Feb 24: Back from FOSDEM
FOSDEM just keeps getting better. Last year there were still some glitches with the wireless network and some other minor discomforts. This year, however, went just smoothly, even with multiple wireless networks. And the toilets were free too. And there was Belgian Trappistenbier.
Most interesting talks: Pieter Hintjens on how open standards should be unencumbered and software patents, with the live launch of Kill Software Patents. ATI are really opening up their drivers, which apparently is not as trivial as it sounds. netconf will be kind of like NetworkManager done right and looks really promising. Nouveau can run OpenArena, so that's coming along nicely. I still don't know exactly what Conary is, but I will try Foresight one of these weeks. PackageKit is going to be gnome-app-manager done right, but I don't see why they don't just fix it instead of creating something new. Debian Edu/SkoleLinux could use some help and has a lower entry barrier than main Debian. Then again, I had a chance to play a bit with an XO and that sweet little machine makes OLPC a way sexier educational project to work on.
Make sure you donate next year. It got me a T-shirt, an O'reilly book (Programming Python), an O'reilly pocket guide (because I had the last copy of the book, which was a bit wrinkled) and I won a subscription to Make magazine in the prize draw. And if you do the FOSDEM dance on stage you get another free T-shirt. So start practicing.
Feb 7: FOSDEM is nigh
The time is near for that most important of European Meetings: FOSDEM. It will be my third one and, like last year, I made a promise to myself to make a donation. The difference is that this year I actually did it. In my first year I just wanted to see if it was worth donating to, although getting a, well, free T-shirt boasting a free software event in return was appealing. The idea was that I would make a double donation the next year. As the end of February 2007 was drawing closer I kept putting off the bank transfer until tomorrow and it eventually never happened. As of Tuesday last week my freeloading days are over: I compensated for the previous years and put in a little extra for being able to login securely. Now all I have to do is see what O'Reilly has on offer these days and hope for a Sun workstation.
Speaking of conferences: LugRadio Live USA 2008 is happening in April. It's fun, has lots of interesting speakers blah blah … The important thing is that I'm featured in the trailer! Well, probably, I think. Maybe it's just some other handsome fellow.
