Why Nix is great

for software freedom

NixCon 2024 - Arnout Engelen - @raboof@merveilles.town

Why Nix is great/terrible

for software freedom

NixCon 2024 - Arnout Engelen - @raboof@merveilles.town
Free SoftwareOpen Source
FSFOSI
CommunityCorporate
CopyleftPermissive

Free Software

Four freedoms:

  • Use for any purpose
  • Study the source
  • Share copies
  • Improve the project

Open Source

Open Source Definition

Based on Debian's Free Software Guidelines

Free SoftwareOpen Source
Public interestSelf-interest

Software Freedom

  • Use for any purpose
  • Study the source
  • Share copies
  • Improve the project

.... but why?

FLOSS has Won

... but why haven't we bridged the gap?

Barrier 1: versions

Running bleeding-edge versions...

  • Eats your data
  • Breaks your system

Barrier 2: binaries

Barrier 3: complexity

Nix ♥️ Software Freedom

  • Safely bleeding edge
  • Use the Source ✨
  • Squash complexity