About
Bradley M. Kuhn is Policy Fellow at Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC). Kuhn began work in the software freedom movement in 1992 — as an early adopter of Linux & contributor to Perl and other FOSS projects. Kuhn worked during the 1990s as a system administrator & software developer & taught AP Computer Science in Cincinnati. As Free Software Foundation’s Executive
Director from 2001–2005, Kuhn led FSF’s GPL enforcement, launched its Associate Member program, and invented the Affero GPL. Kuhn was SFC’s primary volunteer from 2006–2010, and became its first staffer in 2011. Kuhn’s work at SFC focuses on enforcement of the GPL agreements, FOSS licensing policy, & non-profit infrastructural solutions. Kuhn holds a summa
cum laude B.S. in C.S. from Loyola University, & an M.S. in C.S. from University of Cincinnati. Kuhn received the 2012 Open Source Award, & the 2012 Award for the Advancement of Free Software — both in recognition for his lifelong copyleft policy work.
Current employer
Software Freedom Conservancy
Other affiliations
Software Freedom Conservancy
What areas of the Board’s work do you see yourself contributing towards?
I have 19 years of service as a Board Director and 29 years of experience on staff for FOSS-related 501(c)(3) charities. Indeed, I spent many years (until 2019) on Free Software Foundation’s Board of Directors, while simultaneously employed by Software Freedom Conservancy. I have a well-informed perspective of non-profit management both from staff’s and Directors’ viewpoints.
Despite computer science training, my primary experience in nonprofit management is in finances and IRS compliance. I look forward to bringing that knowledge to help OSI. (e.g.: I’m very qualified to serve on a Finance/Audit Committee and help review annual IRS filings.)
My other focus is FOSS policy — specifically licensing and governance. Given OSI’s essential role as the primary interpreter of OSD and maintainer of its license list, I expect to apply my expertise there as well.
Directors have a duty care and loyalty to the organization’s mission (and in California, Directors also have a duty of inquiry). I take these seriously. In that regard: while I admit a preference for copyleft licensing, I state unequivocally: I interpret OSI’s mission in licensing to consider non-copyleft and copyleft Open Source licensing as equally valuable. As such, I pledge that I will not seek to change that OSI position — even though I’d personally prefer a world where all software is copyleft.
What goals do you hope to achieve for OSI and the world of open source by serving on the Board of Directors?
I am a candidate for the Affiliate seat and was nominated by four different Affiliates. I share a joint platform with my colleague, Richard Fontana (who is a candidate for a Member seat). Our platform is at: https://codeberg.org/OSI-Reform-Platform/platform.
This Shared Platform for OSI Reform has four items (tersely listed below; link above provides full details):
- Repeal the Open Source AI Definition (OSAID)
- Adopt a process for formal review of previously approved licenses
- Remove “code of silence” from Board Member Agreement
- Directors who use FOSS for their OSI work should be welcomed
Items 1, 3, and 4 are urgent because these new policies — introduced very recently in OSI’s history — take OSI’s policies out of alignment with community consensus among FOSS 501(c)(3) charities. Item 2 is a standing problem (long delayed due its difficulty), but needs renewed attention.
This blog post serves as my campaign page and will be regularly updated:
https://ebb.org/bkuhn/blog/2025/02/28/osi-board-election.html
Finally, my account on the Fediverse is exclusively for this campaign (until voting closes):
floss.social/@bkuhn
Previous board service
I served on the Board of Directors of the SFC from 2006-present; SFC is a 501(c)(3) incorporated in New York State. I served on the Board of Directors of the the Free Software Foundation from 2004-2019. The FSF is a 501(c)(3) incorporated in Massachusetts.
Main social media account or blog
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