Preface

This book, along with our community buFOSS, was born out of frustration with the status quo in free software circles — specifically how hard it is to bring the principles of freedom into our non-technical circles and inspire real adoption among them.

We believe the concepts of free software should not be trapped in a self-proclaimed elite circle, but should reach the masses instead. As such, this book aims to explain the free software and open knowledge movements in a clear and accessible manner for everyone, while making opinionated yet grounded suggestions to make diving into free software more approachable and enjoyable for the uninitiated.

You don’t need a background in computer science, system administration, linguistics, or philosophy to read this book. If you are curious about digital rights, tired of proprietary and restrictive practices, or simply looking for an alternative approach to the digital world, this guide was written for you.

This work is the collective product of our community’s shared efforts, discussions, and feedback. We owe immense gratitude to every contributor, reader and friend who made this book what it is now, as well as those who keep it alive and evolving. But most importantly, thank you to the friends and newcomers whose questions and genuine interest inspired us to write this in the first place.

— buFOSS, 2026