Ubuntu Pennsylvania Local/Community Team

Bryan Behrenshausen reports that the Millersville University Open Options: Remix Computing with Open Source Software Event was a success!

Just writing to report our success at last night’s library event,
“Open Options: Remix Computing with Open Source Software.” Nearly 50
people attended the panel discussion and listened to our experts
discuss everything from open source software to the future of the
commons. And following the talk, many students and faculty spent time
watching Ubuntu software demonstrations, discussing ways to implement
these technologies into their personal and professional lives, and
snacking on cookies while browsing a selection of the library’s
collection (related to everything from the political economy of
software to handbooks on GNU programming). What’s more, I watched
many attendees leave the event carrying Ubuntu CDs, netbook remix
flash drives, the Open CD, and copies of OpenOffice — not to mention
stickers, buttons, and pamphlets.

The event would not have been nearly as successful as it was without
the support of many Ubuntu PA LoCo team members. Many thanks to
Elizabeth Krumbach and Bret Fledderjohn for helping to promote the
event and coordinate the team. And a sincere “thank you” to Jim
Fisher and Thomas Ward for not only preparing but also shipping Ubuntu
CDs, flash drives, stickers, and other goodies to us at Millersville
University. And finally, we must indeed thank Chris Knittel and his
buddy Dan Hodges, who drove all the way from Camp Hill to demo Ubuntu
on a desktop, notebook, netbook, and G1 mobile phone for all our
guests. After the panel discussion, these gents cooly fielded a
barrage of questions from students and faculty for nearly a half-hour.

It’s hard to believe: After nearly five months of planning and
coordinating, the event is behind us. We hope the success of the
evening not only demonstrates the feasibility of another (perhaps on
Software Freedom Day), but also prompts students and faculty to think
critically about the nature of the tools they use — and the open
options available to them as they remix the future and remake the
world.

Those with Facebook accounts can view photos here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=152068&id=37366458921

Thanks again to Bryan for contacting the team and giving us the opportunity to participate in this event!

Millersville University in Millersville (near Lancaster) is hosting an event called Open Options: Remix Computing with Open Source Software. The event is designed to introduce students and faculty to the concept and philosophy of open source software. It will consist of approximately a 1 hour round table discussion on Open Source and approximately 1 hour of casual demonstrations, discussion and questions (think: tables with demos, people wandering around, cookies, coffee, chat).

• Date: Thursday, February 18, 2010
• Time: 7-9PM (may run later, depending on attendee questions and interest)
• Location: Millersville University’s Ganser Library, 4th floor

Bryan Behrenshausen of the Department of Communication & Theatre at Millersville University has invited the Ubuntu Pennsylvania Team to participate to give Open Source demos. So far the team has helped out by providing some items for the event, but what we really need is more volunteers! Bring out your laptop or desktop loaded with Ubuntu and ready to give demos and join us for a fun evening of showing off Open Source to an eager audience. More details can be found on the wiki page:

•  https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PennsylvaniaTeam/EventsTeam/MillersvilleUniversityFOSS2010

If you have any questions, please feel free to email behrenshausen -AT- gmail -DOT- com

Photos from the Philadelphia Karmic Release party have been posted:

•  http://gallery.ubuntupennsylvania.org/main.php?g2_itemId=857
•  http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahotw/sets/72157622579059915/

Thanks to everyone who showed up, 13 in total, and a special thanks to those of you who came from out of state (a couple folks from New Jersey, one from Maryland!) and everyone who got in the spirit of Halloween and dressed up

We’ve already mentioned the Philly Karmic Koala Release Party, Oct 31st from 2-6PM. Now Pittsburgh has an event planned too!

Friday, October 30th, 7:00 PM

Fox & Hound

2002 Northway Mall, McKnight Road

Pittsburgh, PA 15237

GOOGLE MAPS

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1298063

Thanks to everyone who came out to make our CPOSC table such a success!

Photos of the event have been posted to our gallery:

http://gallery.ubuntupennsylvania.org/main.php?g2_itemId=830

And there are even more photos over on Flickr under the “cposc” tag:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/cposc/

Its mid-October already? Indeed! Which means it’s time for CPOSC! Fliers are printed, poster is ready, volunteers have signed up, raffle tickets are in hand.

Details about the table we’re running can be found on our wiki page: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PennsylvaniaTeam/EventsTeam/CPOSC2009

Hope to see you there! It’s also not too late to volunteer, so please let us know if you’d like to lend a hand - or just drop by and mingle

It’s been a busy fall, and we aren’t stopping yet! The Philadelphia team has secured a space for our Karmic Koala Halloween party, thanks again to Jim Fisher for handling the logistics on this.

For more information, check out our wiki page about this event:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PennsylvaniaTeam/EventsTeam/PhillyKarmicRelease 

Thanks to everyone who came out to our Software Freedom Day with the Philadelphia Area Computer Society in Willow Grove!

Early in the day we set up systems in the lobby for people coming in to check out. At noon the main presentation of the day was given by David Harding, on MythTV. Following the presentation we set up a table in the back of the main presentation room and gave out Ubuntu and Open Disc CDs, fliers about our team and info about some upcoming events.

There were lots more photos of the event, Elizabeth Krumbach posted some here and a blog entry here and more photos from Andrew Keyes are located here.

We have now raised the money needed for our table at CPOSC!

Big thanks to the following who have helped us reach this goal:

• Bret Fledderjohn
• Luke Brooks
• Jim Fisher - Pechter’s of Southern NJ
• Elizabeth Krumbach
• Mike Ezell - Renewable Technology

Bret has organized all of this and we’re now listed on the CPOSC sponsors page.

Again, if you’re interested in attending the conference joining us register now, and sign up on our wiki:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PennsylvaniaTeam/EventsTeam/CPOSC2009