X200t with GNU/Linux

- +

The Workstation, a tower computer by Vikings

D16 Workstation with GNU/Linux

+ - -

Get it from

- - Technoethical + Vikings

- Sale details. + The D16 Workstation is not Respects Your Freedom certified at this point. Sale details.

Get it from

- - Technoethical -

- Sale details. -

Vikings + The Workstation is not Respects Your Freedom certified at this point. +

Runs the FSF-endorsed Trisquel operating system with libreboot firmware.
Durable hardware is meant to last and is easy to repair.
Created by a small business that replaces all restrictive components from a stock laptop.

Why it's cool: Sometimes you need heavy-duty computing power that a laptop just can't provide.

Gamers, video editors, and other users may want or need a more powerful machine â a desktop is the answer when you really need that extra push. Also good for users who want a bigger screen.

- -

Microsoft Surface

+ + +

Options of coming with the FSF-endorsed Trisquel or Parabola operating systems.
Free boot firmware.
Customize and specialize to your needs.

Stay away from: Apple iMac

Runs on proprietary software that profits from treating the user as a product -- each account is assigned an advertising ID to help Microsoft sell user - data. -
Mandatory Windows updates force users to test potentially unstable new versions. Read more about Windows's abuses.

An iMac puts designers and film makers at risk:

Photoshop and Illustrator have pesky DRM that can prevent the software from running even with a valid subscription.
Format lock-in keeps users from switching software.

Stay away from: Alienware Aurora

This gaming desktop claims to come without boundaries, but it does include enough proprietary software to limit any gamer.

@@ -564,82 +578,83 @@ Many of these items are -

Wireless Adapters

LulzBot Mini

Mini Wi-Fi Adapter

- -

- Get it from + Technoethical +

+ Sale details.

- LulzBot + ThinkPenguin

- Sale details. + Sale details.

Get it from

- LulzBot + Technoethical +

- Sale details. + Sale details. +

+ ThinkPenguin +

+ Sale details.

+ +

Respects Your Freedom-certified by the FSF to run with all free software, making 3D printing more accessible and encouraging innovation.
Performance and seamless interface earned it "Editor's Choice" in Tom's Guide's 2016 3D printer comparison.
Hardware designs available to make customization easy. Standardized material format allows 3D printing with plastics, wood-, stone-, bamboo-, rubber-, and metal-like materials.

Why it's cool: Trying to go 100% free but stuck with a proprietary Wi-Fi card? just plug this into your USB port and you're ready to go.

- +

Makerbot Replicator Mini

- MakerWare software is proprietary, restricting freedom and stifling innovation. -
- MakerBot was founded with a more freedom-respecting philosophy, but has since announced an increasingly proprietary approach and distanced itself from the community that formed around it. -

Great for all-free-software installations on laptops with incompatible Wi-Fi hardware.
Certified to Respect Your Freedom.
Options from Technoethical and ThinkPenguin.
If you use a laptop listed in this guide, an adapter like this won't be necessary.

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- + - - -

- -

+ + +

Long Range Wi-Fi Adapter

Long-Range Wi-Fi Adapter

More powerful than its smaller cousin, and can be further upgraded with a larger antenna.

Certified to Respect Your Freedom.
Multiple options from Technoethical and ThinkPenguin.

@@ -687,116 +702,12 @@ Many of these items are -

eBooks

Project Gutenberg

- - - DOWNLOAD - -

All of the ebooks are gratis, including classics like Peter Pan and Huck Finn.
The original purveyor of eBooks free of DRM (Digital Restrictions Management), inspiring many others.
Enjoy the freedom to read your ebooks on any device.

- - -

Amazon.com

- Amazon can remotely block or delete individual ebooks or your entire library with no warning or explanation (they've done it before). -
- Amazon uses DRM to prevent you from sharing your favorite books with friends or moving them between readers. -
- Amazon openly claims - you don't actually own or control your ebooks. -

- -

- - -

The Free Software Foundation, as a small publisher of - books, recommends not purchasing on Amazon. If you do, please use smile.amazon.com to designate a nonprofit to receive some of the money.

