Advogato

Advogato is a community website and social networking platform focused on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) developers and enthusiasts. Founded by Raph Levien in 1999, Advogato aimed to provide a space where individuals involved in FOSS could connect, share their thoughts, and build relationships.

The site's primary feature was a blogging platform where users could publish articles about their projects, experiences, and perspectives on the FOSS movement. Articles were often focused on technical topics, software development methodologies, and the social and political aspects of open source.

Advogato also employed a unique "certification" system. Users could certify other users as being knowledgeable or skilled in certain areas related to FOSS. This system was intended to help newcomers identify experienced developers and contributors within the community.

The Advogato certification levels, from lowest to highest, were Apprentice, Journeyman, Master, and Guru. Achieving higher levels required endorsements from users who were already certified at those levels, creating a network of peer-reviewed expertise.

Over time, Advogato’s popularity waned as newer social networking platforms and blogging tools emerged. While not as actively used as it once was, it holds a significant place in the history of the FOSS movement as one of the early online communities dedicated to its promotion and advancement. It remains online as an archive and testament to the early days of the FOSS community.