[Ubuntu-be] Thanks for FOSDEM2007; ideas and questions for 2008

[Kevin Elaerts]

Op wo, 28-03-2007 te 22:52 +0200, schreef Nicolas Pettiaux:
> Dear all,
> 
> Fosdem was tough for me, as I could not attend more than the first
> half-day, because of a bad lumbago (back pain). But this was as usual
> very good and very interesting.
> 
> I therefore want to thank again all the organizors and helpers for
> this great edition.
> 
> I have some ideas and questions for the next edition that I would
> already like to share with you, as it is never too early to start
> working on them.
> 
> 1/ what are the dates of next edition ? Please do not put FOSDEM, if
> possible, in any school holiday, as this makes it difficult for some
> of us to attend. (as they could have other, for example family,
> obligations)
> 
> 2/ what about organizing a formal press conference and press contacts
> to let the press know about this large and important event organized
> in the capital of Europe, that draw several thousands of people from
> everywhere in the world ? I am ready to organize this (the logistics,
> the write up of the documents, the press contacts ...) with the
> official Fosdem organizers who would control the content and the
> philosophy ?
> 
> 3/ About the beer event and the meals, we could use the facilities of
> the ULB itself. ULB has, on the Solbosch campus, 150 m from the FOSDEM
> central point, the university restaurant where 600 people can have a
> beer and dinner together. If the university is asked enough in
> advance, and the money is secured, it can provide very good food (cold
> and warm), at an affordable price, with a nice location where many
> people can attend and stay together. I am ready also to organize (with
> the needed help) this and be the intermediary. The only condition for
> a satisfactory organisation would be that the people register and pay
> in advance the meals they would like to have (to minimize the
> financial risks).
> 
> 4/ Taking the opportunity of the large gathering of people interested
> in developping FLOSS applications, who often like the idea of sharing,
> and remembering the success of the education track organized in 2002
> if I am right, I would like to organize an activity dedicated to
> Education. This activity would *not* be aimed at the developpers
> themselves, but more be aimed at European (Belgian, Dutch, French and
> German first as they are the closest) teachers willing to share their
> experiences of FLOSS in education with the developpers, meet the
> developpers, ask them questions, listen to them ... In order to be
> successfull, such a meeting need to be organised well in advance to be
> announced to the teachers who do not follow the FLOSS informations and
> react much slower.
> 
> Thanks for you comments and ideas,
> 
> Nicolas
> 
> -- 
> Nicolas Pettiaux - email: nicolas.pettiaux at ael.be
> 

These are indeed very interesting notes and even nice suggestions, the
latter is the nicest in my oppinion, cause it could close the current
gap that there sadly enough still is too accept FLOSS in education.
I speak out off experience here, I followed teachertraining in
informatics for a year and you are looked upon ugly when you take the
word Linux in your mouth even. It was like I was some evil culprit in
that group, but I got my right in and we even held a  themeday about
FLOSS in education on my advice, hehe even way before I was an addicated
Linuxuser. I just started to test with it back then.
But really the gap must be closed and if you can bring teachers and
devellopers together they can sync their experience to create better
educational FLOSS software.
Just my 2 eurocents.

Kindest regards
Kevin
-- 
Kevin Elaerts
He who likes free software,
but also free beer ;) 
kevin.elaerts at ubuntu-nl.org