FOSS Backstage

FOSS Backstage would not be possible without the great support of our partners! We would like to thank our main partners Mercedes-Benz AG and Amazon Web Services (AWS), our recording partner Open Source Collective as well as our community partners Google, The Linux Foundation, Landeshauptstadt München IT-Referat and Osborne Clarke Germany. Moreover, thanks to our breakfast partner SerNet GmbH, to our get-together partner E.ON Digital Technology, to our photo box partner PwC Deutschland, to our coffee break partners Grafana Labs and Sang Engineering, and last but not least to our #FOSSDesign partners Penpot and Open Source Design. We greatly value your support and are also always happy to connect and discuss with our partners in person at #FOSSBack. See you next year! 👋

Did you already spot yourself in the #FOSSBack pictures? We’re still delighted by the success of the 8th edition when we see so many happy, thoughtful, curious, and engaged faces. Find all photos of FOSS Backstage 2026 here: https://lnkd.in/dTRc7-kC

I travelled to Berlin to speak at FOSS Backstage about our MG case and AI-generated code with Dr. Andreas Kotulla. Turned out: every question from the audience was about the Chardet case - a piece of LGPL-licensed software that had been rewritten and translated using Claude Code, then relabelled under an MIT licence. Can we simply forget about copyright - whether commercial or FOSS - and rewrite any software we want to use, free of obligations? Under the pre-AI legal framework, a rewrite would constitute a new, independent work if it bore no resemblance to the original in terms of structure, sequence, and organisation (SSO) under US law. Under European law, we would look at the software's architecture as the non-literal expression of the original. It is entirely possible to transform software through successive processes until the new SSO or architecture bears little resemblance to the original — but the process itself would still produce a derivative work. My prediction: Even where the resulting code appears completely novel, courts will scrutinise the process rather than the output and ask where the human intervention lay. If every material decision was made by an LLM trained on the original work, I expect courts will find infringement. You can see the entire talk with questions with the link in the first comment Foto: Jan Michalko / FOSS Backstage

The second day of FOSS Backstage has wrapped up, bringing to a close two days filled with insightful sessions and great discussions. Thanks to everyone who took part in the eighth edition of #FOSSBack! A few first highlights: https://lnkd.in/d5wQnxEx We welcomed around 300 participants, both in person and online, who took part in 50 sessions across three stages. The recordings will be online by the end of next week: https://lnkd.in/dfr2aE8p FOSS Backstage wouldn’t be the same without all of you, our amazing community, inspiring speakers, dedicated volunteers, and supportive partners – see you again soon 👋 📸 Jan Michalko

If you haven’t had enough of FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) yet and feel like connecting with others about design and UX – whether you’re a designer yourself or just want to learn more about their perspective – #FOSSBack Design tomorrow is your chance! 📅 March 18, 10 am to 4.30 pm @bUm Berlin 🎫 Tickets from €20: https://lnkd.in/g92vbfWS

Good morning Berlin! Welcome to Day 2 of #FOSSBack. We start the day at 9 am with the FOSS eGov Breakfast co-hosted by NEGZ · Kompetenznetzwerk Digitale Verwaltung for everyone working at the intersection of open-source software and public administration: https://lnkd.in/dC5vuPPx From 10 am, the program starts and so does our livestream! Full schedule: https://lnkd.in/dHqx_igt Have a great day!

This was day one of #FOSSBack 2026! Thanks to everyone for attending, speaking, volunteering, and helping shape the future of Free and Open Source Software with us. Time for a little recap: https://lnkd.in/d4bnwuhG See you tomorrow ✨ 📸 Jan Michalko

Welcome to #FOSSBack 2026! Doors open at 9 am, the program starts at 10:05 am (CET) with a keynote by Æva Black: Can Open Source be Secure by Design? Please have your order confirmation mail with the ticket QR-code ready! Breakfast is kindly provided by SerNet GmbH. More info on all things you need to know for your visit: https://lnkd.in/eaAdtGpz Looking forward to see you very soon ✨

With this discussion following the Chatham House Rule format, Æva Black and Gregor Bransky bring FOSS Backstage attendees together to explore how communities could issue risk-based attestations sufficient to reduce downstream compliance burdens in ways that support (rather than burden) open source communities. Learn more about this workshop: https://lnkd.in/eazQUCwT See you soon at #FOSSBack! #Berlin #conference #OpenSource #Compliance #FOSS

We are excited to co-host a meetup event of the Open Home Foundation with Women in Open Source during FOSS Backstage! Join Eriol Fox from the Open Home Foundation, Women in Open Source and our team for a casual evening of drinks and chats about all things open source. The meetup takes place from 7:00 to 9:00 pm on the 17th March at bUm - Raum für solidarisches Miteinander, register now: https://lnkd.in/eXaMwtfF Please note: From 6:00 to 7:00 pm, the event will be dedicated to women and other marginalized identities in open source to connect. Please feel free to stay through to 9 pm for the rest of the event, when the broader Home Assistant community may join in. Register here: https://luma.com/eita4hqf Learn more about this and other fringe events at FOSS Backstage: https://lnkd.in/e8Z_va9v A big thank you to Missy Quarry for making it happen!