Free Software Foundation to auction off original GNU drawings, awards, and historic tech
Internet Hall of Fame medal of the FSF's founder that greeted visitors in the lobby of the FSF office for years.
In its program for their fortieth anniversary, the organization hinted that it would organize an unprecedented virtual memorabilia auction, and left collectors and free software fans wondering which of the pieces of the FSF's history would be auctioned off. Today the FSF lifted the veil and gave a sneak peak of some of the more prestigious entries in the memorabilia auction. The bidding will start as a virtual silent auction on March 17 and run through March 21, with more auction items revealed each day, and will culminate in an virtual live auction on March 23, 2025, 14:00 to 17:00 EDT.
Register here to attend the live auction. There's no need to register for the silent auction; you can simply join the bidding on the FSF's LibrePlanet wiki.
GNU head drawing by Etienne Suvasa.
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An elite collection of historical artifacts
First of all, the memorabilia auction will feature an item that could be especially interesting for art collectors but will certainly also draw the attention of free software fans from all over: the original GNU head drawing by Etienne Suvasa, which became the blueprint for the iconic GNU logo present everywhere in the free software world.
The list of memorabilia for sale also entails some rare and historic hardware, such as a "terminus-est" microcomputer, and an Amiga 3000UX that was used in the FSF's old office at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the early days of GNU, when these machines were capable of running a GNU-like operating system.
Internet Hall of Fame medal of the FSF's founder Richard Stallman that greeted visitors in the lobby of the FSF office for years.
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Another meaningful item to be auctioned off, and one that collectors will want to keep a keen eye on, is the Internet Hall of Fame medal awarded to founder Richard Stallman. When Stallman was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame, it was the ultimate recognition of free software's immense impact on the development and advancement of the Internet. This medal is definitely worthy of joining a fine historical collection!
The Internet Hall of Fame medal is not the only prestigious award with international recognition that the FSF is auctioning off. Another is the Norbert Wiener Award for Social and Professional Responsibility, which was awarded to the free software movement itself and given to the FSF in 1999 "in appreciation for their deep commitment to the socially responsible use of computing technology" as the plaque itself states. Apart from this, there are several more historic awards, more original GNU artwork, and a legendary katana that became a lighthearted weapon in the fight for computer user freedom. Even fans of plush animals will get their money's worth with a range of iconic plush animals that have been greeting visitors in the lobby of the FSF office for years.
A program worthy of an organization turning forty
The auction is only the opening act to a whole agenda of activities celebrating forty years of free software activism. In May, the FSF invites free software supporters all over the world to gather for local in-person community meetups to network, discuss what people can do next to make the world freer, and celebrate forty years of commitment to software freedom.
Then, on the actual birthday of the FSF on October 4, 2025, the organization intends to bring the international free software community to Boston for a celebration featuring keynotes and workshops by prominent personalities of the free software movement.
The logo for the fortieth anniversary celebrations was sourced from the free software community in a logo contest, paying tribute to the FSF being a community-supported organization. The silhouette of a flying bird set against the number 40 can be interpreted to "symbolize the FSF's unwavering dedication to freedom and its commitment to the community over the past four decades."
These are just some of the big ticket items the FSF has planned, but there will be more! Keep an eye out on the FSF's pages, as they will be posting more information on everything to come.
About the Free Software Foundation
The FSF, founded in 1985, is dedicated to promoting computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and use of free (as in freedom) software -- particularly the GNU operating system and its GNU/Linux variants -- and free documentation for free software. The FSF also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and political issues of freedom in the use of software, and its websites, located at https://www.fsf.org and https://www.gnu.org, are an important source of information about GNU/Linux. Donations to support the FSF's work can be made at https://donate.fsf.org. Its headquarters are in Boston, MA, USA.
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