Monday, November 12, 2012

Are we few and small?

The truth is that this blog is a bit left alone, the main reasons are that there is no time but most of all I am not feeling in writing. I wrote so many things the last few months that I ended up actually hate writing... And here I am chattering...



A few nights before I was with a friend of mine that I hadn't seen for quite some time. While catching up the past year and so of news and going around to bars we had some quite interesting talks. The one that stuck in my head started as a conversation about the quality of the source of information and how that affects the quality of the Greek internet. My friend at a certain point ended up saying that although Greek internet is mostly full of crap there are actually people that seek quallity in their sources before they write something, also people who care on make things different by writting truths exist. Now here come the really interesting part of all this. She said that those people feel to be a minority and feel 'small' but the reality is that those people are actualy neither few nor small. The base for that conclution was that in Greek reallity most of the people who have access on the internet, and we were not talking about having a Facebook acount but actually read blogs, read news etc. and writting about all that are usually better educated and seek more stuff than 2 M friends on some social network. That stands on it's own under my opinion but it is my opinion (and my friends) and pay attention to the word usually.

Now thinking about all that got me in the loop of remembering conversations I had from time to time with people around the openSUSE community and generally FOSS people and the frustration I got from those people because they thought the same thing. We are few and small many of those people said to me when there was an idea of organizing something or make something relevant. When I first started mixing with the community and I was inexperienced I must admit that my original thought was that all those were excuses people were saying to me in order to avoid working. After a while I felt the same thing and I understood that those were not excuses but a reality all of those people were living and me because of my excitement was refusing to see. Thank to people that were more experienced than and because those people had the patience to mentor me even when I though I knew everything, I realized that this was a reality. If I ever critisiced you like that I now deeply apologise about this. I know that all of the above still don't make much of a sense and some of you might still wondering what I am trying to say through all that. A fact that goes me to the resume of that conversation I had with my friend.

The resume of that conversation was that people who have a purpose that is not something mainstream usually feel that they are few and small but if you search thoroughly into the internet you will find out that they are more than you think so. All people have to do is search for other people that have common routes or have routes that intersect and move from few to many and from small to big. Widening the way we look ourselves and thinking more out of the box can make the change, you see if you want to change something in the world and make it better requires to often look inside ourselves and changing things to us. 

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

openSUSE Conference 2012 – Invitation to Lightning Talks and Speedy Geeko


The openSUSE Conference in Prague is about to happen and we know that all of you are really excited about it. One more year with great talks and workshops and the warmth of the openSUSE Community around. Being there is really awesome and being a part of it is really great. Since having fun has no limits for us we feel the need to ask you the following:
Kostas Speedy Geeko
  • Did you wanted to submit a talk and you were late?
  • Do you feel like talking about something that has to do with openSUSE?
  • Do you feel like talking about something that has nothing to do with the openSUSE?
  • Do you feel the need to have an on-stage group-hug with Izabel and Kostas?
  • Can you do all that in 2 to max 5 minutes?
If yes is the answer to at least the last and one other of those questions, here is your chance to make it happen.
This year, on oSC we bring one more time the openSUSE lightning talks and the Speedy Geeko and we encourage everyone to come and be a part of it.

Lightning Talks

After many people submitted talks a bit late to fit on the regular conference Schedule or weren’t sure if they wanted to submit a whole talk in order to present something related to openSUSE, we recognised the need to organise something for all of you. After all there should be place for everyone in the openSUSE Conference.
We invite all people that want to make a short talk or talk short about their work inside openSUSE to join us in Lightning talks. Send your requests, info below.

How it works?

