For a Czech Open Source Alliance - DevConf.CZ 2026

Uh, I hope you will, uh, enjoy my French accent. I'm, uh, I'm from Paris. I used, uh, long ago to work for, uh, Linux distribution that was created there, uh, Mandrake, if some of [snorts] you know that. At the time, uh, I discovered open source and, uh, all the movement all around and I joined the Paris, uh, uh, user group, Linux user group. Uh, and then I left the country, uh, around 2006 and I moved to Czech Republic in 2012. So, I'm here for a long time and I didn't join, uh, a Linux user group here. But, uh, I feel like there should be a community, uh, here. Uh, now, today the call is about, uh, an open source, uh, business alliance. So, that's not a user, uh, user group, but more, uh, group of companies that I'm calling, uh, for having here. So, now you know the topic. Uh, maybe I I can ask questions, uh, for the audience. So, who runs, who's using open source, uh, for his daily work or job, uh, here? And who's running a company using open source or having open source? So, who put me Alcatel in the room? Um, that's mainly, uh, you're mainly the audience. That doesn't mean the others have to go, but maybe they can convince their boss but to join an alliance of, uh, companies, you need to have the approval of, uh, who runs the company, of course. Um, so, why do I want to, uh, create such, uh, association or alliance or I will use whatever words but a group of people that represents companies running open source in Czech Republic. Why do I do that? Well, it started around a pint of beer like usually in a in Czechia. You meet friends and you discuss topics that you like to discuss with them and I was with a guy who was working in the Ministry of Regional Development. From the previous government and he was telling me you know you French you have a government they are doing stuff. They have the Dnum who's doing really well. They have a lot of people working there and they produce stuff that we would like to do but we don't know we don't know We would like to copy them but we don't know how to do that. That's an example of what done by the French government now. You have a if you heard about last week it's it's a bundle of existing software. Some of them I developed internally by the Dnum so a branch of the government. I think that's the doc one but the rest for example the file repository that's the next cloud. And the most famous is the chat here which is a matrix which is a bit modified and now the the French government is a contributor to matrix one of the major contributor and so they bundle that and they propose to the ministries that the civil servant in the ministries can use free software instead of buying bundles that are sold by a for a fee with a licenses uh uh the civil servants. So, they invest a lot into making something coherent, working on it to to save money later on. So, that's what the guy wanted to do and he said, "Maybe uh uh you could ask the government how they do or if they can help and so on." So, I went to Paris and I discussed with them. This is a photo of um open source uh uh experience. That's the biggest open source business trade show uh in Europe. So, it's was in December in Paris and uh government, they have a booth where you have people responsible for last week but other services that they run. Uh so, that's more or less the IT IT division of the Prime Minister somehow. And so, you you talk with people. Some Some are developers and some are running the projects, so you you you can really ask what they did. But, the main question was uh so, what's you want to do something in Czech Republic? What's the ecosystem open source ecosystem in Czech Republic? Uh and I couldn't reply. I didn't know much about it. I have companies uh some of them are developing software but uh I didn't have figures. I didn't have uh real insight about it. And actually, when when I scratched a bit the surface, I there's no study about it. There's no market study about open source, uh who does it in Czech Republic. So, we have a few ideas but there's nothing like this. So, the idea is to is to create this alliance that would uh make this ecosystem together and then we would be able to study the market, to pull ourselves, to figure out how many jobs that creates, how many how much does it counts on the economy. And I think that it's it's a great moment. Now is the momentum because yeah, we have a government they announced they want to save money, so they are catching what the previous government does. Everybody does that when there's a alternative, but that's what they saying. So we can say, "Hey, we have a solution to save money. Stop buying licenses, invest into you know, like the French did." Uh we also have Europe, which is pushing for more sovereignty. I think many governments within uh uh European Union uh is pushing for more sovereignty. Uh I don't have to explain you, it's everyday on TV. Uh because of that, the commission has published a month ago uh a kind of program, open source program uh related. So there's a lot of interesting things like uh pushing administrations to to switch to to a model where they would own the software rather than paying licenses. It's not it's not going to be an obligation, but it's going to it starts to be pushing for it. So the information is already there that open source can help to get that sovereignty that everybody talks about. Even though I don't really like that word. I prefer autonomy or Anyway. And then that's a long run, but in Europe people like their privacy, so they always have to uh antique the banner for cookies and so on. It's something that free software can help with. You know, if we had more free software on our phones, we would be less tracked. For example. So, what uh can we do to create this uh alliance? Uh so, I wrote just verbs, but um who do we discuss with? Um first we need to convince uh the sliders. So, as most of you are just uh using software, but you're not running the company, the idea is to convince your boss. But, also you can convince uh I I talked a lot and I will talk a lot about governments. So, talking to governments, uh local governments as well, cuz they every day they publish uh tenders to buy licenses and things like this, and maybe you can discuss about this that there are other solutions. Uh you could reword the tender so that