Recently the hosts of the long-time radio show “PC Chat” heard on AM radio station KXAM in Phoenix changed focus and became the “Gutsy Geeks”.
We thought the story of their conversion from helpers of Windows users to promoters of Free and Open Source Software would be interesting. The three co-hosts, Michael Cady, Nick Coons, and Mr. MODEM, were kind enough to submit to the usual SCALE grilling. Here’s that interview: Read the rest of this entry »
SCALE’s own Gareth Greenaway and Shyam Kapadia, Community and Speaker Chairs respectively, were recently on the FLOSS Weekly podcast. The hosts are Leo Laporte and Randal Schwartz.
In the broadcast, SCALE, and FLOSS shows in general, are discussed at length. It’s an excellent overview of how shows evolve and adapt to the changing landscape of the FLOSS community - recommended. You can listen to it here: http://twit.tv/floss46
Joe “Zonker” Brockmeier, has been the community manager for OpenSUSE for a number of months now. We thought we’d see how the job was coming along. Zonker courteously agreed to be interviewed by us.
SCALE: Was there one thing that convinced you to take the OpenSUSE Community Manager job?
Joe: Yes - the opportunity to work directly with a FOSS project and help encourage Linux adoption.
SCALE: How have you been received by the community? Any surprises so far?
Joe: I think very well. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how enthusiastic the openSUSE community is (I expected some enthusiasm, just not so much…) and how much fun it’s been to be working with the openSUSE community.
Ken VanDine of Foresight Linux was kind enough to chat with SCALE about life with Open Source software in general, and Foresight Linux specifically. This is that interview.
SCALE: Why don’t we start with you telling us a bit about yourself and how you got involved in the open source community.
Ken: Well, that’s a very long story. I got started using Linux in early 1993, and really loved it right from the get go. I quickly got into a sysadmin gig managing mostly Linux boxes and have been fortune to have been able to work with Linux, not just as a hobby, since about 1994. As a sys admin, I learned about filing bug reports, etc., asking for help on IRC and mailing lists, feature requests via Bugzilla, etc. I just fell in love with the community dynamic of open source, the real feedback into the products I was using, and developers willing to implement features I was asking for. I mean really, how cool is that?
After a LOT Of massaging, we’ve finally gotten most of the available SCALE 6X videos posted. The audio could be better on some of them, but they’re all usable. Props to Tom King and his crew for manning the cameras, and Stu Sheldon for getting them posted.
Here are the links:
2. Dru Lavigne - Creating a Publication Using Open Source Tools
3. Joseph G. Thibault - Introduction to Moodle
4. Lorie Obal - FreeMind in Education
5. Jeffrey Eastlack - FireAnt – Cell phone virtual supercomputer
6. Charles Edge - Directory Services and Education
7. Joseph Hartman - Open Source Education: 4-Step Linux MiniLANs
8. Ted Gould - The Ubuntu Desktop: Bling for Usability
9. Practical ATA Over Ethernet - Ed Cashin CoRaid
10. Sunday Keynote - Stormy Peters
11. Celeste Lyn Paul - User Centered Design in Open Source Development
12. Seth Kenlon - Video Codecs and the Free World
13. Elizabeth Garbee - Open Source Animation
14. Christopher Blizzard - Firefox on Linux
15. Roy Rubin - Building an Ecommerce Site with Open Source Tools
16. George Kamis - Best Practices Locking Down Linux
17. Guy Martin - Linux Momentum in Mobile
After each Linux Expo, the SCALE chairs get together and compare notes on what went well, and what needs improving on the just-concluded Expo. We also discuss preliminary planning for the next SCALE.
We had that meeting yesterday at Stu’s house in Thousand Oaks. Since we only get together physically once or twice a year, the meetings tend to be long. This one was no exception: we started at 3 p.m., and finished up around 9:30 (!). That was continuous meeting, except for a short break around 7:30 when Stu grilled up burgers and dogs.
All the chairs reports on their portion of SCALE, and others made comments. The results of the meeting will be forthcoming, but the bottom line is SCALE made enough money to continue on with SCALe 7X. It’s always a bit nervewracking waiting for the numbers to come together.
More later when the final report is done (some of that is only for consumption of the chairs, but most of it will be made public).
Orv
SCALE Publicity Chair
| …but it’s worth a look. This is the wall in my workshop. Notice that the poster from the first SCALE is labeled “First Annual”. How’s that for being optimistic? Here’s a larger version: |  |
