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Transparent code, secure data: Selling free software to the US government, our bosses, and ourselves
Karen Johnson, Fen Labalme
How many times have you heard someone say that free software seems insecure, that it’s buggy, that it’s a pain to install or use, or that it just looks unprofessional? We love using and championing free software, but how do we sell it in our work? How do we convince clients that free software is professional, secure, reliable, and useful? And how do we help them learn about the ethical and moral value of free software, and empower them to share that message? In this session, we’ll talk through our methods of promoting free software in government digital services projects. We’ll share some wins, some not so successful attempts, and some future initiatives, and talk about how you can make changes at your own organizations. And we’ll share our git repo with some playbooks and strategies for those who want to bring this work back to their own companies!