Promoting open source/open standards
From: "Greg Laudeman, Ed.D. via chugalug" ------------------------------------------------------ Now that Mike has foolishly made me aware of this email list... What's the group's thoughts about promoting open source/open standards at the local level? More specifically, would anyone be interested in helping with an event to raise awareness of open source, educate folks about related topics such as digital sovereignty, privacy/security, and tech strategy, and build some basic skills? I know CHUALUG has done install fests in the past. That would be a part of this but next level. I also envision having "user education" sessions for anyone from tech novice to executives. If you're interested send me an email. As we get more details, I'll update the group on what, when, where. -- *Greg Laudeman, Ed.D.* *Executive Officer and Principal* *Eduity, LLC* www.eduity.net greg@eduity.net 706-271-5521=============================================================== From: Josh Waldrop via chugalug ------------------------------------------------------ I may potentially be interested in participating. Would be nice if we had such an event on a local level.
=============================================================== From: r d flowers via chugalug ------------------------------------------------------ I'm always interested in open source software, and free in either or both senses. I just was allowed to install a Linux on a (so far, not networked) box -- "Barkley" -- at the Chattlab. Live Linux sessions work as well on the boxes there, and Puppy or Knoppix-style persistent sessions should work there as well. RD/Rick Flowers Likes FB, wikitree, mastodon, and tvrail.com Sent with [Proton Mail](https://proton.me/mail/home) secure email.
=============================================================== From: William Roush via chugalug ------------------------------------------------------ I'm definitely interested, if at the very least, to relay information to our local IT community (because I know a lot of people there will be interested). f e
=============================================================== From: Flushy via chugalug ------------------------------------------------------
=============================================================== From: Aaron welch via chugalug ------------------------------------------------------ This sound familiar Greg :-P I stated something similar. Using an open source toolkit to solve very real problems is awesome, but only if it a complete solution. I did this years ago with open source storage tools and decommissioned hardware. I think communities need a way to create their own information sharing platforms, but someone needs to drive that and manage it. There is a reason social media platforms exist at scale and all the smaller versions died on the vine. I agree wholeheartedly with Billy, find a hard problem to tackle and align it with OSS. Just my 2 cents, YMMV. Aaron Welch Chief Mechanic @ Geek Ventures 423-505-9999 n2nightfall@gmail.com "Enabling people to do great things with their own ideas." On Tue, Apr 22, 2025 at 4:05=E2=80=AFPM Flushy via chugalug wrote: ? ous a place to venue/sales l as =E2=80=9Clunch and learn=E2=80=9D ll he =9Cthink problems together.=E2=80=9D rds - at r worth lso worry g e look at this cool value than what I chugalug@chugalug.org> wrote: t g
=============================================================== From: "Greg Laudeman, Ed.D. via chugalug" ------------------------------------------------------ I=E2=80=99m also looking for 3 or 4 geeks to be on a panel for an event = I=E2=80=99m hosting on June 4th at 5:30. It should be a fun time! = You=E2=80=99ll even get to poke a bit of fun at people who don=E2=80=99t = get tech. =F0=9F=98=81 Tl;dr: my goal is to figure out how to effectively engage the community = to plan and govern software infrastructure as well as how to deploy and = maintain it. I think it starts with educating leaders, those who control = resources and set priorities. To answer Billy's question: The goal is to empower people with = technology, for them to have control over and capitalize (or not) on = their data, to do better and make more, and keep more of the value that = flows from that in the community/local economy. In economic terms, this = is about import substitution, which requires achieving a critical mass = of consumers/customers and local developers/producers. Network effects = are real. The objectives ("measurable criteria=E2=80=9D) are to (a) raise (local) = awareness of and openness to open source/open standard technologies, (b) = increase (local) investment in/spending on talent for open source, from = basic and advanced skills, and (c) improve (local) economic returns = on/utilization of information infrastructure & systems. These are = short-, medium-, and long-term objectives. The (local) is really = important due to some really cool aspects of network effects and human = weirdness that causes knowledge to get embedded in local social = structures, economic systems, and culture.