[PLUG] Open Source contacts and help

[dan at fiddlers-green.info]

Quoting AthlonRob <AthlonRob at axpr.net>:

> On Sun, 2005-02-20 at 23:09 -0800, dan at fiddlers-green.info wrote:
> > I'm volunteering for a progressive group
> (http://www.busproject.org/index.php)
> > that is looking to develop an awareness of opensource and its economic
> benefits
> > to and for Oregon (and after that, the world). The group has political
> > contacts, but lacks the technical contacts. Also since there are obviously
> > people already working within Oregon for this goal, I thought it would be
> > helpful to develop a relationship between everyone. Sort of getting the
> > Gatekeeper and Keymaster together...
> 
> Your clock seems to be an hour off.

Thanks, I never set that box up with the time server...

> 
> If you're already aware of open source software and feel it is worth
> promoting similarly to commercial closed-source offerings, surely you
> must have at least *some* technical expertise in the group.

Yes good point. There are a few of us, ~ three or four. And we are doing that. 

> 
> What kind of technical contacts are you looking for, exactly?

I suppose technical contacts is the wrong way to describe it. More along the
lines of getting the technical people who are behind pushing Oregon to the
forefront of Open Source. The people who have worked hard over the last five to
ten years, building a culture of open source in the technical community. That
work has paid off in OSDL, the OSU Open Source Lab, FreeGeek, Portland Telco,
and other projects.Those same people, and others, are now working to expand
Open Source beyond merely the technical arena, as exemplified in HB 2892 from a
couple of years ago.

What I envision is helping the technical Open Source advocates get together with
an organization that can provide the political infrastructure to inform and
educate both the public and government as to how Open Source is a benefit to
Oregon economically and socially. Whatever form the help takes, whether passing
legislation, developing policy papers, or just educatiing the public, I think
Open Source advocates could use the politcal contacts to leverage Open Source
for the benefit of Oregon.

Although I am an Open Source advocate, I'm hardly a mover and shaker among the
Open Source community in Oregon. I am a gateway between two worlds though, and
at the moment that's the role I'm attempting to use. In so doing, I'm hoping
someone on this list, or someone on this list knows someone, who is a mover and
shaker within the Open Source community in Oregon and would be willing to sit
down and have a conversation regarding how we could mutually help each other.

Dan H.


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