--- title: About Bastelei e. V. description: published: true date: 2021-09-01T19:07:15.873Z tags: editor: markdown dateCreated: 2021-09-01T18:57:39.360Z --- # Bastelei e. V. The Bastelei is a registered association with [charter](/en/association/charter). ## Preamble Every month, we transfer double-digit amounts to shady corporations so that they can take our data from us. In return, we get non-transparent software with which we have to somehow handle our digital everyday life on devices that we do not control. As a first initiative to put an end to this, _Bastler and Louis Fabu, the secretary of the tinkering to come, founded THE DIGITAL TINKERING. ## What we offer We operate free software on self-managing servers and thus offer you alternatives to the so-called "cloud services", which otherwise Google, Apple or who else turn on you. We distribute the costs equally among all users and collect a little more money to further develop the whole thing and to finance further projects and initiatives within the framework of the coming tinkering. We only keep [minimal data](/en/privacy) from you and do not link your payment information to your user accounts. At the start, there are currently several services for an annual membership such as an e-mail account on @bstly.de with its own address area, 5GB storage and catch-all function, an account for our *Nextcloud* with 15GB storage space, including practical functions such as synchronizable calendars, online office for collaborative creation of texts and much more. In addition, the password manager *Vaultwarden*, with *Matrix* a messaging platform and access to our digital clubhouse. More details about the current and planned services can be found [here](/en/services). ## What you can do You can become part of the Digital Crafts: Become a member of the association and pay your membership fee directly via our purchasing system. The more people the services the more efficient it becomes, of course, which is why we may be able to provide further services, upgrades or desired features later. The association membership is aimed at all those who want to actively support and help shape the association. As a member of the association, you can have a say by participating in general meetings and voting. Especially with a view to future projects outside the digital space, your active participation is necessary so that we get greater diversity and creativity in our projects. And since we have great pleasure in democratic processes, each member is also an enrichment to be able to make association processes more open. The Bastelei should be about the most creative, informal and good cooperation possible to enrich all those involved. So if you are not only interested in our digital services, but would like to follow ideas and goals, you can simply click on your club membership under membership.bstly.de. All you have to do is wait for your application to be approved and then transfer your first membership fee. You will then automatically receive an annual reminder to your stored e-mail address to renew your membership. Detailed instructions can be found [here](/en/services/pretix#membership). ## Why a registered association The registered association offers itself for our purposes as the best legal form, since we do not want to work economically oriented, but have idealistic goals. However, we have deliberately decided against a non-profit status within the meaning of the Associations Act. There are legal reasons for this, as we would consider ourselves to be non-profit. However, the experience with working in non-profit associations as well as the current jurisprudence, which do not agree with our understanding of non-profit status, have led us to the conclusion that we will waive the legal claim of non-profit status from the outset. The obvious disadvantage is above all the waiver of tax advantages, this also applies e.B. to the tax refund of membership fees, which is omitted here. On the other hand, we can now more easily build up reserves, reward members for work, and make free choices so that we can achieve our goals more easily and quickly.