some of our open source companies can reply to it, for example. And you can also discuss with other people from the private sector. I did that presentation a few months ago um with the guy discussed around that pint of beer, and he suggested that you have a big automotive uh industry in uh in Czech Republic. Uh and uh most of them are you know, they they gather data, and most of them are using Asia for that. And so, you you have to get a proprietary bundle on this, and maybe these people might be interested into getting to open source to run their own uh uh hosting uh rather than using something that is not really sovereign. Uh so, I said convince, discuss. I told you about with who we can discuss, and then we have to present and showcase. There's a lot of people who don't know what is open source. There's a lot of people who don't know free software. Yeah, uh that's something complicated. You can show them that's easier to install than Windows. Things like this. So, yeah, I regret there's a few install parties in Shrek here. But most of the time it's in a conference program and the conference is for an audience of developers. So, you always have the same meeting with geeks and it's not that much open to the public. And I regret that you don't have people you know they want to get rid of Google on their phone and they would like to have help cuz they think it's too complicated. And some of us could could help them. So, the kind of a showcase and reach out that we could do. So, I'll get back to how we got there in France cuz we're running such a install party or or de-Google-ize your phone or change your email or provider and things like this. But it So, when I That was at the time I was in Paris in 2000. And this is a demonstration that we took part against um You remember at the time we had DVDs to watch films and they had DRMs on it. And uh that was a problem to play these DVDs on Linux because the players they didn't have to they didn't want to sign a the uh SLA with a to not disclose the the DRM. So, we had to break the DRM to be able to have players on Linux. Which is fine, but the there was a new law that made it illegal just to break the DRM. Uh but then you buy a DVD and you can't use it. So, uh Yeah, here you have a guy that says I have a DVD and I read it in Linux. So, he's in jail. Um unfortunately, at the time we were just discovering that there are threats and we have to fight and we didn't really know who to talk to, so we went down the street cuz French likes to do that. French like to do that, but uh And so the law passed and luckily it was not enforced. So we could could carry on with our DVDs, but um we learned that we had to uh engage to to make sure uh lawmakers uh know about what we do. So that that was a beginning and then we had other threats like this uh another law called Hadopi that was the same but against uh downloading torrents and uh it was not directly related with free software, but we engaged there. Uh we lost again, but we learned by uh fighting. And um in the end, people started to get together. So here it's uh it's a lot There's a lot of logos cuz you have groups of people in regions. They have companies that run open source and they they needed to promote what they were doing so that they would create markets with the local authorities or or local industries. And so they had to get together to promote themselves. And so you you had And some of them were doing install parties and some of them were going to trade shows uh to to show what they they had. They had really different approach, but they were a lot of them cuz uh France is big enough to have many regions. And then in 2010 uh um an organization was founded to federate them. So, in 2010, getting people that are together to discuss and do something together is not that easy. First, they did some kind of a they called it uh printempts du libre. So, that's spring uh free spring or free software spring. Um so, they were organizing events everywhere in the country at the same time period of the year. Uh in spring. And um and so, that's that helped to reach out. But, at the same time, that helped to do things together. And at that moment, the federation started to to work with people representing the entire country. What they did is they first studied the ecosystem in France. And so, they had a I don't know the numbers by heart, so Yeah, so in 2015, that was. And they realized that the open source market values for 4.1 million uh euros. And is employing it's creating 50,000 jobs in France. In 2015, it's going up, so it's more now, but that was 10 years ago. So, it's they didn't know about it cuz you always see a few people in t-shirts when you do a an event. And there's 10 of them, and that's enough to to see people, but behind you have people who work on a daily basis for people believe that they they can uh um buy a open source products. Um then they started to talk to government because they they could say that we represent something that is uh that's the biggest sector in the economy, but still that represents something. So, they talk to governments and they try to convince it. And in um in these years around, there was a decree that um now administration, they have the obligation to use free software if it exists for the solution that they're looking for. It's not always followed, but it's good because that's a decree. So, that's not a big law, but it's something that you still can use to to go to court if if a tender is not following it. And uh it's not always respected, but there's something you can rely on to to carry on advocate and fight against people who do do not want to to change. Uh so, that's called the circular arrow the the name of the prime minister of the time. So, now that we've seen what happened in France. Oh, yeah. I didn't think about that one. Yeah, that's one of the events that was in December during the trade show. They're giving So, they organize um a contest and they're giving um you know, like the HS Kilef uh rewards to some people in free software company initiatives software and individuals. So, they uh we highlight their work thanks to that. And another one is building favorable policies. You've heard, I guess, about CRA, the European regulation about cyber Okay. You haven't heard. Cybersecurity Sorry. Resilience Yeah, resilience act. So, basically