My suggestions on auditing that services are running free software

[Ian Kelling <iank@fsf.org>]

This is fulfilling a request from the last CTI TAC meeting.

I suggest: For any program that users interact with via a user
interface, the user should be able to download & run a copy as free
software (they need to be able to know & get the specific version being
run). If the internet archive is not taking at least weekly snapshots,
there should be a web page with a history of past versions too. Past
version information is needed for example if a service changes and a
user doesn't like the change, then they can download and run the
previous version.

If needed, I can help work out more specific more details of what
programs should count, but the list of programs on the CTI website [0]
seems to have the right idea.

[0]: https://cti.coretoolchain.dev/services/index.html

I suggest: if an entire machine is provided to a user, for example root
ssh access to run any program the user wants, then the scope of programs
to be free software on that machine should be greater than in the case
of a service. Defining that scope can happen if and when there plans for
providing an entire machine, I see no plans right now.

I suggest that CTI come up with a proposal/plan for how to implement the
audit. Eg, checking what software is being run and that users are able
to download a copy and that it is free software. The FSF will be
available to review the proposal.

-- 
Ian Kelling | Senior Systems Administrator, Free Software Foundation
GPG Key: B125 F60B 7B28 7FF6 A2B7  DF8F 170A F0E2 9542 95DF
https://fsf.org | https://gnu.org