If you’re going to FOSDEM, please wear masks. The venue is stuffy and con crud was a thing before the virus that can take away your ability to concentrate enough to make software.
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Last year @ #FOSDEM, I got COVID. I ∴ missed my own keynote.
@karen & @ossguy filled in for me well, but I also *could not work on #FOSS for a WHOLE MONTH after*!!!
We all have important work after #FOSDEM2026. Why let the #FOSDEM26 flu/COVID slow down #OpenSource?
Wear a mask all day today & tomorrow unless you're on stage or asking a question.
If you need a mask or hand sanitizer, visit #SoftwareFreedom Conservancy's stand at K level 2 (group A).
https://fosdem.org/2026/stands/
Cc: @akareilly
@bkuhn @karen @ossguy @akareilly
> If you need a mask or hand sanitizer, visit #SoftwareFreedom Conservancy's stand at K level 2 (group A).
People might be more comfortable taking that advice if the people staffing the SFC stand were themselves wearing masks and not posting photos of their bare faces. Don't wait until you've lost a chunk of your life to Covid before you start taking this seriously.
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SFC does not have a mask mandate & we avoid dictating policies to our staff & volunteers. I have asked everyone involved with SFC to mask at FOSDEM. Some have chosen not to.
Activism is a careful balance between policy mandates and convincing the constituency to behave certain ways. I call for masking at FOSDEM, but I don't think a mandate would succeed.
Instead I've thanked everyone I see wearing a mask.
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Cc: @karen @ossguy @akareilly
@bkuhn @karen @ossguy @akareilly Thank you Bradley - glad to have you on board with masking - I'm sorry you learned the hard way and hope you have made a full recovery.
Leading by example is always best. Those in leadership positions and positions of respect have a duty of care in our community. A duty to inform themselves of the risks and to act accordingly. I have seen a disappointing lack of such leadership in action these past six years.
I did not “learn the hard way”.
I wore a mask whenever indoors, on planes, on trains from the moment I left my house for FOSDEM 2025 until I tested positive for COVID.
I got COVID *despite* that.
That's why I advocate for others masking too. Masking doesn't really help if only a few do it.
I am concerned folks aren't masking enough here today.