etherpad
 
* Etherpad
** This is a very useful tool for collaborative text editing. It is great for meetings, brainstorming, and interleaved writing and editing flows. Apache 2.0
+
** This is a very useful tool for collaborative text editing. It is great for meetings, brainstorming, and interleaved writing and editing flows.
 
*** https://etherpad.org/
 
*** https://etherpad.org/
 +
*** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Etherpad
 +
*** https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite Apache-2.0
  
 
* Ethercalc
 
* Ethercalc
** Edit a spreadsheet at the same time as your peers. CPAL
+
** Edit a spreadsheet at the same time as your peers.
 
*** https://ethercalc.net/
 
*** https://ethercalc.net/
 +
*** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/EtherCalc
 +
*** https://github.com/audreyt/ethercalc/ CPAL
  
 
* Drawpile  
 
* Drawpile  
** Simultaneously sketch on the same canvas as your peers. GPL-3.0
+
** Simultaneously sketch on the same canvas as your peers.
 
*** https://drawpile.net/
 
*** https://drawpile.net/
 +
*** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Drawpile
 +
*** https://github.com/drawpile/Drawpile GPL-3.0-or-later
  
 
* CodiMD
 
* CodiMD
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* NextCloud
 
* NextCloud
** NextCloud is a featureful Web service for document editing, file storage, audio/video chat, and more. AGPL-3.0
+
** NextCloud is a featureful Web service for document editing, file storage, audio/video chat, and more.
 
*** https://nextcloud.com/
 
*** https://nextcloud.com/
 +
*** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Nextcloud
 +
*** https://github.com/nextcloud/server AGPL-3.0
  
 
* CryptPad
 
* CryptPad
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* Wiki Software
 
* Wiki Software
 
** ikiwiki
 
** ikiwiki
*** Write wiki pages in Markdown, via a Git repo, or via the Web (which commits to Git). Great for internal wikis, ie for documenting procedures, policies, article drafts, etc. Extensible with plugins. GPL-2.0 +
+
*** Write wiki pages in Markdown, via a Git repo, or via the Web (which commits to Git). Great for internal wikis, ie for documenting procedures, policies, article drafts, etc. Extensible with plugins.
 +
*** http://ikiwiki.info/
 +
*** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Ikiwiki
 +
*** http://ikiwiki.info/git/ GPL-2.0-or-later
  
 
** MediaWiki
 
** MediaWiki
*** Used in quite a lot of places. It supports many different extensions. It's a good choice for public wikis that anyone can edit, or for internal wikis. GPLv2+
+
*** Used in quite a lot of places. It supports many different extensions. It's a good choice for public wikis that anyone can edit, or for internal wikis.
 +
*** https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki
 +
*** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/MediaWiki
 +
*** https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/source/mediawiki/ GPL-2.0-or-later
  
 
== Publication ==
 
== Publication ==
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** Publish images, audio, video, pdf, and 3D cad.
 
** Publish images, audio, video, pdf, and 3D cad.
 
** https://mediagoblin.org/ AGPL-3.0-or-later
 
** https://mediagoblin.org/ AGPL-3.0-or-later
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Mediagoblin
 
** Doc: https://mediagoblin.readthedocs.io/en/stable/
 
** Doc: https://mediagoblin.readthedocs.io/en/stable/
 
** Issue tracker: https://issues.mediagoblin.org/
 
** Issue tracker: https://issues.mediagoblin.org/
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* ObsuraCam
 
* ObsuraCam
** Pixelize faces and remove metadata from photos before publishing.
+
** Mobile app to pixelize faces and remove metadata from photos before publishing.
 
** https://guardianproject.info/apps/obscuracam/
 
** https://guardianproject.info/apps/obscuracam/
 
** https://github.com/guardianproject/ObscuraCam GPL-3.0
 
** https://github.com/guardianproject/ObscuraCam GPL-3.0
  
 
* Scrambled Exif
 
* Scrambled Exif
** Remove metadata from photos before publishing.
+
** Mobile app to remove metadata from photos before publishing.
 
