SFSCON 2024 – A success as always!
Although South Tyrol is a relatively small province in the north of Italy, the atmosphere here is one of innovation. Always before the second weekend in November, the NOI Techpark is all about: Free Software, Open Source, Linux and much more! Since 2004, we, the Linux User Group Bolzano, have also been awarding an annual prize for special achievements in the field of free software. Recently, however, we have made a small change: together with the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE), we have gone one step further. The prize has been split into two categories: the South Tyrolean Free Software Award (SFS Award) and the European SFS Award. The European SFS Award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to Free Software in Europe. The SFS Award is awarded to a person who has made a special contribution to Free Software in South Tyrol.
The SFS Award goes to Angelika Stuefer and Franca Riesch De Pasquale (VKE) for MiniBZ
Since 1990, for children in South Tyrol, June means: school vacations begin, MiniBZ starts! During this time, the Fiera Bolzano is transformed into a miniature city. Since this year (2024), MiniBZ has gone one step further. A step into the creation of a media center where children can learn how technology works. It was not just about simply using the technology; No, in addition to the function, responsibility and respect for privacy was also an important reason – far away from the big data players.
The free software FUSS 12 ran on the almost 90 recycled computers and offered the children a: secure, interconnected and sustainable digital world!
It is therefore an honor to present the South Tyrol free Software Award to Angelika Stuefer (Director VKE) and Franca Riesch De Pasquale (President VKE)!
Bram Moolenaar (VIM) wins European SFS Award
With a heart not only for software, but also for children, Bram Moolenaar has made a great contribution to free software in Europe. The developer of the open source editor Vi IMproved – or VIM, will be a familiar name to most people. Sadly, Bram passed away in August last year. The award honors his incredible commitment to free software, now as well as during his lifetime. His software has been installed on millions of computers around the world since its release in 1991.
In addition to developing the editor, Bram also cared a lot about children’s education. He founded an NGO to collect donations for children in Uganda. With this money, he made education possible for many children who had lost their parents due to HIV.
For this great commitment to Free Software and beyond, it is an honor to present this year’s European SFS Award to Bram Moolenaar!
Impressions
RB