Linux in Education – a “model stand” :)

On the weekend Linux Australia had a stand at one of Australias largest education expos and we were a big hit! I have already posted a report on the Linux Australia list, but the short version is we rocked! We had some computers set up for a “Linux Challenge” that kids did and then won a series of gifts including a certificate. This means kids all over NSW are probably today telling about it in news and showing off their certificates 🙂 We spoke to parents, teachers, NGOs, Government reps, and we had a packed booth the entire time. The booths around us complained that we got too much attention and the event organiser called our booth a “model booth”. We had the Board of Studies and DET talking to us and loads of people walking away with information about FOSS and a set of FOSS software that meeting the learning objectives in K-12. Rock on and many thanks to the volunteers and sponsors who paritipated! See a full list in my report linked above 🙂

I guess that if everyone really thought about their spheres of influence, could craft the FOSS message just so and then take it out into their non-FOSS world, then we can continue to have a broad reaching impact. Linux Australia being involved in Software Freedom Day, this Education Expo, the Government education initiative and linux.conf.au means that we as a community are touching some mainstream, education, Government and the FOSS tech community, but what communities are you involved in? Who is your local member and have you spoken to them about FOSS? Have you spoken to your schools, your NGOs, your kindergarten? How would FOSS help them? How can you introduce them to the technologies and technology freedoms that may help them in their every day lives 🙂 Commenting welcome about what you could do today!

Cycling 12km – not a bad start!

All my friends that ride a bike willl be very proud of me. Jeff and I decided to get bike in a plan to get fit, and while he is away this trip I’ve borrowed a bike for a couple of weeks. All last week I was busy, or it was raining and I kept putting it off, but I had a bonfire to go to last night that was about 12kms from my house. I thought “how hard could it be” and with a little research launched into Sydney traffic on a bike (I haven’t been on a bike since I was little!). Apart from a few mistakes, it went great! I really loved it! The drivers around me were nice and my only regret is a very sore bum 🙂 I think it is time to buy a bike so any comments or suggestions are welcome! Plus bike urls that are useful 🙂

I ended up catching the train home, but I’m pretty happy with my first attempt, and will be starting to ride to work which is about 16 kms away 🙂

Joomla guide – download today :)

I had to give a Joomla course recently, so I put together a basic guide to explain Content Management Systems (CMSs) and used Joomla as our example. I refer to loads of great Joomla guides in the guide, and try to assist people in a full Joomla implementation right through from the planning to adminstration and management. Check it out on my new publications page for Waugh Partners 🙂 Loads more will be put there in the short term future.

Linux Australia educating schools

Last year Linux Australia had a stand at a massive event called the Education Expo in Sydney. Our stand was extremely popular so we are doing it again this year! This event has over 10,000 attendees including parents, teachers and students and we’ll be giving out information, software, giveaways and hosting a “Linux Challenge” for kids where they complete some tasks and then get a “Linux pack” with certificate, badge, toy and CD 🙂 Will post thanks and photos after the weekend.

FOSS in Universities – vital to research!

So while working for the ASK-OSS research project, which is looking at the use of FOSS in Australian research and education, I keep coming across some absolute pearlers. The most recent was the FOSS policy put forward at Buffalo University in the US:

direct unmediated unfettered access to information is fundamental and essential to scholarly inquiry, academic dialog, research, the advancement of research methods, academic freedom, and freedom of speech

the free flow of information has for many years been hampered by incompatibilities between Microsoft software and non-Microsoft systems caused by Microsoft-specific modifications to open protocols (such as Kerberos[1]), document formats (such as HTML[2]), and programming languages (such as Java[3])

open-source software provides an alternative through whose use the core missions of the University at Buffalo can be preserved, nurtured, and enhanced

And so on and so forth. It makes for very interesting reading. I’ve also compiled in last months ASK-OSS newsletter the rationale of some well known Australian research projects about why they choose OSS. Check it out at the May Newsletter and join the newsletter for free (low traffic, very interesting!) if this sort of stuff is interesting to you 🙂

eGirls event in Armidale

Earlier this week I spoke at this years e-girls event, a Zonta initiative. It was a lot of fun, and I looked after an awesome group of Yr 10 girls from all around the Armidale region. I spke to them about Linux, networking, community, my experiences in ICT and why ICT jobs are so fun 🙂 Many thanks to Cherry for organising yet another fantastic event! The girls made logos using gimp and I have to say, my favourite is the butterfly one below 🙂
pink-students3.png
On this topic, I’m in a team putting together a large event for Sydney girls about ICT. We’ll be running the Sydney one next June, and one in the Central Coast this Sept/Oct. Contact me if you want to participate or have any cool ideas for it 🙂 I have a basic website up which is in the process of development and the organisers’ email is there. Many thanks to Linuxchix Brazil for letting us use Marie, the Linuxchix Brazil mascot!

ARGH! I just want our webcasts!

This year at CeBIT Open Source was a big deal. We were told this was because the previous years survey had an open ended question asking what people wanted to see, and the overwhelming response was “Linux”. Linuxworld coming to Australia for the first time was also probably an incentive 😉

Anyway as such, at CeBIT Linux Australia was a big participant. We had a large popular demo zone, our booth was extremely popular the entire three days and we ran two panel sessions. We were told that VioCorp would be recording the panel sessions and would a) have it all online within a few days and b) provide us with the video footage. Not only have neither of these happened as expected, but one of the panel sessions were missing from the CeBIT guide, you have to register to view the videos with an email address (and untick the “please bug me” option), they only have one of the panel sessions up, and they only offer videos in Microsoft Media Player format (when asked about Real Player as another option, they said “sure!” and proceeded to put a Real Player option up that has _NO CONTENT!_). Needless to say, I’m pretty annoyed. I would have brought a video camera for our sessions had I known. If anyone else wants to bug VioCorp about this, speak to Ian Gardiner there. Details on the website.