Framework is looking for Linux Community Ambassadors!

Framework Team Community Updates
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Framework is looking for Linux Community Ambassadors!

We are looking for active members of the Linux community who frequently visit Linux and open-source events throughout the year to help us connect with the larger Linux community.

Our volunteer ambassadors will attend local Linux and open-source events, meet with other Framework laptop users and potential community members, answer questions, gather feedback, and showcase Framework laptops and parts to those interested. Ambassadors will be in close touch to Framework employees and they will represent the Linux community, feedback and requests directly to our engineers and to our internal Linux team.

We will work closely with our ambassadors to understand the needs, issues, and feedback of the Linux community. Since it’s impossible for us to attend every event, our community ambassadors will be our eyes and ears, helping us improve the Linux experience on Framework laptops.

The Linux Community Ambassador program is a pilot initiative, and the ambassadors will be volunteers. We are looking for candidates who are Framework laptop owners and active Linux users who attend many Linux events each year. Ambassadors need to have excellent communication skills and be fluent in English to understand the issues and feedback from the Linux community and relay them to Framework employees and our partners. Bonus points if you are already engaged in online Linux communities for different distros.

Let us know if you have any questions or feedback in the comments below.

FAQ:

Am I going to be paid?
Framework Linux Community Ambassadors are not paid, they are volunteers. We will however be sending special merch packages to Ambassadors!

How do I know what events Linux Community Ambassadors are attending each week?
We will be announcing the events on our community platforms, also the ambassadors will share them on social media.

Where do I find the ambassadors in an event?
Please reach out to the ambassadors on their social media if you have trouble locating them at events.

As an event attendee, what can I get from meeting an ambassador?
You can get your questions answered, share your feedback, and get Framework stickers and other goodies. In case you haven’t before, you will also get to see a Framework Laptop in person.

As an ambassador, what do I get from Framework?
You will build a close relationship with Framework employees, share your feedback and ideas directly with the team, and you will help us build a strong Linux community within the Framework Community as a volunteer.

Why are we creating this pilot program?
We are creating this pilot program to strengthen our connection with the community and enhance the Linux experience.

Is Framework going to stop attending Linux events?
No, we are doing this to get in touch with more people. We will continue attending Linux events and might seek volunteers from the Linux community to assist us.

I’m not a Linux user, can I still meet ambassadors in events?
Yes you can meet them! You don’t have to be a Linux user to meet our ambassadors at events.

Am I qualified to apply?
To qualify, you must be over 18 years old, proficient in verbal and written communication, fluent in English, an active Linux user, and a Framework Laptop owner.

My application is not approved, what can I do? How can I contribute?
Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to provide feedback to everyone. You can apply again in the future. In the meantime, you can contribute by reporting issues and sharing feedback, as community input is essential for improving the Linux experience.

Who are the current Linux Community Ambassadors?
We will update the list once we have selected our ambassadors. We will share their social media links and tag their forum usernames.

Are applications open now?
No, the applications are currently closed. We will let you know when it’s time to onboard more ambassadors to this program.

I don’t attend events in person, can I still apply?
No, for this specific pilot program, we are looking for volunteers who are actively attending events in person.

I don’t have a Framework Laptop, can I still apply?
Our ambassadors need to be active users and owners of Framework Laptop(s)

I am not familiar with Linux, can I still apply to be an ambassador?
No, for this specific pilot program, we are looking for volunteers within the Linux community. We might have other ambassador programs in the future.

Are you going to have other community programs in the future?
We might. Follow our community platforms for updates.

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Applied, thanks

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I am very confused and concerned about this program.

You essentially want Linux Framework users to provide free advertising for Framework products for no compensation at all?

I am very satisfied with my FW 13, and frequently recommend it to my friends, family, and distro community members online. But I by no means would go out of my way to showcase it on Linux related events when I myself am there to network and learn.

The way it is worded seems like I would be working as a Framework Representative showcasing your laptops at a designated booth.

The very least you could do is provide compensation for travel, attendance, and any other miscellaneous fees that would occur for an ambassador.

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I see both sides: Proactively (+1) cheap(-1) to improve Linux experience(+1) for Framework’s benefit (-1) to develop better products(+1) to sell to us (0) to use(+1).

I’m split on this.

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Hi Paul,

Thanks for sharing your concern. We definitely don’t want anyone to go out of their way to represent us. There are individuals who are already chatting with other event attendees, sharing their own experience with Framework Laptops and answering questions at various events without any affiliation to us, and we just want to get in touch with them. I guess “showcase” was the wrong word here. We are looking for ambassadors who would show what a Framework Laptop looks like to others who are interested. We are definitely not looking for a laptop salesperson. Hope this makes sense.

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It appears they want to provide a direct channel for a specific group (Linux users) to spread the word about a product they are already owners/fans of. This will not appeal to everyone, especially those who view it as “working for free”. Not everyone needs/wants compensation to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for a product they are passionate about.

Great, then attend to network and learn; again this program is not for everyone. Framework is brainstorming ideas to create a better culture and userbase for the Linux platform. They are one of the few hardware companies selling a product that can be used with Windows AND Linux out of the box. The latter of which has many benefits over the Microsoft and Apple ecosystems.

Many users are too young or were not even alive when Linux was just starting out. Some of the philosophy was to spread the opensource nature of the platform and collaborative efforts of everyone. People who feel they need to have their travel, hotel, event fees, etc. compensated are not a good fit for this program.

It was said clearly that Framework wants to increase its presence at Linux events and they do not have the people-power to be at every event like a major company might. It is being approached as a means to help spread the good word about platform that has Linux in mind instead of an afterthought.

The ambassador program would be a great way to communicate directly with the team that is making the decisions on current and future hardware development. Kudos to the Framework team for trying more things to enhance awareness and future product development.

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Thanks pkunk, looks like you definitely understand what we are aiming here. When you say " not for everyone" I know that you are not gatekeeping, this is definitely not appealing to majority of our community members.

Since we don’t have a lot of community/ambassador programs at the moment, I understand the frustration here and I see this as a feedback for myself, we definitely need to have more ambassador/community programs in the future, not only for Linux users but for every little group of our community, I will be working on that.

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for those who like working for free

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Linux Support Lead here.

Folks, we are excited about this as we, myself included, are in a position to do something AMAZING as a community.

At recent FoSS events, we found folks (on their own) attendees showing off their Framework Laptops to other attendees and I was blown away. Selfies were had, feedback given, it was amazing.

I was at SCaLE and OSS, I was privileged to meet these folks in person, and marvel at their passion for what we are doing with Linux.

I witnessed impromptu ambassadors explaining how Framework Laptops work and beaming with pride as they talked about their Framework experiences. It was in all honesty, one of the most humbling moments of my professional life.

A fun memory I will share, and @Jorge_Castro remembers this at OSS.

I ran over to help with a Framework drive swap - to install Bluefin. On the conference floor, from a stool. Jorge pointed out that it was the most LUG thing he’d seen in some time - he’s right. It was and it was awesome.

During my time away from the booth, I had the opportunity to bring the Framework experience to those who were not even visiting our booth! I was, quite by accident, a mobile Framework ambassador as I took apart that laptop and put it together.

My focus at the time, was getting this Framework Laptop owner back up and running - ended up being a bad drive. I was able to determine this live on the event floor. And during the process, I found myself speaking with amazing folks and hearing about their interest in Linux.

Surely I could have just asked them to open a ticket. But instead, I did this because it brought me joy seeing everyone’s faces light up and I disassembled the laptop at another booth. I did it because it was FUN. That was my selfish motivation - meeting folks and entertaining. :grinning:

Look, as a long time Linux enthusiast, I am excited to see who is interested in providing in person feedback, sharing ideas with us in the “meat space.”

If you care to join us LUG-minded, passionate Linux users who are excited about what we’re doing with Framework - we’d be excited to have ya on board as volunteer ambassadors.

Matt Hartley
Linux Support Lead

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Is it actually considered work?

Of you are a person that is not going to be in these conferences theough work or just as an attendee I dont see the point applying.

But if you are going anyway and use a Framework its not that much of an effort. Of course lot of depends what the actual “needs” would be.

(I am not applying as there are no conferences where i live and dont have the budget to travel and attend these on my own even if i kind of want to)

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I show every family and friend’s member the framework from the inside and that I am running Linux on it! Bluefin of course!
Unfortunately I have small kids and didn’t have the time to travel to events that much…
But I like the idea of the program!
I would not see it as work myself if I already would love to show it everyone! And as an ambassador I could something in return…

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i am unbelievably saddened and frustrated to see this thread. after the phenomenal amount of work the community has put in to make the experience as nice as possible, for free, as a service to both the community and to framework, framework wants more. to model this any other way is spin.

then support them. with money. not with “a direct channel to chat with the gang”. half of the framework team don’t use linux, right? for those that do, or have eg hardware experience, some (including me) would argue that you should already be providing that support to the communities patching or improving the software of your stuff.

that’s called a marketing team. if everyone else at the conference with branded gear and branded stickers can afford to throw some cash at the people handing them out, so can framework.

if this is the attitude the company is going to take, i honestly believe this does not align with my values.

edit: and using the excuse “don’t do it if you don’t want to” doesn’t mitigate soliciting free labour. sure framework is better for linux than some competitors, but i’m not sure that is really enough to justify the request. the community rallied around framework because of its openness, not by chance. you already reaped the rewards from that part, and should seriously reconsider trying to fit the term “volunteer” into the term “brand ambassador”.

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It just comes down to some not understanding a drive to contribute to something you want to see succeed. Whether it’s because you’re really enthusiastic about it or just believe it fits a need.

It’s not easy for everyone to understand. But this very much fits the Linux community. Linux users are known to take up a cause. Sometimes it’s just maintaining a program or driver because they feel there is a need. It could be a driver for a product from a company that treats Linux users with disdain, even. Very often, actually. Now a company like Framework? Who is about everything people like us love, and puts Linux front and center? Hell, you couldn’t stop us from promoting it. People at these events, and at work, and at home are doing it already. An ambassador program is a nice bonus. Framework is not looking for anything that people aren’t passionately doing already. Again, with or without an official program, they will continue all the same.

I don’t know what more to say, you understand or you don’t.

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One of the great things about being a volunteer is that you don’t have to volunteer, you have the freedom to do what you want, and the freedom to not do what you don’t want. It’s awesome!

If you can’t make an event and you’re a volunteer? Awesome!

If you can make an event and you’re a volunteer and you talk to folks doing interesting things? Awesome!

If this feels like a demand for free labor, don’t do it - free labor sucks. It’s right up there with design contests and spec work.

If this feels like something you want to do, then do it! And if you want to do it today, don’t want to do it tomorrow, and want to do it the day after that? Awesome!

It’s always tricky when a for-profit company does work in an open source space. The line between working transparently, leveraging open source code, contributing back open source code, developing community, and not overstepping and taking advantage of that community is always blurry. Many companies won’t even try because the reputational risk is real, and can burn orgs if they misstep.

Personally, I’m ecstatic Framework exists. Hell, just the hardware toggle to disable camera and mic are killer features - the whole modular laptop that is a beast is another real bonus.

I’d love to see Framework succeed here - both with this ambassador program, and in the market at large, because personally I never want to shoehorn Linux onto a Dell machine ever again.

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I understand the negative sentiment surrounding this announcement, and I recognize that it’s not for everyone.

However, ambassador programs are quite common for individuals passionate about a product and looking for more ways to get involved. I work in marketing, and ambassador programs are quite common for creators and consumers alike. While these programs may not appeal to everyone, they offer a great avenue for some.

Typically, ambassador programs provide compensation in the form of experience, merchandise, and networking opportunities. For many, this can be an excellent jumpstart to a career. It’s important to note that these programs are not intended to be jobs, and I highly doubt Framework will treat them as such. They’re simply a fun way for enthusiastic community members to contribute to the community and mission.

If this program isn’t for you, don’t apply, this program won’t affect you in anyway. Declaring a loss of faith in the company or product because of this announcement seems extreme. There will be plenty of applicants who are excited about this opportunity.

For those who do apply, I wish you the best of luck! :orange_heart:

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I’m interested and I happen to be both the happy owner of a Framework laptop and one of the KDE maintainers in Debian but there’s no way in hell I create a Google account for that.

If you’re interested, you’ll find another way…

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For the people getting angry about this volunteer position, remember that most of the mods on this forum are volunteers. This is not Framework looking to exploit free labor, it is them asking if people would be interested in having a more official avenue of doing something and trying to assist the greater Framework and Linux communities by facilitating communication between the two. (this is not a dig against the mods, y’all are amazing and I think this is a great new program that Framework is rolling out. I hope to see it expanded into more groups)

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that isn’t a good thing mate. that’s free labour being obtained to sweep a community on behalf of a company. for free. that a company asking people to do work for no compensation is being defended is really curious to me. see, soliciting work for free in my country is against the law except in three cases:

  • vocational education
  • work placement and training
  • work for a non profit

“oh well you’d be doing it anyway” is an extremely bad faith argument. so what? now you want them to continue doing that thing specifically. pay them. this is hardly revolutionary, we invented commerce a long time ago, coinage before that, and bartering before that.

i own a batch one framework 16, which i ordered within five minutes of it going online. i am hardly a framework critic. this, however, makes me extremely uncomfortable and i categorically do not support it.

pay people doing labour for you. don’t be gross. and yes, advertising your brand, no matter how guerilla you make the marketing, is labour.

pre-empting the whataboutism:

  • what about e.g., reddit?
    • moderators for “official” subreddits are actually often paid employees of the organisation the subreddit is about
  • x forum’s moderator’s aren’t paid
    • they aren’t a company selling products for profit
  • well they’ve been doing it for free so far
    • this isn’t a good thing. this is, in fact, a bad thing.
    • the moderators of hn (news.ycombinator.com) get paid, btw.

i don’t think “framework makes money” is a bad thing. i think trying to lean on the enthusiasm the linux community has for a company’s products because they are a rare organisation technically apt enough to work within it, and use it as kindling for the community to do more stuff to “grow the awareness of the brand” “just because you love it so much haha xD” is gross. i think it’s doubly gross because the framework team is well across how the open source community works: this isn’t a naively worded post.

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I think instead of an “Ambassador” Program Framework should concentrate on the issues brought up daily in the Community Forums, and do something surprising…fix them…in a timely manner. An actual bug tracker would be great instead of troubleshooting things in 500+ post threads.

That being said I see the free labor argument which is how I mostly view it, however I realize not everyone is not like me and some people thrive off of things like this and can’t imagine getting paid for it. That’s fine. Meetups like the one I participated in at Pycon US will happen regardless. I still recommend people look at Frameworks and for now still with the caveat that the BIOS may not be all you want or need it to be yet, but they appear to be making progress.

Ideally the program is simply a case of matching people to events, sending them merch, and if there is something formal like a booth, scheduled events etc. you actually pay them on a contract basis, instead of looking for the sub minimum wage out that a purely free volunteer program delivers.

You have the in to the linux community…it is right here on your community forums. Listen, and participate.

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Which happens pretty much on every forum. Mods dont usually get paid (even on fedora etc forums), its normal to volunteer for a position on a community that you like.

I dont see any soliciting here just looking for volunteers that want to help connecting people. But everyone of course has their own opinions which is fine.

Yeah then you shouldn’t apply. Easy as that. I dont think there is a need to moralize.other who might want to volunteer

Very bad comparison. If they work for the company they propably are part of the marketing team and reddit/social media stuff is part of their job.

Even these events are, atleast some of them, are run by volunteers, even if there is a “corp” behind it.

Edit: good example is OnePlus who has done these things pretty much from the start.

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