Hunting Bears

Technological sovereignty is a fairly novel concept. Novel not because it is new, but because it has many peculiarities. A state is sovereign when it is technically in control of its entire technology infrastructure, and we all know that in the field of information technology, this can only be achieved through the Free Software 100% unreadable code (binary blobs, proprietary , etc ...).

However, you can not have complete control of the technology park, if any peripherals or devices inoperative because the drivers who lend their support are not open public source.

In Venezuela we are walking towards the Technological Sovereignty, because as I read out there, certainly not created sovereignty, is built. Our country is built through Canaima GNU / Linux: A distribution-free 100% Proprietary Code or Not Free, yet gives you the freedom to choose to install proprietary software when its absence prevents the functionality of any hardware component .

Overcrowding

You can not have a state (and even more, a country) sovereign, if we have 100% Free Software, spectacular, beautiful and attractive, but nobody uses it because it does not work. That's as bad as if there were no Canaima GNU / Linux and all we used proprietary operating systems. The mass is as important as freedom, as is the transition from theory to practice. The declaration of sovereignty by using only Free Software is reflected in papers, decrees and laws, in short, is a theoretical sovereignty. Real Sovereignty (that we want, applied in practice), is achieved when you finally manage to establish control of the technology in most (if not in all) of the Technology Park.

Unfortunately, the (capitalist) world is still full of companies that tend to privatize knowledge, despite being the engine that powers the progress of society.

The long-term challenge is to transform the hardware market to stop devices include non-free drivers, and gradually people stop having proprietary hardware that requires proprietary software included in free operating systems.

The particularity of the NPC

The Federal Administration is also quite interesting peculiarities. Being a uniform body, aware of its role as a promoter of Knowledge and Free Information Technology, also has a political and economic capacity quite important, has decided to establish the mandatory use of Canaima GNU / Linux on all workstations, without the need to install proprietary components, as is required by resolution 025 of Gazette 39633 ( image ). As a sovereign body of his sources of supply, it can be quite selective in future contracts for purchases of workstations, allowing you to avoid buying hardware that needs proprietary software to run.

Contrasting with ordinary Venezuelans, most likely not have the economic capacity or logistics to afford to buy only 100% hardware compatible with free software. The reality is that the market is flooded with proprietary brands that do not release the source code of their drivers.

When ordinary citizens can not be forced to use Free Software (and much less of Private Enterprise). How do we make the Technological Sovereignty touch them too?

In Love with Canaima user

We are increasingly moving in that direction, there is a community around Canaima, increasingly committed to love people with Canaima GNU / Linux. Here I give you 'pa' fall in love ":