** https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.jarsilio.android.scrambledeggsif/
 
** https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.jarsilio.android.scrambledeggsif/
 
** https://gitlab.com/juanitobananas/scrambled-exif/ GPL-3.0
 
** https://gitlab.com/juanitobananas/scrambled-exif/ GPL-3.0
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** One of the more popular choices out there. Integrates with Big Blue Button (see above). AGPLv3
 
** One of the more popular choices out there. Integrates with Big Blue Button (see above). AGPLv3
 
** https://github.com/instructure/canvas-lms/wiki
 
** https://github.com/instructure/canvas-lms/wiki
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Canvas
 
** https://www.instructure.com/
 
** https://www.instructure.com/
 
** https://github.com/instructure/canvas-lms
 
** https://github.com/instructure/canvas-lms
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** Integrates with Big Blue Button (see above). GPLv3+
 
** Integrates with Big Blue Button (see above). GPLv3+
 
** https://moodle.org/
 
** https://moodle.org/
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Moodle
 
** https://github.com/moodle/moodle
 
** https://github.com/moodle/moodle
  
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* GNU FREE (deprecated in 2002)
 
* GNU FREE (deprecated in 2002)
 
** https://www.gnu.org/software/free/
 
** https://www.gnu.org/software/free/
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Free
 
** https://sourceforge.net/projects/free/files/FREE/
 
** https://sourceforge.net/projects/free/files/FREE/
 +
 +
* Free & Fair
 +
** http://www.freeandfair.us/
 +
** https://github.com/FreeAndFair (BSD & GPL)
 +
** Talk: https://www.invidio.us/watch?v=FvOWNbVPpGk
  
 
= Music =
 
= Music =
  
 
* NINJAM
 
* NINJAM
** GPL
 
 
** https://www.cockos.com/ninjam/
 
** https://www.cockos.com/ninjam/
** https://www-dev.cockos.com/ninjam/ninjam.git
+
** https://www-dev.cockos.com/ninjam/ninjam.git GPL-2.0
 
* Jamulus  
 
* Jamulus  
** GPL
+
** http://llcon.sourceforge.net/
 
** https://sourceforge.net/projects/llcon/
 
** https://sourceforge.net/projects/llcon/
 +
** https://github.com/corrados/jamulus GPL-2.0
  
 
= Misc =
 
= Misc =
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*** gqrx
 
*** gqrx
 
**** https://gqrx.dk/
 
**** https://gqrx.dk/
 +
**** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Gqrx-sdr
 
**** https://github.com/csete/gqrx GPL-3.0
 
**** https://github.com/csete/gqrx GPL-3.0
 
**** https://sourceforge.net/projects/gqrx/
 
**** https://sourceforge.net/projects/gqrx/
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* Kiwix - Offline webpages such as Wikipedia
 
* Kiwix - Offline webpages such as Wikipedia
 
** https://www.kiwix.org/en/
 
** https://www.kiwix.org/en/
 +
** https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Kiwix
 
** https://github.com/kiwix/ GPLv3
 
** https://github.com/kiwix/ GPLv3
  
 
{{featured resource|month=May|year=2020}}
 
{{featured resource|month=May|year=2020}}

Revision as of 16:15, 1 December 2020

Remote.png

This list is work in progress. We have not audited the software listed on this page for security or privacy concerns beyond what developers of the software, and potentially other sites tell us about it. We have done some initial research into software licenses. Entries with Free Software Directory links have been thoroughly reviewed from a licensing perspective.

This page is a shared resource, and we encourage others to add to it, so some of the entries here may be added by members of the community. We check this resource periodically, and know that others check it too, but it's a wiki, so errors may be added before they're fixed. We encourage you to review licenses and information about the software you're interested in before using it, and to update this page with your findings.

