SFD advocates the use and contribution to Free Software and the Open Source Initiative as an alternative to proprietary software.

What’s On the Menu?

The 2010 SFD celebration boasted an array of keynote FOSS speeches from advocates and industry professionals that shared their views, experiences and projects that contribute to the growth and awareness of FOSS. Interesting things to note include:

• The advocacy for open and transparent governance and leveraging the use of social media in the Philippine government. This leads to the empowerment of the online Filipino to take an active role in participating to an extent on government affairs by way of free speech. It is good to know that there are emerging initiatives like these on the government space – with significant support from people like Cong. Teddy Casino.

• The growing attention and inclusion of FOSS into the Philippine educational system. Mrs. Ellen Halover, UB School of IT Dean, talked about the efforts of institutions like the University of Baguio to integrate free software in its infrastucture as well as in its curriculum. There are also initiatives by the CICT like the iSchool project.

Afternoon sessions continued with technical and business track parallel discussions from various guest speakers on FOSS projects. Fields covered include tools for Enterprise Management (OpenERP), Office and Productivity (OpenOffice, Freemind), Telephony (OpenBTS, Embedded Asterisk), Software Development (LAMP, PHP, Git), Graphic Design (Gimp) and other interesting projects.

Of course any FOSS celebration will not be complete without swags for the attendees and elite swags for those who felt creatively geeky and participated in the Graphic Design (Gimp) and Programming (PHP) competition.

It Grows From Here

It is amazing to note that the local community’s initiative to get involved in the advocacy of FOSS is growing exponentially through events like SFD specially here in Northern Luzon. It creates an awareness of what else is out there, that there are alternatives to the status quo.

Of course, awareness is only the start. As the driving force behind software freedom is the community, it is of course in its empowerment and actions that will keep it alive. The philosophy of software freedom does indeed reflect the nature of humanity’s affinity for natural freedom – freedom of speech, freedom of choice and freedom of mind.

For more information on SFD, visit the Philippine Software Freedom Day website.

Mark Go for Mayor

Visit their website and forum for a complete listing of new 0.9.1 features and other user-contributed customization options. Portable CC-Gaming goodness, baby!

Wagic: The Homebrew

Here’s one of the movies I’d like to call a more “realistic” take on humans living with aliens – a thought experiment if you will. Suddenly, we are not in 24th-century Federation space anymore, and I’m liking it.

District 9 Official Site

Take a look at the trailer here:

District 9 Trailer

Flickr image by multisanti

Action Comics #1: The most valuable comic book in the world. Ever.

This post makes me want to draw comic book art again:

http://thedesigninspiration.com/articles/best-artwork-of-superheroes-from-the-most-talented-comic-artists/

Frankly, I’m quite disappointed Jim Lee didn’t make it to the list, along with a host of other favorites (OK… MY favorites) like Alex Ross, Whilce Portacio and Todd McFarlane just to name a few. These guys have been drawing comics long before I ever understood the correlation of polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester with comic books and sniffing freshly-opened bags.

Which reminds me, I need to check up on my collection (way back in high school circa 1994) of WildC.A.T.S, Wetworks, Deathblow, Team 7, and of course the occasional swimsuit editions – see if they still look (and smell) brand new.

Flickr image by j_philipp

WTF! Earth Day!

I was on my way to work when I noticed Baguio City police redirecting traffic in the CBD, away from Session Road, which was closed down to vehicles. Turns out its April 22. Earth Day. The city is preparing for a parade in celebration.

So being the mild, obedient driver that I am, I took the redirection route towards Magsaysay Ave. then up to Gen. Luna, then out to Leonardwood Rd. and so on. To cut things short, traffic was hellish, and there is a high percentage of drivers that you would love to strangle… way higher than the usual Baguio morning drive.

So yeah, I spent more on time and gas for Earth Day.

We don't need to see their identification. These are not the ROBOTs we are looking for.

I’m amused on how yesterday’s meeting led to an attribution of our I.T. organization as an “Empire”. Yes, it has a lingering note of skepticism (maybe hostility?) but the description does fit well… in a good way. We do have our fair share of Jedi masters and apprentices, The Force strong in each one, and a Jedi Council of sorts to boot.

Ok, I own this post so I guess I’ll take the position of a rouge Sith Lord. Take that clone army!