FOSSSL 2006
2006.08.12
We have improved a lot over the years. Last time when Sri Lanka announched a FOSS week, some people thought it was a joke. But thanks to the commitment, talent and sheer determination of the small yet very active FOSS community of our country, we no longer have to worry about nay-sayers. Needless to say, I’m thrilled (and indeed, honoured) to have been able to play a small role in organizing these events.
FOSSSL 2006 starts on Monday next week, and it’ll be a week of knowledge sharing, community building, hacking, chatting and fun. Unfortunately I won’t be able to attend all of the events, but I definitely would turn up at the following:
FOSSSchool and FOSSUni
First up is FOSSSchool and FOSSUni on the 14th, which is a conference with two sessions, catering to school and university students. Entrance is free (as in free lunch), the discussions are lively, and there’s a bunch of free goodies available to all participants. You will also get the opportunity to meet my fellow Google SoC students (finally we get to meet!) and the FOSSCode participants. So if you’re a student who’d like to learn more about the true meaning of “Free” and “Open”, this is a must-visit for you.
ApacheCon Asia
I remember three years ago, when Dr. Sanjiva Weerawarana visited our faculty for a guest lecture, he said he had a vision: to make Sri Lanka the place for web services talent. Today, the vast majority of Apache web services people are from Sri Lanka, and Sanjiva is at the helm of one of the most promising startups in the WS arena. This year, mostly thanks to the local Apache army, we’re hosting the first ever ApacheCon in Asia.
It’s a wonderful opportunity for the Sri Lankan FOSS enthusiasts to meet and learn from the gurus, and share some Apache love.
There’s more…
FOSSEnterprise, FOSSFeast, GeekOut… the list goes on, thanks to the hard work of the FOSS fanatics. No wonder we are doing well.
