Support the FSF: Turn your dollars into decibels

Help crank it up!

Read this online at www.fsf.org/appeal/2012.

Dear Free Software Supporter,

For nearly three decades, the Free Software Foundation has been advancing software freedom thanks to support from individuals like you.

We make every dollar you give part of our comprehensive approach to the advancement of free software. The Free Software Foundation is the only organization that combines support for free software development, worldwide education and outreach efforts, software licensing and compliance, and advocacy in a holistic strategy to build the strength of the free software movement.

Here are some of the ways our impact was felt in 2012:

• We certified the first device with the Respects Your Freedom certification. This new certification has created a new benchmark for freedom, and we are committed to building this program so that one day you will be able to make sure that every gadget you purchase supports and respects your freedoms as a user. But in order to build our capacity to certify devices through our rigorous process, we need additional support.

• A team of only four sysadmins working with a few dedicated volunteers kept all of the GNU infrastructure running smoothly for hundreds of projects so that free software development could happen more quickly and users could easily download the results.

• We made free software more accessible to new audiences through our 2012 Giving Guide, which offers a comparison of freedom-supporting and proprietary gift options. The Giving Guide makes giving freely an easy choice, even for people who are new to free software.

• We increased our capacity to amplify the voices of our supporters. Our new campaigns team has already made a big splash; at a cost of a few hundred dollars, they brought positive international news attention to free software during Microsoft's Windows 8 launch. Microsoft is projected to spend over a billion dollars to promote Windows 8. While we will never have that kind of money to blow, our campaigns team has you standing behind it. With your support, we can continue to raise your voices for free software above the marketing buzz.

The Free Software Foundation receives the majority of its funding through individual memberships and donations. We raise a large portion of these gifts during our annual fundraiser. This year, we need to meet our goal of $350,000 to crank up the volume for the free software movement. That's .02% of what Microsoft is estimated to spend promoting Windows 8. With what amounts to a rounding error for Microsoft, we can build and strengthen the free software movement by increasing our capacity to serve you, our supporters.

If you appreciate our work and want to help us do even more, please consider making a donation to the Free Software Foundation. There are many ways to help us meet our fundraising goal by January 31st.

• Become a member of the Free Software Foundation for just $10 a month, or $5 a month for students. In addition to supporting our work, FSF members get a variety of benefits, including an ultra-slim USB membership card and free admission to our annual conference, LibrePlanet.
• Renew your existing membership before January 31st.
• Give a friend or family member a gift membership to the Free Software Foundation. It's the perfect gift for conscientious technology lovers.
• Make a one-time donation to help us make your voice for software freedom heard.

Please support us at whatever amount feels right to you. Every dollar helps us raise your voices one more decibel.

Sincerely,
John, Ward, Chrissie, Don, Kira, Jasimin, Jeanne, Josh, Libby, Martin, Nico, Peabo, and Zak

PS. Please help us amplify this appeal by sharing it with your networks: http://u.fsf.org/turnitup.

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