  • Each Presenter gets 10 minutes to present their topic (depending on the number of submissions…)
  • The topic should be related to openSUSE
  • You must send a description of your talk until the 10th of october and have the slides ready to send before the beginning of this years oSC
  • Your talk has no slide limit
Time is crucial so after the time limit you will have your microphone taken no matter what…

Speedy Geeko

After last year’s huge success and fun we dare to do it one more time. This year we promise to entertain you showing you the other stuff that openSUSE people do. Last year we had bacon, bees, countries, global personalities plus other cool stuff, this year we hope to be at least that interesting and exciting.
Klaas & bees
How it works?
  • Each Presenter gets 4 minutes to present their topic
  • Each Presenter will present with 20 slides
  • The slides progress every 15 seconds whether the Presenter is ready or not
  • The topic can NOT be related to openSUSE
Time is crucial here too so after the 5 minutes we will find ways to remove the microphone from you. Please don’t make us run for it and be aware that we will carry some sort of weapons.

Instructions

If you feel like participating all you have to do is to follow the instructions below:
  • For submitting a lightning talk click here with subject title: Lightning talks
  • For submitting a Speedy Geeko talk email click here with subject title: Speedy Geeko
The deadline for sending your talks is 10th of october and we will release both schedules at the 15th.
Jan & Kittens
After we release the schedules all you have to do is to be sure that you will have your presentations given to us at some point before this year’s openSUSE conference.
Of course in an open format, preferably ODF or PDF!
Your hosts
Izabel Valverde and Kostas Koudaras

Thursday, June 21, 2012

openSUSE Beta Pizza Party Θεσσαλονίκη

Καλημέρα 
Μα αφορμή τις κυκλοφορίας της Beta 2 διοργανώνω σπίτι μου την Κυριακή 24/6 και ώρα γύρω στις 6 Beta Pizza Party. 
Όσοι είστε από Θεσσαλονίκη ή όσοι μπορείτε να έρθετε Θεσσαλονίκη την Κυριακή και έχετε όρεξη να τεστάρουμε την καινούργια Beta 2 έκδοση για Bugs και να φάτε Pizza από τα χεράκια μου είστε
καλεσμένοι. Αν δεν ξέρετε πως να έρθετε στο σπίτι μου ζητήστε πληροφορίες :D

Δηλώστε συμμετοχή για να ξέρουμε πόσοι θα είμαστε και να κανονίσω πόση Pizza θα ζυμώσω. Θα υπάρχουν και μπύρες αλλά επειδή με μας ποτέ δεν είναι αρκετές, αν έχετε διάθεση να πιείτε παραπάνω φέρτε και καμία εσείς. Ρεύμα, wifi και .iso της Beta 2 θα υπάρχουν διαθέσιμα στον χώρο ;-)
Οι Συμμετοχές κλείνουν την Παρασκευή το απόγευμα στις 6.

Φυσικά αν είστε μακριά και θέλετε να διοργανώσετε το δικός σας Beta
Pizza Party μπορείτε να δείτε τα παρακάτω links
1)http://news.opensuse.org/2012/06/18/beta-means-pizza-join-the-party-or-make-your-own/
2)http://news.opensuse.org/2011/09/30/opensuse-pizza-parties-the-geeko-way/
εδώ υπάρχει και συνταγή για Pizza

Μην ξεχάσετε να δηλώσετε το Party σας στο
http://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:BetaPizzaParty

Να περνάτε καλά
Κώστας Κουδάρας

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

2ο openSUSE Collaboration Summer Camp



Ο καιρός έχει ζεστάνει για τα καλά και ήρθε λοιπόν η ώρα να κανονίσουμε ξανά τις καλοκαιρινές μας εξορμήσεις για φέτος. Έτσι λοιπόν ήρθε η ώρα να βρεθούμε και πάλι όλοι μαζί για το φετινό openSUSE Collaboration Summer Camp !!! 
Τι θα κάνουμε είπες;

Θα μαζευτούμε όλοι μαζί δίπλα στη θάλασσα για να παρακολουθήσουμε διάφορα workshops (μην ξεχάσετε να φέρετε τα laptop σας!) και θα δουλέψουμε πάνω στα αγαπημένα μας projects! 
Πότε;