that's your Europe forcing us to build secure software. The way it was built in the beginning was not pleasing cuz again they were thinking that software is something you get from the shelf. So, people from this organization they started to complain right to the MEPs and say, "We don't want that. We don't want it. It's It's not good. We can't We will not be able to run our businesses because of that." And then the MEPs said, "Well, we're building a law. I think it's fair that we want more security for European users. So, you help us." And so, they started to discuss and say, "So, this is not good for software, but we could do it in a different way." So, that together they they helped to build the the regulation. It's not perfect, but that's a first round and uh uh regulation is revised every 5 or 10 years. So, it's it's going to get better hopefully. But the thing is by doing this job uh now the association can train and coach their members, all the companies having free software, about how to comply with that new regulation. So, they they're now offering coaching for their members to say, "We've done that with the law. To respect it you have to do this, this, this." And And they Okay, so they look at every case and And they help them to to comply with the argumentation. So, the question now is what we can do in Czech Republic. And I would say just one word, we do the same. We go in the streets and we protest and Yeah, good luck. Well, I'd like to figure out first, that was in my mind. So, what's in Czech Republic? You have a good ecosystem of developers, people are building big companies worldwide known. Uh, you also have uh people promoting and using an open source in Czech Republic. You have also foreign companies doing mainly open source. Uh using Czech Republic labor force that have the know-how. So, there's there's an ecosystem. You're in the room, I think you belong to one of these logos. Maybe I didn't put OpenSSH or or these guys, but it's already there. The thing is they didn't get together. And also, I feel like these guys are useful as well. Um clubs or they are not so companies, but they are clubs um that support open source initiatives or things that look like open source that are open like Wikimedia or OpenStreetMap, for example. And they have association promoting the same kind of um development of of knowledge and and tools. So, these people and I didn't put that conference today, I put OpenAlt, which is later on in the same place, I think. Um But, you see the concept. You have an ecosystem with all the know-how in Czech Republic. So, it's I think it's ready. And I looked also about previous initiatives that was doing the same thing. Uh so, open source alliance. Um I can't remember who did it, but apparently that was not a real uh initiative. I think the guy's in jail now. Uh the LibreOffice is more interesting. Uh I think that's uh Vlastimil Otl, who Yeah, Vlastimil Otl, who created it with a bunch of friends more than 10 years ago. Um they had some successes. They They did uh stuff in schools. Uh but schools didn't make the switch straight ahead, but they they did train a few people. They organized install install parties 10 years ago. That was a trendy and maybe useful cuz cuz nowadays it's not that useful. You just click and you install. Uh but uh they were not enough. I think the organization, if you know it, it's an OPS. So, you need to have a council that gathers and sign papers uh on a regular basis, and they were they had too much administration work, so they gave up. And that was uh in 2020 that they dissolved the organization. So, right now there's nothing. There's been something. So, we should maybe do differently. I don't know. But again, today is the time. So, here you have a photo of uh European leaders gathering showing that they want to um go towards the uh digital sovereignty. And we all know that uh free software can help there. So now is the time. And um How Yeah, that's not the right title and there's a typo. Um Yeah, so with this association, I've told that already, but uh we have to defend against the threats that can come from our lawmakers or people who are not listening to guidance from European Union uh pushing for open source. We have to reinforce the ecosystem by saying, "Okay, we value that many jobs in Czech Republic." Um we have to represent it and talk to uh leaders to the other industries that you every industry needs to be uh digitalized. So, they might hear about open source at one point. So, you have to go out and and advocate about uh a way to digitalize that makes yourself own your uh the tools that you use. And again, engage and engage and propagate the the spirit of uh free software. So, now we here. I hope I convinced you and I'm I'm not Ludmila either. So, I'm not running a company with open source. Uh I can help to liaise with the French who has that experience. You have other countries who have that experience. But now it's up to you to to build that organization, choose the name, uh decide on what structure you have, what would be the strategy by um which activity you start with and so on. So, I will more open the floor to questions here cuz that's not me who's going to drive it. I'm just calling for it. And it's just um I'll just re-ask what I just said all along. Um we need an organization, an association of open source friendly businesses here in Czech Republic. And yeah, I'll give my contact later on, but we can leave on that. And we can open the floor to questions or ideas or anything that we would share. >> I have a question. I think open source is just one part because we always need the infrastructure where to deploy this, the hardware and all of the infrastructure behind. Uh do you have any thoughts about how to tackle the other side, the infrastructure and the hardware where this is deployed if if you want to go through sovereignty and all of these things that you explained? >> Uh I have hints. Uh again from the open source experience um most of the companies that were there, open source companies, uh they were coming to offer um services. They're They're not selling software per se, but they're selling services. And it's mostly hosting infrastructure of a certain company. Or how you say remote control their IT. So, you have companies they as the IT is run by a company, but because it's an