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3 August, 2010 - 22:17 by mchauvet9 February, 2011 - 21:15 by mchauvet

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Mise à jour de la traduction (sur la version du 29 Octobre 2010)
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Changes to Description
 
<h2><a name='ToC2'>Goals</a></h2>
 
<h2><a name='ToC2'>Goals</a></h2>
 
<p>The goals of April are:</p>
 
<p>The goals of April are:</p>
-
<ul><li><strong>Promoting</strong> free software in all areas of society;</li>
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<ul><li><strong>Promoting</strong> free software amongst the general public, professionals, associations and public authorities;</li>
 
<li><strong>Raising awareness</strong> of the stakes of open standards and interoperability;</li>
 
<li><strong>Raising awareness</strong> of the stakes of open standards and interoperability;</li>
 
<li><strong>Obtaining</strong> political, legal and regulatory decisions favourable to the development of free software and to the information commons;</li>
 
<li><strong>Obtaining</strong> political, legal and regulatory decisions favourable to the development of free software and to the information commons;</li>
  +
<li><strong>Defending</strong> the rights of users and creators of Free Software;</li>
 
<li><strong>Promoting</strong> the sharing of knowledge and skills.</li></ul>
 
<li><strong>Promoting</strong> the sharing of knowledge and skills.</li></ul>
 
<h2><a name='ToC3'>Actions</a></h2><ul>
 
<h2><a name='ToC3'>Actions</a></h2><ul>
 
[7] High Concil of the Literary and Artistic Property
 
[7] High Concil of the Literary and Artistic Property
 
</p>
 
</p>
-
<h2><a name='ToC4'>April Team</a></h2><p>April is headed by a board consisting of volunteer members and has a permanent team. The list of board members and permanents of the association is available at:
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<h2>Difference between "lobbying" and "advocacy"</h2>
  +
<p>Contrarily to French people, Anglo-Saxons distinguish lobbies (defending specific interest) from advocacy groups (defending a given vision of the greater good). To learn more about the difference between "lobbying" and "advocacy", see the <a href="/difference-entre-lobbying-et-advocacy" title="Link to the page describing the difference between lobbying and advocacy">following page</a>.</p>
  +
  +
<h2><a name='ToC4'>April Team</a></h2><p>April is headed by a board consisting of volunteer members and has a permanent team. The list of board members and full-time employees of the association is available at:
 
<a href='/association/ca.html'>http://www.april.org/association/ca.html</a>. A <a href="http://www.april.org/fr/historique-du-conseil-dadministration">history of the members of the association's board</a> since the creation is also available.</p>
 
<a href='/association/ca.html'>http://www.april.org/association/ca.html</a>. A <a href="http://www.april.org/fr/historique-du-conseil-dadministration">history of the members of the association's board</a> since the creation is also available.</p>
 
 
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<h2><a name='ToC4bis'>Formers permanents, trainees</a></h2>
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<h2><a name='ToC4bis'>Former full-time employees, trainees</a></h2>
 
<p>Former permanent at April:</p>
 
<p>Former permanent at April:</p>
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
  +
<li>Alix Cazenave was Public Affairs Officer for April from October 2007 until May 2010.</li>
 
<li>Christophe Espern was officer for April from October 2006 to July 2007 (he was mainly in charge of legislative and institutional issues).</li>
 
<li>Christophe Espern was officer for April from October 2006 to July 2007 (he was mainly in charge of legislative and institutional issues).</li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
 
 
<h2><a name='ToC7'>Keep informed about April's actions</a></h2>
 
<h2><a name='ToC7'>Keep informed about April's actions</a></h2>
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<p>To follow the association's news:</p>
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<p>To follow the association's news: <a href="http://www.april.org/fr/association/rester-informe.html">see the following page</a>.</p>
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<ul>
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<h2>April's presence on social networks</h2>
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<li>For daily tracking, subscribe to the <a href='http://www.april.org/serveur/april.xml'>RSS feed</a></li>
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<p>April is <a href="http://www.april.org/fr/presence-de-lapril-sur-les-reseaux-sociaux">present on some social networks</a>. </p>
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<li><a href='/wws/subrequest/april-actu'>Subscribe</a> to our monthly newsletter</li>
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<li>To receive our press releases as soon as they are issued to journalists, subscribe to the <a href='http://www.april.org/wws/info/communique'>dedicated mailing list</a>. If you are a journalist, please consult our <a href='http://www.april.org/association/presse.html'>press center</a>. </li> </ul>
+
 