=20 The OS/OS fest and similar events are totally focused on (a), which is = critical but not sufficient. There must be a clear and compelling case = for most people and organizations to step up to (b). So, yes, a = collaborative learning/planning mechanism/process is necessary to (1) = identify and prioritize issues and (2) methodically apply technology to = them. (1) is basically what I do for a living. As you probably know = there is no direct, simple path from (1) to (2) and lots of back & forth = between the two and often requires totally reframing issues and = technologies. Either can be costly and ineffective; both together can be = utter disasters. One reason is lack of infrastructure, including a = broad, deep talent pool. The key thing to remember is that (1) and (2) are both learning = activities. (1) is =E2=80=9Coutward=E2=80=9D learning about stakeholders = and their milieus. It necessary requires direct input and preferably = active participation by stakeholders. (2) is =E2=80=9Cinward=E2=80=9D = learning about the fit between problems and technologies. Both require = means of communication and data, which must be acquired, processes, = stored, transmitted. Infrastructure is basically a public good that can = be provided for many at the same cost as one, for which it costs more to = exclude people than to have to open. Of course, the fun characteristic = of data and code is that both can be duplicated for zero cost by anyone = with access, which can be expensive and difficult to limit. When the = code is executed, it =E2=80=9Cnaturally=E2=80=9D limits access, which is = essential for (c). All of this is a long way to say those with software infrastructure will = have lower costs to use technology and get better results from it. BUT, = to get there, their common needs and complementary opportunities must be = the focus and purpose of software infrastructure development. Risk is = avoided/managed by sharing it among everyone using the infrastructure = and a process of focusing the infrastructure development that considers = everyone who uses it. OS/OS shifts the nature of risk from =E2=80=9Cdepend= ing on Big Tech=E2=80=9D to =E2=80=9Cdepending on your local talent.=E2=80= =9D To Billy=E2=80=99s point how risk is managed with OS/OS is = fundamentally different from with Big Tech solutions.=20 Bottom line, a digital utility that provides software infrastructure = must have governance (=E2=80=9Cworking group=E2=80=9D) and means to = educate, plan, and support adoption/use (=E2=80=9Ccommunity = engagement=E2=80=9D) functions as well as devops. There must be = interactive processes for learning about/from/with users, focusing = efforts, and building the infrastructure. That=E2=80=99s what I=E2=80=99m working on and I eagerly welcome and = greatly appreciate others who want to help out! =E2=80=94 GL wrote: real problems is awesome, but only if it a complete solution. I did this = years ago with open source storage tools and decommissioned hardware. platforms, but someone needs to drive that and manage it. There is a = reason social media platforms exist at scale and all the smaller = versions died on the vine. align it with OSS. wrote: criteria? various topics and goals over the years. Some ranging from =E2=80=9Cjust = to have a place to nerd out=E2=80=9D all the way to =E2=80=9Cbusiness = networking and find revenue/sales opportunities.=E2=80=9D well as =E2=80=9Clunch and learn=E2=80=9D type events from an = educational perspective. Teaching folks to fish and all that. Without clear understanding of the types of problems folks face and how = the standards address that, it feels more like the Lorax pontificating = =E2=80=9Cthink of the trees!=E2=80=9D And less about =E2=80=9Clet=E2=80=99= s solve these problems together.=E2=80=9D open source software doesn=E2=80=99t address those, and neither do open = standards - at least not on their own. As an individual, open standards = are only as attractive as the time I need to invest to make it work for = me. The busier I am, the less attractive it is. It=E2=80=99s only free = if my time is not worth anything. This scales even more if I=E2=80=99m a = business, except now I also worry about risks. exploring the foundations needed for open standards, identifying the = skills and time required, and possibly defining a framework for others = to follow if they want to adopt them. =E2=80=9Clook at this cool standard=E2=80=9D - of which I do find value. = It=E2=80=99s just different value than what I would need for the = professional side of things. fish open source via show and tell/hands on/demo-presos? Yes! to care about them, learn them, and eventually adopt them? Also yes, but = a different group than the 1st one. wrote: to our local IT community (because I know a lot of people there will be = interested). chugalug wrote: standards at the local level? More specifically, would anyone be = interested in helping with an event to raise awareness of open source, = educate folks about related topics such as digital sovereignty, = privacy/security, and tech strategy, and build some basic skills? part of this but next level. I also envision having "user education" = sessions for anyone from tech novice to executives.=20 update the group on what, when, where. =E2=80=94 Greg Laudeman, Ed.D. Executive Officer and Founder, Eduity, LLC 706-271-5521 www.eduity.net
=============================================================== From: Lynn Dixon via chugalug ------------------------------------------------------ Side note, there=E2=80=99s at least 2 members of Chugalug whom work for one= of the largest Open Source software companies in the world: Red Hat. :) =E2=80=99m get to o , o wareness of . r , is and their milieus. een problems and e ro . which is essential a e ig Tech=E2=80=9D oint how risk is managed lan, and support s devops. There g tly appreciate on n n a? ious a place to evenue/sales ll as =E2=80=9Clunch and learn=E2=80=9D all the =80=9Cthink problems together.=E2=80=9D ards - at er t worth also worry lls w =9Clook at this ferent value than g > chugalug@chugalug.org> wrote: s
