Here is what others have said for Ada & Zangemann
Tech media and interested indivisuals have shared their reviews for Ada & Zangemann - A tale of software, skateboards, and raspberry ice cream.
"A rousing tale of self-reliance, community and standing up to bullies, no matter how powerful they may be."
Cory Doctorow - Sci-fi author
"Introduces readers young and old to the power and peril of software. It also highlights the accelerating effects of sharing software freely - creating conditions for direct and indirect collaboration which can be a metaphor for the conduct of science. Behind it all is a backdrop of ethics of knowledge sharing upon which the arc of human history rides."
Vint Cerf - Computer Scientist and one of the inventors of the internet
"I love this book and I love that it can be shared and translated and adapted easily because licensed freely under a Creative Commons license (BY-SA)."
Lawrence Lessig, Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership at Harvard Law School, Founder Creative Commmons
"I am really pleased with Ada & Zangemann. It is very important for the world to understand that ‘the right to tinker’ and ‘the right to repair’ are essential to the development of future generations. I started out tinkering with radio and electronics at an early age when all electronic equipment came with a schematic diagram. Recently, almost everything is built out of mostly opaque parts, running opaque software. I want future scientists and engineers to be able to build stuff and modify the software, with friends, in the way that I did.”
Gerald Jay Sussman, Panasonic Professor of Electrical Engineering, MIT
"What a fun read! I recognize myself in Ada at many moments."
Isabela Fernandes, Executive Director, The Tor project
"Ada & Zangemann proves that the argument for software and hardware freedom is simple: We should be able to do what we want with our stuff. . . . Electronics freedom means more learning and less waste, as Ada shows. Kids and adults alike will be entertained by this book, charmed by its illustrations, and inspired by Ada’s engineering spirit and impassioned activism."
Elizabeth Chamberlain, Director of Sustainability, iFixit
"Ada & Zangemann is not only a utopian and charming story about Free Software and computers, but it is one about self-empowerment and also about joy in technology. . . . it may well be an eye-opener for adults, too."
Dr. Constanze Kurz, Spokesperson, Chaos Computer Club (CCC)
“[T]he book [is] actually more than a fairy tale about software, skateboards and pyramid-shaped ice cream with coloured sprinkles. It is a motivation for the first demo and a little bit of civil disobedience. It is a utopia of possibilities to make the world better with limited means and little money, and an example without moralistic finger-pointing, that control does not make happy.”
Anna Biselli, Editor-in-Chief Netzpolitik.org
"It's a hit -- in the first week my kid has read this book 3 or 4 times already, and says this book explains my work on software freedom finally in a way that's easily understandable."
Karen Sandler, Executive Director, Software Freedom Conservancy
"Together with illustrator Sandra Brandstätter, the author has succeeded in creating a technoid fairy tale with a contemporary moral"
"Even as a non-child, I was captivated by the story from the first page to the last. Kudos to the author for packaging difficult topics such as monopolies, lobbyism, digital divide, software freedom, digital autonomy, IoT, consumer control, e-waste and much more in a child-friendly form in an easily understandable and exciting storyline."
Jörg Luther, chief editor of the German Linux-Magazin, LinuxUser, Raspberry Pi Geek.
"The IT fairy tale we need"
"I . . . appreciated how [Ada & Zangemann] took a traditional children's morality tale format and modernized it with practical hardware/software ethics in a relatable way, but not in a way that made you feel preached to or talked down to. Would recommend!"
Kyle Rankin, Author and President of Purism
"After my son was read the book last night, he told me the whole story this morning... He wants to make something out of old pallets after school today. And then he wants to learn programming."
Ingo Wichmann, CEO Linuxhotel GmbH
"Especially in this day and age, the question of how to deal with software and in particular how to use it is everywhere. Matthias Kirschner and Sandra Brandstaetter capture the spirit of our time and bring a highly topical, technically relevant subject to children."
Catharina Maracke, Chair of the Board, Open Source Initiative
"What a fun read! I recognize myself in Ada at many moments. All I know about computers is thanks to Free Software, the internet, and the willingness of others to share their knowledge as Ada did."
Isabela Fernandes, Executive Director, The Tor project
"Explaining what we do is challenging at times, but this book does so gracefully. I'm sure this cute little story will help both kids and many parents about technological empowerment."
Aleix Pol, Hacker, KDE e.V. President
"This book is *really* good."
padeluun, Artist and co-founder of Digitalcourage
"The story is attractively illustrated by S. Brandstätter (...), didactically well structured and very suitable as a basis for discussion, e.g. in primary school. A successful addition to all children's IT collections."
ekz Information Service, February 2022
“In this hopeful story Ada and her friends join a movement that started back in 1983. Their courageous adventure of software freedom and learning how technology works is a wonderful way to introduce young people everywhere to the joys of tinkering!”
Zoë Kooyman, Executive Director, Free Software Foundation
"A cute story which resonates with kids and adults alike. The freedom to use *your* hardware and software as you see fit is a core ingredient in any technological society."
Andrew Lewman, Freedom and Privacy Advocate, Chairman of Each One Teach One
"I hope this will influence young people, and especially those who feel 'I can not do that' to take that first step into the community of Open Source software, hardware and culture."
Jon "maddog" Hall, Board Chair, Linux Professional Institute
"An elegant if not joyful solution to helping children and their parents understand the fundamental concepts of the freedom of expression, creation, collaboration and individual contribution free and open source software represents."
Deborah Bryant, Board Director Emeritus, Open Source Initiative
"A truly lovable story with wonderful illustrations, to teach both kids and adults what free software and open standards mean. . . ."
Florian Effenberger, Executive Director, The Document Foundation
"This book possesses the magic we love in stories and a storyline that will spur the wonder and joy of what’s possible when curiosity turns into action. . . . Read this book and share it."
Bonnie Kirkley, I Heart STEAM
"A book that helps kids understand that the world doesn’t just happen, it is made, and that growing up is about figuring out how to pitch in and make it better."
Matt Bailey, Civic Hacker and Open Government Advocate
"Inspiring and empowering. An exceedingly relevant techno-fable for the makers, creators and inventors who will grow up to shape our future."
Lee Hollman, Elementary School Technology Teacher
"I think that Ada & Zangemann is a great way to learn about software and tech while also being fun and relating to real world experiences."
Zafyr Rahman, 10-year-old Tech Enthusiast
"The book made me think about technology. And how amazing it is. I'm gonna work to get the government to make a law that says nobody may use non-free software."
Rowan Wolf, 6-year-old Software Freedom Activist