November 7, 2025
Free as in speech—and in languages?
FSF40 Hackathon
Global code party welcomes all — first comment asks why the page is half Chinese
TLDR: FSF is hosting a free, global hackathon Nov 21–23 with prizes for newcomers and teams, plus roles for non-coders. The first community reaction flagged a weird English/Chinese page mix-up, sparking jokes about accessibility and polish while enthusiasm builds for projects like GNU Boot, Org Mode, and LibreVR.
The Free Software Foundation (that’s the group behind the “free as in freedom” software movement) is throwing a global online hackathon Nov 21–23, and the vibe should’ve been unity and tinkering… until the very first commenter noticed the event page loaded in a weird mashup of English and Chinese. Cue eyebrow raises and snark: is this a “free as in languages” moment or just a cookie hiccup? Either way, the talk started with a localization oops before the coding even began.
Beyond the glitch, the event itself is peak community: registration is free (donations welcome to support FSF and GNU), teams form on old-school IRC chat (#fsf-hackathon), and newbies are celebrated with prizes for first-time contributors and inclusive squads. Projects range from booting your PC without Big Tech’s software (GNU Boot), to a conscience-friendly VR effort (LibreVR), to Emacs’s beloved Org Mode, to a directory of free software you can actually use. Non-coders can document, organize, or add entries; coders can flex on JavaScript, Python, or Emacs Lisp. A jury will crown the most impactful contribution, and yes, you can get a certificate for job apps. Work counts only during the 48-hour window, so set alarms — and maybe clear those cookies first.
Key Points
- •FSF will host a global online hackathon (FSF40) from November 21–23 to improve free software projects.
- •Participants can join individually or in teams of up to four, coordinating via the Libera.chat IRC #fsf-hackathon channel.
- •Projects include the Free Software Directory, GNU Boot, GNU Guix, Lewa, LibreVR, op-mattermost, and Org Mode.
- •Skills sought include JavaScript/Node.js/Mocka/Chai/Sinon (op-mattermost), Python/web (Lewa), Emacs Lisp (Org Mode), and optional DIY hardware (LibreVR).
- •Registration is free; donations are encouraged, prizes recognize new contributors and diverse teams, and only work done within the specified time window counts for awards.