Το Παρασκευοσαββατοκύριακο 20-21-22 Ιουλίου 2012! 
Πού;

Στο ξενοδοχείο Grand Platon Hotel ( www.grandplaton-hotel.gr ) στην Ολυμπιακή Ακτή στην παραλία Κατερίνης. Λεπτομέρειες για το πώς να έρθετε μπορείτε να βρείτε εδώ. 
Ποιός;

Η ελληνική κοινότητα openSUSE που διοργανώνει το 2ο openSUSE Collaboration Summer Camp θα φροντίσει για την ομαλή ροή του προγράμματος, το χώρο και τις λεπτομέρειες της διοργάνωσης. Απευθύνεται σε όλους όσους ασχολούνται με το ΕΛ/ΛΑΚ οι οποίοι μπορούν τόσο να συμμετέχουν όσο και να πραγματοποιήσουν το δικό τους workshop! 
Γιατί να έρθω λοιπόν;

Στόχος μας είναι να φέρουμε πιο κοντά τις κοινότητες, ενθαρρύνοντας τη συνεργασία και δουλεύοντας όλοι μαζί πάνω στα projects που μας ενδιαφέρουν, ενώ ταυτόχρονα να ενδυναμώσουμε την επικοινωνία ανάμεσα στα μέλη της ελληνικής κοινότητας ΕΛ/ΛΑΚ. Φυσικά δε θα λείψουν οι αμέτρητες βουτιές στη θάλασσα και οι άφθονες μπύρες, διότι αγαπάμε αυτό που κάνουμε και περνάμε ωραία συνεισφέροντας στο ΕΛ/ΛΑΚ ακόμα και το καλοκαίρι! 
Όσοι θέλετε να συμμετέχετε, επικοινωνήστε μαζί μας και δηλώστε συμμετοχή ώστε να μπορέσουμε να οργανώσουμε καλύτερα τη διαθεσιμότητα των δωματίων! 

Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες & δήλωση συμμετοχής: 
- Επικοινωνήστε μαζί μας στο summercamp@os-el.gr 
- Μπείτε στο κανάλι μας #openSUSE-el στον IRC server Freenode. 

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

openSUSE Travel Support Program is on

Hi Geekos!
 I'm proud to announce the official kickoff of the openSUSE Travel Support Program. This program will provide openSUSE contributors with some financial support for traveling to conferences and events where they represent openSUSE.




The openSUSE Travel Support Program aims to support contributors representing openSUSE at events, conferences and hack-fests with their travel and hotel costs.


The Current Committee are:

* Kostas Koudaras (ambassador event planning)
* Izabel Valverde (finance & planning)
* Jos Poortvliet (advice & coordinating with SUSE)


Learn more about the openSUSE Travel Support Program at the wiki page we've created.

We look forward to doing this! If you have any questions, you can bring it up at the next openSUSE Project meeting (Wednesday 22) or email us directly.


Have Fun
Kostas 'Warlordfff' Koudaras

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Amazing Google Code-In


Happy new year my reader, I wish 2012 to be a successful year for everyone. After many days sick in bed today I finally managed to do some work and review two tasks I had on hold(sorry guys), later I realized that students had completed 21 out of 24 task I had and I found that really impressive. Most of the tasks I had as a mentor where video tasks and translation tasks, basically things that will help newbies (and not only) to learn and do things easier with openSUSE. To be honest I never thought GCI would go so well and produced so high quality products but I have to say that things have changed a lot since I was a student and this was not so long ago ;-) .

I started along with the other 2 Stathis (Iosifidis and Agrapidis a.k.a Diamond_gr and Efagra), as they are GCI mentors too, to review the results of the work we got from it as a local community and so far it is quite amazing. Given the fact that the next few months we will try and improve the Greek wiki of openSUSE the GCI was so far a great help. 

I really hope most of the students will stay around and continue the amazing work they do if not openSUSE in FLOSS generally.