- - +

Graphic Design

GIMP and Inkscape

- - - -

- GIMP - Inkscape -

- - -

- GIMP - Inkscape -

- -

Free software, with thriving developer communities.
Designed for free formats, but can also open files created in other programs.
Wide variety of plugins grants limitless features.
Easy to install on all major operating systems.

- - -

Photoshop and Illustrator

Proprietary software controlled by Adobe.
Shuts down when its DRM is unable to verify the costly required subscription, even if it's actually up to date.
Prefers locked-down proprietary formats.

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- - - - -

- -

VPN Router

Designed to complement your existing router by providing a VPN that enhances privacy and security and circumvents network controls.

Designed for easy set-up.

@@ -844,45 +754,204 @@ Many of these items are

Gift Cards

FSF Membership Card

- - - BUY - -

Join over 3,500 active members working to make a better world built on free software.
Enjoy a host of member benefits, including admission to the yearly LibrePlanet conference.
Membership donations are tax-deductible in the US. For a smaller gift, donate in a friend's name.

+ +

3D Printers

LulzBot Mini

+ + +

+ Get it from +

+ LulzBot +

+ Lulzbot is having general sales Black Friday through Cyber Monday. Sale details. + +

- -

iTunes Cards

+ +

+ Get it from +

+ LulzBot +

+ Sale details. +

+ +

Why it's cool: Think ahead—if you give this to your friend or relative, they might use it next year to make YOU a gift.

3D printers are an amazing learning and exploration tool for kids and a fun toy for grownups, and they've come a long way from their origins in the early 2000s. Keep it free and fun by digging into the zillions of free software options for modeling, and communities that share freely licensed designs.

+ + +

Performance and seamless interface earned it "Editor's Choice" in Tom's Guide's 2017 3D printer comparison.
Hardware designs are available to make customization easy. Standardized material format allows 3D printing with plastics, wood-, stone-, bamboo-, rubber-, and metal-like materials.

Stay away from: MakerBot

+ MakerWare software is proprietary, restricting freedom and stifling innovation. +
+ MakerBot was founded with a more freedom-respecting philosophy, but has since announced an increasingly proprietary approach and distanced itself from the community that formed around it. +

+ +

+ + + +

Books, Music, and Video

+ +

Books

DRM-free Ebooks

+ +

There are a lot of options for where to get your literature fix without any pesky DRM. We're highlighting some publishers and shops who are offering deals for you!

Delphi Classics has a wide range of classic literature available in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Use the code fsfdelphi for 30% off orders over $10 through the end of December.
Ediciones Babylon can supply you with all of your Spanish language needs for comics, art, novellas, and novels. Use the code FSFDISCOUNTEB for 5% off all the way through March 2018.
No Starch Press specializes in educational, instructional, and how-to books on everything from arduinos to system administration. Use the code ETHICTECH for 40% off through January 10th, 2018.

+ +

+ + + +

Stay away from: Amazon

Amazon is one of the most notorious of DRM offenders. Whether it's their Kindle e-reader or their countless DRM-encumbered ebooks, Amazon is the place to go if you want to let someone else snatch away texts from your personal library.
Where's O'Reilly? While the publisher's ebooks are still available from third party sellers (in both DRM-free and DRM-encumbered formats), O'Reilly themselves stopped selling their DRM-free catalogue earlier in 2017.

+ +

+ + + + + + + + +

+ +

+ -

Apple claims (wrongly) that you don't actually own anything you buy from the iTunes store.

Requires proprietary software to use, even to download DRM-free music.

- + +

Music

DRM-free Music

+ + +

Many consider music essential to the richness of the human experience. Thanks to the many artists, producers, record labels, and shops highlighted on Defective by Design, the rights-respecting options are nearly endless. Check out music from great labels and artists, including:

Dischord Records, a classic punk label providing music since 1980.
Emusic is the Web's second largest music store.
Folkways, courtesy of the Smithsonian Institute.

- + + +

Stay away from: Spotify

Spotify isn't the only offender when it comes to putting DRM in music—all major streaming services do this with the support of big record labels.

In addition to streaming music encumbered by DRM, people who want to use Spotify are required to install additional proprietary software. Even Spotify's client for GNU/Linux relies on proprietary software.