 
 
<h2><a name='ToC8'>Testimonials</a></h2>
 
<h2><a name='ToC8'>Testimonials</a></h2>
 
<p>Some partners or actors of free software have accepted to <a href='/association/temoignages.html'>testify about the importance of the association</a>. <h2><a name='ToC9'>Positions</a></h2>
 
<p>Some partners or actors of free software have accepted to <a href='/association/temoignages.html'>testify about the importance of the association</a>. <h2><a name='ToC9'>Positions</a></h2>
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<p>You can visit the <a href='/association/positions.html'>page which presents the positions</a> of the association. </p> <a name='chiffres'></a>
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<p>You can visit the <a href='https://www.april.org/fr/nos-positions'>page which presents the positions</a> of the association. </p> <a name='chiffres'></a>
 
 
 
<h2><a name='ToC10'>Key figures</a></h2>
 
<h2><a name='ToC10'>Key figures</a></h2>
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
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<li>Over 12 years of action (association founded in 1996)</li>
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<li>Over 13 years of action (association founded in 1996)</li>
 
<li>#NB_ADHERENTS# members</li>
 
<li>#NB_ADHERENTS# members</li>
 
<li>#NB_PERSONNES# individuals
 
<li>#NB_PERSONNES# individuals
 
<li>a general delegate</li>
 
<li>a general delegate</li>
 
<li>an executive assistant</li>
 
<li>an executive assistant</li>
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<li>an officer</li>
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<li>an public affairs officer</li>
 
</ul> </li>
 
</ul> </li>
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<li>3 000 volunteer hours in 2007</li>
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<li>Over 4 000 volunteer hours</li>
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<li>21 press-releases echoed by the press in 2007</li>
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</ul>
 
</ul>
 
 
 
<li><a href='/association/trombinoscope/'>April's who's who</a></li>
 
<li><a href='/association/trombinoscope/'>April's who's who</a></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  +
 
<h2><a name='ToC12'>Partners</a></h2>
 
<h2><a name='ToC12'>Partners</a></h2>
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<p>April is:</p>
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<p>April has many partners. You can find the complete list of them of the following page: <a href="http://www.april.org/fr/association/partenaires.html" title="Link to the partners' page">Partners</a>.</p>
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<ul>
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<li>An associate organization of the Free Software Foundation France</li>
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<li>One of the founding associations of the French Association for Science and Information Technology (ASTI)</li>
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<li>Member since 2004 of Forum on Internet Rights and member of its Guidance board since 2006</li>
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<li>Member of OFSET and SCIDERALLE</li>
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<li>Partner of the Caisse des Depots et Consignations for the Cyber-base network </li>
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<li>Member of the ODF Alliance since June 23, 2006</li>
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<li>Member of the steering committee of the Cyber-base de la Cite des Sciences et de l'Industrie</li>
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<li>Partner of the first <a href='http://dpt-info.univ-littoral.fr/mediawiki/index.php/I2L:Accueil'>Master of Free Software Engineering (I2L)</a> from the Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale since its opening in September 2006 (interventions in the <a href='http://dpt-info.univ-littoral.fr/mediawiki/index.php/I2L:Detail#Module_L.E2.80.99environnement_du_libre'>free environment</a> module)</li>
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<li>Co-organizer of the Free Software Mondial Meeting ("Rencontres Mondiales du Logiciel Libre")</li>
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<li>Member of the program Committee for GNU / Linux Solutions</li>
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<li>Member of the specialized committee on terminology and neologism in computing</li>
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-
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</ul>
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<p>April has been:</p>
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<ul><li>member of the ADULLACT and of its Board of directors from september 2002 to June 20, 2007</li>
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<li>founding member of the association « Signal SPAM » (and of its Board of directors) from November 2005 to May 2008</li></ul>
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<p>April supports <a href="http://www.laquadrature.net/">La Quadrature du Net</a> since its creation in 2008. La Quadrature du Net is a group of French citizens who inform the general public on proposed bills that would jeopardize civil freedom and the economic and social developement of the digital age. La Quadrature du Net raises awareness regarding such threats amongst the French citizens, politicians, associations and companies. It works without prejudice on building up sound alternative solutions. Here is the list of their supporters: <a href="http://www.laquadrature.net/fr/soutiens-internationaux-pour-la-quadrature-du-net">http://www.laquadrature.net/fr/soutiens-internationaux-pour-la-quadrature-du-net</a>.
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</p>
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<h2><a name='ToC13'>Speakers for conference</a></h2>
 