open source company, they know they can change anytime. They're using a system, they document it, they do it uh um it's sold so that it belongs to the company. But you have specialist running it. So infrastructure is part part of the service and the service is better delivered with open source. That's what they all said and that's Rachel. Any other idea? I can submit ideas. Cuz for my work it's um not related with software these days, but I have a look regular on a regular basis on Mipest.cz. You know the place where they publish all the tenants. And I see a lot of uh uh small municipalities, regions, they want to redo their website and they have the the entire description of what they want. They want this form, so dynamic stuff and so on, analytics that has to be Google Analytics. Uh, you know you have free software that can do analytics and that respects people, things like Matomo. So basically that tenant is pushing for a vendor which I don't think that's really uh uh legal. But because nobody knows about the soft the uh free software alternative, well, they just push what they heard about. So that's the part of education. I saw a hand. So yeah. So um I saw discussions of similar ideas in other places. So like two weeks ago in in Poland there was a uh people conference and they they are there's an initiative called Spoivo to create uh, like an open source initiative in Poland. Uh, and I'm wondering, uh, how how do you think, uh, and I assume that, you know, the the same things will happen in many other countries and have happened, will happen. Uh, how do you think all those initiatives can work together to have a bigger impact in EU? >> You mean at the European level. So, there is a I should have mentioned it, you're right. There is, uh, a European representative of these associations. And actually that's the Matthias, so they have a a director which I met in Paris and he told me about the Polish they're initiating it. They have a mailing list and they discuss it. Uh, and they all gather under an umbrella organization which is Appel. It's it's a small bureau that they have in Brussels with one guy, Matthias, who's uh, making sure he's heard. But each time they need expertise, they rely on members. So, you had the French CNLL, you have, uh, you have, uh, Germans. You have, uh, Dutch, they are it's a group of scientists but they are they're really fighting for open source so they are members. So, they represent the, uh, Dutch ecosystem. So, you have many members and there's no check. But, uh, of course, they would help to to, uh, they will foster the creation of such an organization here. They will help. >> Yeah. >> So, yeah, one second. Thank you for presentation and my question is more fundamental. Right now, European Commission, yeah, they voted for the sovereignty text tag package. They assess that European Union spends 260 billions uh euros on the licensing here from the foreign countries. So, they see enormous um kind of market. >> Mhm. >> The question why last 25 years if we have about hundreds of billions of dollars, nothing happened. And why right now it will? >> Uh again, I don't have the answer. The hint is the experience I have with France. When in year 2000, we told them that uh there's a problem with the DVD cuz you don't understand software. Software is not a box that you buy in a supermarket. And it took 10 years for them to understand and and just issue a decree that again some people cannot respect cuz they don't understand. So, again, you have to go and explain. Once someone has understood, you have to do the next one cuz uh it's a and it takes time. >> Yeah, thanks for the presentation. Uh first um Uh if if you want to know how you also can help uh with this, you can attend my talk which will be in 10 minutes, 11:00 a.m. D0206. Uh how open source community can work on all on it. But, my question is um I know that certain countries they try to push open source uh and we in Ireland do the same actually with from AI lens a little bit, but we found um it is not very successful if you are not in direct communication with the authorities, with the governments, and etc. because unless you kind of convince them to either build or support this organization, open source for friendly busi- business, it's very hard to move. The question is, did you talk to Czech government and did you obtain their support on that front? >> I talked to some bodies. Uh they are they created a Czech OSPOD uh a few years ago. It's currently it's the it's a secretariat for uh initiatives within the governments so cry or bets uh and and the government, but they are not that many initiatives. So, it looks like an empty box, but they they are ready. Uh if I compare again with France cuz that's the experience I follow the best cuz I I read better French than Czech. Uh the new one it was created, that was almost an empty bureau and uh they were supposed to reply to every request from ministries to say this is how we could can do it. They didn't have that many requests. And then by pushing and by talking to some key people in the government, they hired the right people who took initiatives. But that took 10 years. Yeah, but it's it's little by by little and Czech is not empty. You have the uh you have the ecosystem. I think people with competencies they are here. Some of them are in this room. You have bureau that is an organization that the government missioned for that. But they don't really have things to work on with that mission. So, we need to push some people maybe at the municipal level first. Pushing some municipalities and telling them you have that bureau. So, if you develop something to run collect garbage or cemeteries or things like this. Uh share it with others, it's going to cost you less. And there's a bureau that can manage the this sharing. So, uh to conclude um so with the guy I had a beer with, we going to publish an open letter soonish. We just We still discussing it and because we busy, we don't find time for another beer, but uh that's the idea how we want to launch it. So, we publish an open letter and then we try to spread it so that people are interested. You're aware of it, so watch the space and please try to convince as many people as as you are to join because if if you're a big mass of people, you you convince better. Out of time. Thanks for all listening.