- + +

+ + +

Video

DRM-free Video

As winter comes to the Northern Hemisphere, it's the perfect time to curl up under a blanket and watch some DRM-free video. In the Southern Hemisphere? Enjoy relaxing with a great movie actually owned by you.

You can find your DRM-free video fix at places including:

ComedyDirect can make you laugh while storing your videos locally.
Moving Image Archive is a section of Archive.org containing thousands of film releases, available to stream or download.
WolfeOnDemand provides for all of your LGBTQ watching desires.

+ +

+ + + +

Stay away from: Netflix

Whether it's using major studios as scapegoats for using DRM or pushing for DRM as an official W3C Recommendation, Netflix has been at the front line of getting DRM into media online and in your home.

+ +

+ @@ -892,42 +961,39 @@ Many of these items are

Recommended organizations for holiday donations

- IMAGE - class="center-block img-responsive" /> +

@@ -937,14 +1003,17 @@ Many of these items are Promotion details

Companies, distributors, and makers of freedom friendly gadgets and media want to make it easier for you to give gifts that you feel good about. Check out these discounts and promotions.

Companies, distributors, and makers of freedom-friendly gadgets and media want to make it easier for you to give gifts that you feel good about. Check out these discounts and promotions.

+ +

LulzBot: Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounts are available through their site.
ThinkPenguin: 5% discount on all products is available to FSF members.
Vikings: 5% discount on all products and services between now and February 1, 2018. Help the FSF! Vikings will also make a donation for each product purchased using this code. Use the coupon code fsfftw.

@@ -956,28 +1025,29 @@ Many of these items are + + +

- +

@@ -995,21 +1065,10 @@ Many of these items are

X200, T400, iPhone, and ISP-provided router images are in the public domain.

LulzBot 3D printer photo by Aleph Objects is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

FSF USB membership card by FSF is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

iTunes gift card is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

ThinkPenguin with GNU and both ThinkPenguin router images by ThinkPenguin are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

Macbook Pro PSD by andrew-gw is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

Astounding Stories is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

The Inkscape and GIMP logos are licensed under the GNU General Public License.

The Amazon, iOS, YouTube, Google Drive and Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator logos are registered trademarks.

Technoethical Replicant s3, Wi-Fi Dongle, and X200t by Technoethical 2016-2017 licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Lenovo U31 image is copyright Lenovo.

LibreTea computer with modular chassis image by Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton licensed underCC BY 4.0.

The MakerBot logo is copyright MakerBot Industries.

The Least Authority logo is copyright Least Authority Enterprises.

Microsoft Surface 2 by KÄrlis DambrÄns licensed under CC By 2.0.

- +

LulzBot 3D printer photo by Aleph Objects is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

ThinkPenguin with GNU and both ThinkPenguin router images by ThinkPenguin are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

Technoethical Replicant N2, Wi-Fi Dongle, and X200T by Technoethical 2016-2017 licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Unported 4.0.

Photo of bookshelf by See-ming Lee licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Unported

@@ -1032,7 +1091,7 @@ Many of these items are learn about our history and work.

Stay away from: Microsoft Surface

X200t with GNU/Linux

D16 Workstation with GNU/Linux

Microsoft Surface

Stay away from: Apple iMac

Stay away from: Alienware Aurora

3D Printers

Wireless Adapters

LulzBot Mini

Mini Wi-Fi Adapter

Makerbot Replicator Mini

Long Range Wi-Fi Adapter

Long-Range Wi-Fi Adapter

eBooks

Project Gutenberg

Amazon.com

Graphic Design

GIMP and Inkscape

Photoshop and Illustrator

VPN Router

VPN Router

Gift Cards

FSF Membership Card

3D Printers

LulzBot Mini

iTunes Cards

Stay away from: MakerBot

Books, Music, and Video

Books

DRM-free Ebooks

Stay away from: Amazon

Music

DRM-free Music

Stay away from: Spotify

Video

DRM-free Video

Stay away from: Netflix

Recommended organizations for holiday donations

Companies, distributors, and makers of freedom friendly gadgets and media want to make it easier for you to give gifts that you feel good about. Check out these discounts and promotions.

Companies, distributors, and makers of freedom-friendly gadgets and media want to make it easier for you to give gifts that you feel good about. Check out these discounts and promotions.