As more people are going remote, there is an outbreak of proprietary software happening around the Internet. Many are suggesting to use proprietary, SaaSS, and/or privacy invading video conferencing software as an alternative to meeting in person. Proprietary vendors are hopping to the task by offering services that are temporarily free as in cost, and that would lock organizations into continuing to use those vendors. Let's work together to promote free software instead.

Join the RemoteCommunication mailing list https://lists.libreplanet.org/mailman/listinfo/remotecommunication to coordinate!

Posts about this topic:

The FSF is hosting its own freedom-respecting videoconferencing service. FSF associate members can create a channel by logging into the server using your member credentials. Any person or group can then participate in the conversation. Nonmembers can be invited, but cannot start a channel. Read more.

Chat

Video

Real-time voice and video chat is an item on the FSF's High Priority Projects list.

  • NextCloud
    • NextCloud supports audio/video conferencing, with further features listed below. AGPLv3
  • OpenTokRTC
    • https://tokbox.com/developer/
    • https://github.com/opentok/opentok-rtc
    • Now a part of nexmo / Vonage video API. At least parts of the original TokBox code are free software, but it's not clear whether it's possible to use without any non-free software. As an anti-feature, Vonage offers enterprise editions that may run on your own server, or may require running non-free JavaScript.

Audio

Real-time voice and video chat is an item on the FSF's High Priority Projects list.

  • Mumble
    • Audio chat room server with clients for all major operating systems.
    • https://www.mumble.info/
    • https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Mumble
    • French guide: https://www.chapril.org/Mumble.html
    • Note: Mumble is pretty easy for end users, and there are free native clients for major platforms. On the server, it has a low memory footprint, but can use a lot of server bandwidth if many people are talking at once in a channel that has many people listening in. Clients would see an increase in downlink bandwidth at these times, which is okay, since most asymmetrical residential connections allow for a larger downlink. Event in direct face to face communication, it is generally only possible to understand what is being said when no more than a few people are speaking at once. BSD-like
  • Icecast
    • Mentioned above already, but Icecast is commonly used to broadcast audio for live podcast recordings and radio stations.

Social Networking

Text and possibly document sharing

  • Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
    • IRC is a text based chat protocol that works well for groups regardless of connection speed. There are free software IRC clients for all major platforms.
    • Freenode IRC
      • Freenode is the most popular IRCd server. If you want to create a channel on Freenode and your channel is not about free software or broadly licensed creative works, you can still create topical channels that begin with '##'. Note that in this case if you need help from Freenode staff from #freenode, your request will not be as high priority as requests for help with a free software project's channel.
    • Self-host an Internet Relay Chat daemon (IRCd) server
    • Off-the-record (OTR)
    • KiwiIRC
    • The Lounge
      • The Lounge is a self-hosted web interface for IRC with an elegant design that can make its usage easy for newcomers to IRC.
      • https://thelounge.chat/
      • https://github.com/thelounge/thelounge MIT
      • Note: On public instances of The Lounge, connections to IRC servers are dropped after closing your browser tabs or losing your connection to application's Web page. If you use a private instance, you will need an account created by an administrator to log in, and connections to the IRC server are kept active even after closing your browser tabs or losing your connection.
    • qwebirc
  • Jami
    • Mentioned above, but it works great an an encrypted text application as well.
  • Matrix
    • It seems like Matrix does quite a lot, including federation, bridging between networks, and VoIP. Apache-2.0
    • https://matrix.org/
    • Note: The desktop Riot client uses Electron which is controversial in the free software community.
  • Rocket.Chat
    • https://rocket.chat/
    • Anti-feature: the freedom respecting version of Rocket.Chat has less features than the enterprise editions, which are likely non-free. MIT
  • Zulip
    • It looks like Zulip's enterprise edition is a support contract for the free software, which is great. Apache 2.0
    • https://zulipchat.com/

Document Writing and document sharing

  • Sandstorm
    • Can be used for installing Etherpad. See more details about Sandstorm above.

Publication

Learning Management Solutions (LMS)

Voting / Communal Decision Making

  • Note: Does not scale to country wide project.

Music

Misc

This page was a featured resource in May 2020.