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Free Networks Manifesto

url:http://redeslibres.altermundi.net/Manifiesto/English

This an English translation of the Manifiesto de las Redes Libres originally translated by Daniel Wolff at FISL12. Corrections by RedesLibres community.

Given the actual state of the Internet, the network of networks, mainly operated and globally controlled by a small number of international corporations whose main motivation is merely economic; and considering the implications that this fact has in the path that the development of the network of networks is taking, the members and activists of the Free Networks manifest that:

  1. a free network is a computer network that is collaboratively built and managed by it's own users and presents at least the following features:
  1. warrants decentralization and avoids monopolization of resources, coercion or oppression.
  2. respects net neutrality.
  3. warrants free and public access.
  4. it's structure is distributed; growth from any existent node is possible.
  5. interconnection takes place between pairs that can publish or access services and content in equal conditions.
  6. promotes the creation of other free networks, their interconnection and interoperability.

Strategies and common actions

  1. prioritize interaction with other actors that promote common good. For instance, but not being limited to:
  1. educational and health institutions
  2. formal or informal social organizations
  1. promote the free exchange of the knowledge necessary for society to learn about the technologies that make the existence of free networks possible .
  2. use Free Software for the implementation of the different components of the network. When free software alternatives aren't available, their development will be promoted.
  3. promote the use of free licenses, not only for software but also for any production that could be protected by copyright law.
  4. defend the right to free circulation and access to information and knowledge.
  5. work towards achieving participation of free networks in the Neutral Points for the regions they cover as a strategy to: extend network coverage, improve possibilities of interconnection between free networks and defend the principles of freedom, neutrality and common good inside the communication infrastructure of their regions.
  6. take actions aiming to gain national recognition of free networks and modification of relevant regulations that could facilitate their creation and expansion.

To facilitate creation of free networks, national legislations should see them as first-order actors in the communications infrastructure of the country, taking into account the value that their development represent for the common good. Experience shows that free networks:

  1. increase access to new technologies in their deployment area.
  2. represent a unique opportunity in those regions where network coverage provided by traditional operators isn't economically feasible.
  3. being complimentary to State policies of "digital inclusion", free networks can provide capillarity for actions to really get to the population that needs such policies the most.

Appendix 1: Technical provisioning

(just a few notes)

To maintain a distributed network structure, redundant routes between nodes that create the free network should be reinforced.

Regarding item a.5 in the Manifesto "the interconnection should be between pairs...", it is desirable that:
  1. the networks provide fixed IP addresses and an internal domain name resolution service.
  2. bandwidth should be symmetric.

Appendix 2: Pico Peering Agreement

Available in English: http://www.picopeer.net/PPA-en.html

Appendix 3: Glossary

(to be completed)

Net neutrality: absence of discrimination, limitation or tergiversation on transmission of data due to origin, destination, protocol or content. Node: ... Route (routing): ... Neutral Point: ... Free Software: ... Free Licenses: ... Owner: The owner of the node has the right to operate her or his network equipment and donate part of it's functionality to a free network. Transit: Transit means the exchange of data inside, outside or through a network. Free Transit: Free transit means that the owner will not charge for the transit of data, nor modify it. Free Network: The sum of the hardware and software resources that are interconnected, to which Free transit has been donated by the owners of those resources. The Service: Free Transit plus the Additional Services. Additional Services: In the terms of the PPA (Pico Peering Agreement), an additional service is anything that's provided in addition to the Free Network. For instance: the provision of a DHCP server, a web server or an email exchange service.