large-illutration

This version is kept as an HTML/CSS reference. It includes some small bells and whistles that were removed in the v7 launch, but might be useful later.

Or gifts which put someone else in control?

Electronics are popular gifts, but people often overlook the restrictions that manufacturers slip under the wrapping paper. From remote deletion of files to harsh rules about copying and sharing, some gifts take more than they give.

The good news

The good news is that there are ethical companies making better devices that your loved ones can enjoy with freedom and privacy. This is the Free Software Foundation (FSF) guide to smarter gifts, compared with their restrictive counterparts.

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#givefreely

Organize

Download the printable version and organize a Giving Guide Giveaway to share it with your community.

Print the guide

Non-profit

Donating to a nonprofit in someone's name is at least as meaningful as buying them an electronic device.

Donate

Smartphones

replicant phone
Tehnoetic S2 with Replicant
Seller 1 Seller 2

Until December 31st, buy this or this or this or this product, and get this or this free thing. Specify which thing you want in an email to sales@librepotato.biz.ru. Use the code IDONTHAVEANYFRIENDS2016 5% of proceeds will also be donated to the FSF!

  • Fully free software, based on Android.
  • Supported devices include both phones and tablets.
  • Works on used devices, so your dollars won't go to proprietary OS companies. (All commercially available Android devices ship with some proprietary software.)
iphone
iPhone
  • Comes with no shortage of spyware.
  • iOS is a fully proprietary operating system, giving Apple control over the software on the devices.
  • Apple uses DRM to block competing software.

Full-sized Laptops

t400
Minifree T400 with GNU/Linux
Seller 1

Until December 31st, buy this or this or this or this product, and get this or this free thing. Specify which thing you want in an email to sales@librepotato.biz.ru. Use the code IDONTHAVEANYFRIENDS2016 5% of proceeds will also be donated to the FSF!

  • As free as can be: runs the FSF-endorsed Trisquel operating system and libreboot firmware on hardware that is certified to Respect Your Freedom.
  • Durable hardware is meant to last and easy to repair.
  • Created by a small business that replaces all restrictive components from a stock laptop.
macbook
Apple Macbook Pro with macOS
  • Runs on proprietary software that restricts the user's freedoms.
  • Apple's App Store uses DRM to restrict what you can do with your purchases.
  • Comes crawling with spyware.

Compact Laptops

x200
Libiquity Taurinus X200 with GNU/Linux
Seller 1 Seller 2

Until December 31st, buy this or this or this or this product, and get this or this free thing. Specify which thing you want in an email to sales@librepotato.biz.ru. Use the code IDONTHAVEANYFRIENDS2016 5% of proceeds will also be donated to the FSF!

  • As free as can be: runs the FSF-endorsed Trisquel operating system and libreboot firmware on hardware that is certified to Respect Your Freedom.
  • Durable hardware is meant to last and easy to repair.
  • Created by a small business that replaces all restrictive components from a stock laptop.
lenovo
Lenovo U31 with Windows

3D Printers

lulzbot
Lulzbot Mini
Seller 1 Seller 2

Until December 31st, buy this or this or this or this product, and get this or this free thing. Specify which thing you want in an email to sales@librepotato.biz.ru. Use the code IDONTHAVEANYFRIENDS2016 5% of proceeds will also be donated to the FSF!

  • Respects Your Freedom-certified by the FSF to run with all free software, making 3D printing more accessible and encouraging innovation.
  • Ease of use features like self-leveling and self-cleaning.
  • Hardware designs available to make modification and improvement easy. Standardized material format allows 3D printing with plastics, wood-, stone-, bamboo-, rubber-, and metal-like materials.
printer
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.

Wi-Fi Routers

free-router
ThinkPenguin Router
Seller 1 Seller 2

Until December 31st, buy this or this or this or this product, and get this or this free thing. Specify which thing you want in an email to sales@librepotato.biz.ru. Use the code IDONTHAVEANYFRIENDS2016 5% of proceeds will also be donated to the FSF!

  • Easily separate privacy-sensitive network traffic from Internet traffic to improve security.
  • As free as can be: runs the FSF-endorsed LibreCMC operating system on hardware that is certified to Respect Your Freedom.
router
ISP-provided Routers
  • Proprietary firmware means that there's no way for you to know whether it's spying on you -- and it handles all your Internet traffic as well as local print jobs and file transfers.
  • Many models are subject to remote firmware updates from your Internet Service Provider, which probably does not have your best interests in mind -- these same companies fight net neutrality.

eBooks

gutenberg
Project Gutenberg
Seller 1 Seller 2 Seller 2 Seller 2

Until December 31st, buy this or this or this or this product, and get this or this free thing. Specify which thing you want in an email to sales@librepotato.biz.ru. Use the code IDONTHAVEANYFRIENDS2016 5% of proceeds will also be donated to the FSF!

  • 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
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.
  • If you insist on purchasing from Amazon, at least designate a charity like the Free Software Foundation at smile.amazon.com to receive some of the money.

Graphic Design

GIMP and Inskacape
GIMP and 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.
adobe
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.

Gift Cards

fsf card
FSF Membership Card
Seller 1 Seller 2

Until December 31st, buy this or this or this or this product, and get this or this free thing. Specify which thing you want in an email to sales@librepotato.biz.ru. Use the code IDONTHAVEANYFRIENDS2016 5% of proceeds will also be donated to the FSF!

itunes
iTunes Cards
  • DRM on everything (except music) controls what you can do with your purchases.
  • 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.
  • All the items recommended by the Free Software Foundation are RYF-Certified

  • Recommended organizations for holiday donations

    fsf
    sfc
    eff
    cc
    wikimedia
    sflc
    gnome
    ceata

    Licenses

    This page by the Free Software Foundation is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported.

    The graphics and photos used on this page have been modified by the Free Software Foundation and are licensed separately under the following terms: