We ship code that stays free.
Emuren exists because free software built the ground we stand on. Every tool, framework, and protocol we use in our stack was shaped by people who chose to share their work instead of license it. When we say free, we mean free as in freedom. Not free of charge. Free to run, study, share, and modify. Free to fork. Free to outlive any single company or contributor. We believe that ethic belongs in the systems we build. Not as charity. As conviction.
What we mean by free software
When we build for free software projects, we build the same way we build for paying clients. With the same discipline, the same testing, the same documentation. The only difference is the license. We want your project to outlive the engagement, to fork freely, to be picked up by someone else when the funding changes or the team rotates. That only works if the code is truly free. Not just source-available. Not just published as a courtesy. Licensed for the four essential freedoms.
Discounts for copyleft projects
We maintain a standing discount program for projects under strong copyleft licenses. If your project is distributed under GPL, AGPL, or LGPL, you pay less. We want your project to succeed, and we believe copyleft is one of the most effective mechanisms ever invented for keeping software free.
There is no application form. No means test. If your project carries one of these licenses, the discount applies automatically at invoicing.
GNU General Public License
For projects that want to guarantee end-users the freedom to run, study, share, and modify the software. The GPL is the foundation of free software. We support it unconditionally.
GNU Affero General Public License
For network-server software. This license closes the "application service provider" loophole. If your project runs on a server and you want users to have the same freedoms they'd get with a distributed binary, AGPL is the right choice.
GNU Lesser General Public License
For libraries and components that need to be usable by proprietary software without forcing the whole application to become GPL. A pragmatic middle ground that still protects the core library's freedom.
What we ask in return
Nothing financial. We ask two things: that the project maintains a clear CONTRIBUTING guide so the next person can find their way in, and that the license file stays intact in every distribution. That's it. We don't ask for credit in the README, a logo on the website, or a mention in the docs. Though we are grateful when it happens.
Projects we admire
We won't list every project we've contributed to. Most of our free software work happens in private repos that we fork into the open when the client agrees. But we're happy to talk about what we've learned from the ecosystems we work in. Reach out and we'll share what we can.