<h2><a name='ToC13'>Speakers for conference</a></h2>
 
<h2><a name='ToC15'>Who's who</a></h2>
 
<h2><a name='ToC15'>Who's who</a></h2>
 
 
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<p>Some members of April are on the <a href='http://adherents.april.org/trombinoscope.php'>who 's who of the members of the association</a>. </p>
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<p>Some members of April are on the <a href='http://adherents.april.org/trombinoscope.php'>who's who of the members of the association</a>. </p>
  +
<p><em>See the <a href="http://www.april.org/fr/presentation-de-my-espace-personnel-adherent#Informations_publiques">guide</a> to appear in the who's who (option available only for members).</em>
 
 
 
<h2><a name='ToC16'>Communication materials</a></h2>
 
<h2><a name='ToC16'>Communication materials</a></h2>
 
 
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
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<li>The <a href='/association/logo.html'>logo of April</a> in various formats. </li>
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<li>The <a href='http://www.april.org/association/logo.html'>logo of April</a> in various formats. </li>
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<li>Various <a href='/association/documents'>communication materials</a> are available (logo, flyer, affiches...)</li>
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<li>Various <a href='http://www.april.org/association/documents'>communication materials</a> are available (logo, flyer, affiches...)</li>
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<li>For journalists, visit the <a href='/association/presse.html'>press center</a> of the association.</li>
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<li>For journalists, visit the <a href='http://www.april.org/association/presse.html'>press center</a> of the association.</li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
 
 
<li><a href='http://boutique.april.org'>Other goodies in our shop</a></li>
 
<li><a href='http://boutique.april.org'>Other goodies in our shop</a></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  +
  +
<h2>April's fools</h2>
  +
<p>Each year, April is accustomed to follow the <a href="/poissons-davril">April's fool</a> tradition.
  +
</p>
  +
 
 
 
<h2><a name='ToC18'>April and other players of the Francophone Free Software community</a></h2>
 
<h2><a name='ToC18'>April and other players of the Francophone Free Software community</a></h2>
 
 
 
<h2><a name='ToC21'>Jobs and internships</a></h2>
 
<h2><a name='ToC21'>Jobs and internships</a></h2>
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<ul><li><a href='/association/stage.html'>Internship offers</a></li>
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<p>See the page listing <a href="/offres-demploi-et-de-stage">internship & job positions</a>.</p>
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<li><a href='/association/emplois.html'>Job offers</a></li>
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-
</ul>
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<hr />
 
<hr />
 
 
 
<h2><a name='ToC22'>Official records</a></h2>
 
<h2><a name='ToC22'>Official records</a></h2>
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<ul> <li> <a href='/association/statuts.html'>Legal status</a> (<a href='/files/documents/statuts-20050305.pdf'>Legal status in PDF format</a>) (the <a href='/association/statuts_originaux.html'>original status</a> is available).</li>
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<ul> <li> <a href='/association/statuts.html'>Legal status</a> (Legal status in <a href='/files/documents/statuts-20050305.pdf'>PDF</a> and <a href='/files/documents/statuts-20050305.odt'>ODT</a> formats) (the <a href='/association/statuts_originaux.html'>original status</a> is available).</li>
 
<li><a href='/association/ri.html'>Internal rules</a></li>
 
<li><a href='/association/ri.html'>Internal rules</a></li>
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<li>Members of its <a href='/files/documents/html/ca.html'>Board and employees</a></li>
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<li>Members of its <a href='/equipe'>Board and employees</a></li>
 
<li><a href='/association/personnes-morales.html'>List of the legal entities member of April</a></li>
 
<li><a href='/association/personnes-morales.html'>List of the legal entities member of April</a></li>
 
<li>the <a href='/association/partenaires.html'>partners</a> of April</li>
 
<li>the <a href='/association/partenaires.html'>partners</a> of April</li>
 
<li><a href='/association/rapports-moraux'>moral reports of April</a></li>
 
<li><a href='/association/rapports-moraux'>moral reports of April</a></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
Current revision:

Introducing April

Submitted by Anonyme on 25 September, 2008 - 21:48
in

With its 5318 members (4871 individuals, 447 businesses, associations and organizations), April is a pioneer of free software in France. Since 1996, it is a major player of the democratization and the distribution of Free Software and open standards within the general public, professionals and institutions in the French-speaking community.

