Linux, we have a PR problem
February 10, 2008
After the post-Linux.conf.au euphoria had settled down, I decided to write an opinion piece on the barriers which open source is facing in the market. Hint, it’s not technical – it’s plain old PR that’s holding it back.
You can read the full piece at ITNews:
2008: The year of the content filter
February 3, 2008
Kimberlee Weatherall is an IP expert who spoke at Linux.conf.au to give an update of the year in cyberlaw. Her tips include the opinion that the campaign to kill off software patents has stalled, that DRM won’t be dead until movies and pay TV join the music industry in dumping it, and that 2008 will be the year that copyright warriors sets their sights on ISPs.
She warned that the current Government’s plan to bring in mandatory ISP-level internet filters will probably go ahead despite the problems associated with putting it into practise, because “Governments want to be seen to be looking after the children.”
I wrote the story up for ITNews and you can read it here:
Census preview: Open source workers earn more
February 3, 2008
Pia and Jeff Waugh gave a sneak preview of the results from the first Australian Open Source Industry and Community Census at Linux.conf.au on Friday. They haven’t finished work on the results – the full report will be out in March – but the tidbits they shared were interesting.
Fifty-six percent of the respondents said they are hobbyists who aren’t paid to do open source on the job. 24% work with some FOSS on the job. But here’s where it gets really interesting – full time open source workers are earning more.
10% of respondents who were working full time on open source were paid more than those working with some or no FOSS at all on the job.
The census also noted a large disparity in the pay of men and women across the board, which is disappointing news, although in some positive news, 7% of the female respondents were involved with FOSS – higher than reported in previous global studies.
You can read the full story I wrote for IT news here:
Liveblogging from Linux.conf.au 2008
January 24, 2008
Our coverage of Linux.conf.au will kick off from Monday 28 January and continue right through the week – we’ll be live blogging from the conference each day, as well as publishing interviews with some of the key speakers. Check back for our daily reports from Australia’s leading open source conference – or subscribe to our RSS feed to get updates delivered to your news reader of choice.