Some news.

Caliopen is advancing. Slowly for multiple reasons. First due to the initial lack of developers and also the desire on our part to take the time to refine the User Interface and Experience design. Nevertheless, the short video that follows attests that we are indeed advancing.

We had hoped to be able to propose an alpha version by the end of May 2015, which would have made available the foundation code and an email plugin. Unfortunately, we are not quite there yet. Rather than push the launch date month by month, we would prefer to ask you to wait until the end of 2015 to see more.

Nevertheless, the project is going quite well and we have begun to consider the creation of the legal entity which would allow the long-term existence of Caliopen. It will most likely be partly a non-profit association in charge of the software development, the distribution of security patches and the management of the future “intra-caliopen” network (and therefore to label users who want to participate). There would also be a need for another commercial or other entity which would be able to finance the first instances of Caliopen, manage the public beta-phase and secure the future of the endeavor by seeking a viable economic model.

Caliopen, whatever happens, is a French project. We have not, at this stage, been successful in implicating a large enough segment of the open-source community outside of France in order to propel this project further. It will happen, but while we wait, the vote for the Law on Intelligence Gathering (known in French as ” la loi sur le Renseignement”) raises the question: is it wise to base the future of a software founded on ideals of privacy on structures of a country that could vote for such laws?

Whatever the future of the final law’s text includes after being reviewed by the Constitutional Council, it appears impossible to us to guarantee to future users of Caliopen true confidentiality if their data must rely on a country whose elected representatives voted for the installation of “black boxes” at internet access providers and web hosts.

The decision on the future host country is not definitive (numerous nearby countries seem to be going in the same direction). Nevertheless, at this stage, we are strongly considering the Luxembourg legal system — not for fiscal reasons but for reasons of language and proximity and especially for the guarantee of non-interference by the state regarding confidential information the future entity would be managing. that the structure which will market one of the first services based on Caliopen). That which is certain, however, is that we will create no entity under French law in a context as sensitive as that of privacy.

Pending further information as quickly as possible, here, on video, which gives the current code. The finished interfaces are not yet final, but look: those we have selected are very beautiful.

And if you would like to know more, we are presenting at the JRES of Montpellier in December, which will be the future management of encryption keys in Caliopen and will undoubtedly present at other conferences which we will keep you informed about.