Introduction

Pioneer of free software in France, April has been since 1996 a major player in the democratization and the spread of Free Software and open standards to the general public, professionals and institutions in the French-speaking world. In the digital era that is ours, it also aims to inform the public on the dangers of an exclusive appropriation of information an knowledge by private interests. The association is made up of individuals, companies, associations and organizations from various backgrounds who share the values of freedom.

Mobilizing its volunteer members and its full-time employees allows April to participate actively in the recognition of Free Software through many varied activities.

April is the preferred partner for the promotion and defense of Free Software.

You can support Free Software and April's actions by making a donation now or by joining April now.

Please don't hesitate to contact us.

Goals

The goals of April are:

  • Promoting free software amongst the general public, professionals, associations and public authorities;
  • Raising awareness of the stakes of open standards and interoperability;
  • Obtaining political, legal and regulatory decisions favourable to the development of free software and to the information commons;
  • Defending the rights of users and creators of Free Software;
  • Promoting the sharing of knowledge and skills.

Actions

  • Raise awareness of free software in new audiences
  • Inform elected officials and policy makers and promote liberal legislation in ICT, patents and copyright
  • Participate in program committees or juries ( "Solutions Linux", "Paris Capital du Libre", "Trophées du Libre")
  • Get involved in organizing the World Meeting of the Free Software ("Rencontres Mondiales du Logiciel Libre")
  • Forge partnerships with institutions (Ile de France [1], Caisse des Dépots[2]), NGOs (Fondation pour le Progrès de l'Homme[3]), public institutions (Cité des Sciences[4], Univeristé du littoral[5])
  • Give about forty conferences per year
  • Relay information and actions in the media
  • Take part in several dozen events per year
  • Attend the structures that influence French government policy (Forum des Droits sur l'Internet[6], CSPLA[7] ...)
  • Raise policy makers and institutions' awareness of the challenges of transition to free software and accompany them in their move

You can also consult the actions, campaigns, overseen issues and working groups of April.

You can consult the public mailing lists, open to the association's non-members as well.

[1] the most populated region in France (corresponding to the greater Paris area) [2] A public financial institution [3] Foundation for the Progress of Humankind [4] City of Science in Paris [5] University of the littoral on the Opal coast [6] Forum on the rights related to the Internet [7] High Concil of the Literary and Artistic Property

Difference between "lobbying" and "advocacy"

Contrarily to French people, Anglo-Saxons distinguish lobbies (defending specific interest) from advocacy groups (defending a given vision of the greater good). To learn more about the difference between "lobbying" and "advocacy", see the following page.

April Team

April is headed by a board consisting of volunteer members and has a permanent team. The list of board members and full-time employees of the association is available at: http://www.april.org/association/ca.html. A history of the members of the association's board since the creation is also available.

Former full-time employees, trainees

Former permanent at April:

  • Alix Cazenave was Public Affairs Officer for April from October 2007 until May 2010.
  • Christophe Espern was officer for April from October 2006 to July 2007 (he was mainly in charge of legislative and institutional issues).

Former trainees at April:

  • Internship, from 15 May to 31 July 2008, of Benedicta Pascal, student doing her master II law of innovation, communication and culture - industrial property, PLA, Biotechnology, Paris XI, Sceaux. Internship subject: the impact of software patents on innovation, free competition and free software: survey of the state of the art, PALS project, future projects.
  • Alain Enam (Master student in law of new technologies and the Information Society, University of Paris 10 Nanterre) completed an internship from 1 April to 13 June 2008.
  • Fabrice Dos Santos Pessanha (Master 2 student in law of new technologies and information society at the University of Paris-X) has completed a course from April to June 2007.
  • Thibault Grouas(then student of the Master 2 Right of New Technologies and of Information Society at the University of Paris X Nanterre) completed an internship FSF France / April from 20 March 2006 to end June 2006.
  • Helena Boissinot (student in the first year of BTS "Executive Assistant" in high school Jacques Feyder at Epinay sur Seine) conducted a course from 9 May to 16 June 2006.

Campaigns

  • Defend the interests of the free software players: against the risks of software patents, against challenging the principle of interoperability by the DADVSI bill (copyright and related rights in society ' information)
  • Inform about the dangers of DRM ( "Digital Rectrictions Management") [1]
  • Raise awareness of the dangers of exclusive appropriation of information and knowledge by private interests
  • Take action against illegal bundled sales (software + computer)
  • Prevent the dangers of the "treacherous computing", improperly called "trusted computing"
  • Contribute to national debates on ICT
  • Promote free software in the association community
  • Add free software as a theme of electoral campaigns: Candidats.fr

You can also consult the actions, campaigns, overseen issues and working groups of April.

You can consult the public mailing lists, open to the association's non-members as well.

[1] The official and improper term is Digital Rights Management

Highlights

The most striking fact is that April has greatly contributed to public awareness that computer freedom is a societal issue and that free software goes beyond technical issues. Ten years ago, the topic was only known by a few advanced users. The years passing, free software has become a societal and strategic issue for companies and institutions. Globally, synergies between the different players are increasingly developing. In a decade, the situation around free software has greatly evolved, and the association is proud to have contributed to this.

You can also consult the actions, campaigns, overseen issues and working groups of April.

You can consult the public mailing lists, open to the association's non-members as well.

Keep informed about April's actions

To follow the association's news: see the following page.

April's presence on social networks

April is present on some social networks.

Testimonials

Some partners or actors of free software have accepted to testify about the importance of the association.

Positions

You can visit the page which presents the positions of the association.

Key figures

  • Over 13 years of action (association founded in 1996)
  • 5318 members
  • 4871 individuals
  • 447 legal entities:
    • 295 companies or company networks
    • 139 associations
    • 5 local collectivities
  • 3 full-time employees:
    • a general delegate
    • an executive assistant
    • an public affairs officer
  • Over 4 000 volunteer hours

Members

Partners

April has many partners. You can find the complete list of them of the following page: Partners.

Speakers for conference

If you want someone from April to intervene at a conference or to an event to introduce Free Software and / or the association, you can check the list and details of potential speakers. You can also contact us directly.

See also lectures by the association.

Press center

April offers a specific area for journalists, media, analysts or news website managers. You will find our press-presentation, our press releases, how to quickly contact us and subscribe to our press mailing list (to receive our press releases).

Who's who

Some members of April are on the who's who of the members of the association.

See the guide to appear in the who's who (option available only for members).

Communication materials

Goodies

April's fools

Each year, April is accustomed to follow the April's fool tradition.

April and other players of the Francophone Free Software community

April is the major player regarding Free Software in the French-speaking world. The association works regularly hand in hand with other French structures whose goals are similar to those of April, such as ADULLACT, FNILL, AFUL, etc.

What's the difference between April and Aful?

Aful is, since its general assembly on January 31st 2009, the French-speaking Association of Free Software Users. Since 1998, it was the French-speaking Association of Free Software and Linux Users.

The Aful, founded in 1998, is a friend of April, which was created in 1996. While Aful highlights the benefits of the use of free software, April prefers to speak first in terms of principles. The actions of both associations are complementary.

From 2005, April chose to find the relevant means considering the stakes, and namely to constitute a team of full-time employees rather than remain only with volunterr members. April has 5318 members and a team of three full-time employees. The Aful works only with volunteers and has about 270 members.

In the end, the simplest is to compare the kind of actions that both associations mention in their annual moral reports. April's moral reports are publicly available both in a full version and in a short version. Aful's ones are only accessible to its members.

Both associations' actions complement one another.

What difference between April and FNILL?

April promotes Free Software in all areas, and defends the rights of users of free software, whoever they are. FNILL is a professional association which aims in particular at defending the interests of its member companies.

April therefore based its approach on promoting a common good (Free Software) and defending the universal rights associated with it (the four freedoms), whereas the FNILL is promoting an economic sector.

Of the 5318 members of April, 295 membres are businesses. FNILL claims members.

Both associations' actions complement one another.

What's the difference between April and professional associations or professional groups?

April promotes Free Software in all areas, and defends the rights of users of free software, whoever they are. The professional associations or professional groups related to Free Software aim usually at being regional structures that facilitate synergies between professional players and institutional players, with business as its main target.

April therefore based its approach on promoting a common good (Free Software) and defending the universal rights associated with it (the four freedoms), whereas professional organizations are promoting an economic sector.

April's actions are complementary to those of such professional associations and several professional associations are April members.

Jobs and internships

See the page listing internship & job positions.

Official records