Free as in speech, not as in server space Popular Linux orgs Freedesktop and Alpine Linux are scrambling for new web hosting Donor's shift away from bare-metal servers leaves groups looking for new homes. Kevin Purdy Feb 3, 2025 6:47 pm | 2 Credit: Getty Images Credit: Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreIn what is becoming a sadly regular occurrence, two popular free software projects, X.org/Freedesktop.org and Alpine Linux, need to rally some of their millions of users so that they can continue operating.Both services have largely depended on free server resources provided by Equinix (formerly Packet.net) and its Metal division for the past few years. Equinix announced recently that it was sunsetting its bare-metal sales and services, or renting out physically distinct single computers rather than virtualized and shared hardware. As reported by the Phronix blog, both free software organizations have until the end of April to find and fund new hosting, with some fairly demanding bandwidth and development needs.An issue ticket on Freedesktop.org's GitLab repository provides the story and the nitty-gritty needs of that project. Both the X.org foundation (home of the 40-year-old window system) and Freedesktop.org (a shared base of specifications and technology for free software desktops, including Wayland and many more) used Equinix's donated space.Equinix Metal "were very kind and generous with us and even if it's a shame we have to move out on a short notice, all things come to an end," writes Benjamin Tissoires, admin for the project, on the issue page. Tissoires lays out the project's needsmore than 400GB of database storage and close to 100TB of storage dataand a wishlist for new hosting.Among the potential improvements for the next space are a delivery service like Cloudflare or Fastl, "to keep the AI-scrapers away." Freedesktop has "quite a bunch of AI bots literally pumping our entire GitLab instance," Tissoires writes.Having worked "around the clock" to move from Google Cloud Platform after its open source credits there ran out, and now rushing to move off Equinix, Tissoires suggests a new plan: "[H]ave [freedesktop.org] pay for its own servers, and then have sponsors chip in."Popular without most users knowing itAlpine Linux, a small, security-minded distribution used in many containers and embedded devices, also needs a new home quickly. As detailed in its blog, Alpine Linux uses about 800TB of bandwidth each month and also needs continuous integration runners (or separate job agents), as well as a development box. Alpine states it is seeking co-location space and bare-metal servers near the Netherlands, though it will consider virtual machines if bare metal is not feasible.Like X.org/Freedesktop, Alpine is using this moment as a wake-up call. Responding to Ars, Carlo Landmeter, who serves on Alpine's council, noted that Alpine Linux is a kind of open source project "that became popular without most users knowing it." Users are starting to donate, and companies are reaching out to help, but it's still "early days," Landmeter wrote.Every so often, those working at the foundations of open source software experience something that highlights the mismatch between a project's importance and its support and funding. Perhaps some people or some organizations will do the harder work of finding a sustaining future for these projects.Ars has reached out to Equinix and X/Freedesktop and will update this post with responses.Kevin PurdySenior Technology ReporterKevin PurdySenior Technology Reporter Kevin is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering open-source software, PC gaming, home automation, repairability, e-bikes, and tech history. He has previously worked at Lifehacker, Wirecutter, iFixit, and Carbon Switch. 2 Comments