This is an automatic English translation of the Dutch original.
On 8 May we came together at the Koninklijke Bibliotheek in The Hague to keep building the Vrije Cloud. Around twenty people joined: freelancers, developers, project managers, journalists, people from the art world and other interested contributors. What did they have in common? The conviction that things can and must be done differently with our technology. That our digital infrastructure does not have to be in the hands of big tech companies. And above all: the will to do something about it together.
For two hours there was talking, drawing on flip charts, discussing and friction. We split into three working groups and in each group ideas were bubbling up. Below is an impression of what we talked about.
Governance: where do we actually want to go?
In the governance group it quickly became clear that structure and direction are inextricably linked. Before you decide how you organise something, you need to know what you want to achieve. We thought about the right legal form: how do we make decisions, how do we arrange transparency and accountability, and how do we set down control and ownership in the articles of association?
A recurring question: who are our members? Organisations, individuals, or both? The answer leaned towards both. And an important consideration: we want to build an inclusive structure, in which everyone who takes part feels at home and has a say. The group set out a first timeline: first sharpen the vision and mission, then choose a suitable legal form, and in parallel map out the funding need and options.
Community: how do you get to the Vrije Cloud?
The community group sketched a lovely picture of what the Vrije Cloud community can be: four circles that embrace one another. At the heart, the members of the association, around them the wider FLOSS community, the movement for digital autonomy, and finally everyone who works for a free world. That outermost circle is exactly where our future members come from.
The goal? To make an impact. The more organisations and people switch to tech that does not hold them hostage, the bigger the difference we make. The community raises awareness, offers a platform to share knowledge and experiences, and helps newcomers make the switch. Because no one should feel like a lonely bird in this movement.
The group also mapped out four steps, from first awareness to full membership, each with its own forms of support: inspiring events and online content to raise awareness, clear information and honest stories from members for those exploring alternatives, a warm onboarding process with real human contact for those who take the plunge, and meet-ups and exchange for those who have become members.
Technology: from proof of concept to mature platform
The technology group dived under the bonnet. We already have a working proof of concept. Anyone curious about how it fits together can head to docs.onze.vrije.cloud (Vrije Cloud account required).
There is still plenty of work ahead, which we will take on together: putting together an IT team that can work in an agile way, designing a smooth migration flow for new users, carrying out security audits and pen testing, and working towards ISO certification. On the wish list are, among other things, an email solution, a fully integrated single-sign-on environment, an open-source CRM and clear agreements on the use of AI. Ambitious? Certainly. Achievable if we do it together? Absolutely.
And now? Get involved!
Perhaps the best thing about 8 May was the feeling that this can really get off the ground. That together we can grow from a plan on paper into a movement of people who want to roll up their sleeves.
Everyone present has a Vrije Cloud account and has by now joined our Matrix chat and our Nextcloud environment. That is where we carry on: that is where the working groups take concrete shape, and where we keep building together.
Did you miss the meet-up but still want to help build the Vrije Cloud? You are very welcome. Send an email to vrijecloud@postxsociety.org and we will connect you.
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Until next time!