=============================================================== From: Adam Jimerson via chugalug ------------------------------------------------------ I think it would be fun to take part in this, as a OSS/FLOSS enthusiast, fo= rmer Arch=20 Linux user (sorry had to be done for the meme), someone who developed and=20 maintained their own open source operating system that was a hybrid of Free= BSD=20 (Kernel/User space) and Arch Linux (Package manager, build system, and file= system=20 layout), and someone that recently seen the light of atomic (also called im= mutable)=20 Linux distros with NixOS I might be able to provide some interesting insigh= t at the=20 very least. On Wednesday, April 23, 2025 8:55:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time Greg Laudeman= ,=20 Ed.D. via chugalug wrote: I=E2=80=99m also looking for 3 or 4 geeks to be on a panel for an event I= =E2=80=99m hosting on June=20 4th at 5:30. It should be a fun time! You=E2=80=99ll even get to poke a bit= of fun at people who=20 don=E2=80=99t get tech. =F0=9F=98=81 Tl;dr: my goal is to figure out how to effectively engage the community to = plan and=20 govern software infrastructure as well as how to deploy and maintain it. I = think it=20 starts with educating leaders, those who control resources and set prioriti= es. To answer Billy's question: The goal is to empower people with technology, = for them=20 to have control over and capitalize (or not) on their data, to do better an= d make=20 more, and keep more of the value that flows from that in the community/loca= l=20 economy. In economic terms, this is about import substitution, which requir= es=20 achieving a critical mass of consumers/customers and local developers/produ= cers.=20 Network effects are real. The objectives ("measurable criteria=E2=80=9D) are to (a) raise (local) awa= reness of and=20 openness to open source/open standard technologies, (b) increase (local)=20 investment in/spending on talent for open source, from basic and advanced s= kills,=20 and (c) improve (local) economic returns on/utilization of information infr= astructure=20 & systems. These are short-, medium-, and long-term objectives. The (local)= is really=20 important due to some really cool aspects of network effects and human weir= dness=20 that causes knowledge to get embedded in local social structures, economic= =20 systems, and culture.=20 The OS/OS fest and similar events are totally focused on (a), which is crit= ical but not=20 sufficient. There must be a clear and compelling case for most people and=20 organizations to step up to (b). So, yes, a collaborative learning/planning= =20 mechanism/process is necessary to (1) identify and prioritize issues and (2= )=20 methodically apply technology to them. (1) is basically what I do for a liv= ing. As you=20 probably know there is no direct, simple path from (1) to (2) and lots of b= ack & forth=20 between the two and often requires totally reframing issues and technologie= s.=20 Either can be costly and ineffective; both together can be utter disasters.= One=20 reason is lack of infrastructure, including a broad, deep talent pool. The key thing to remember is that (1) and (2) are both learning activities.= (1) is=20 =E2=80=9Coutward=E2=80=9D learning about stakeholders and their milieus. It= necessary requires direct=20 input and preferably active participation by stakeholders. (2) is =E2=80=9C= inward=E2=80=9D learning=20 about the fit between problems and technologies. Both require means of=20 communication and data, which must be acquired, processes, stored, transmit= ted.=20 Infrastructure is basically a public good that can be provided for many at = the same=20 cost as one, for which it costs more to exclude people than to have to open= =2E Of=20 course, the fun characteristic of data and code is that both can be duplica= ted for=20 zero cost by anyone with access, which can be expensive and difficult to li= mit. When=20 the code is executed, it =E2=80=9Cnaturally=E2=80=9D limits access, which i= s essential for (c). All of this is a long way to say /those with software infrastructure will h= ave lower=20 costs to use technology and get better results from it/. BUT, to get there,= their=20 common needs and complementary opportunities must be the focus and purpose= =20 of software infrastructure development. Risk is avoided/managed by sharing = it=20 among everyone using the infrastructure and a process of focusing the=20 infrastructure development that considers everyone who uses it. OS/OS shift= s the=20 nature of risk from =E2=80=9Cdepending on Big Tech=E2=80=9D to =E2=80=9Cdep= ending on your local talent.=E2=80=9D To=20 Billy=E2=80=99s point how risk is managed with OS/OS is fundamentally diffe= rent from with=20 Big Tech solutions.=20 Bottom line, a digital utility that provides software infrastructure must h= ave=20 governance (=E2=80=9Cworking group=E2=80=9D) and means to educate, plan, an= d support adoption/ use (=E2=80=9Ccommunity engagement=E2=80=9D) functions as well as devops. T= here must be=20 interactive processes for learning about/from/with users, focusing efforts,= and=20 building the infrastructure. That=E2=80=99s what I=E2=80=99m working on and I eagerly welcome and greatl= y appreciate others=20 who want to help out! =E2=80=94 GL On Apr 22, 2025, at 4:20 PM, Aaron welch via chugalug=20 wrote: