alex.polvi.net

Well, it wasn’t that big… but sort of a climax.

The group:

• Dean Adams : Dean, College of Engineering
• Dr. Quinn: Active EECS Professor
• Jim Lundy: Involved with the space allocation process
• Scott Kveton: Word up OSL!
• Brandon Philips
• Mike Marineau
• Me

This was our chance to share our proposal regarding new space with in the College. Here we could gain our traction to start working towards open source in education.

Before the meeting even started, Dr. Quinn started talking about a recent curriculum meeting the EECS department had. Pretty much they are hiring as many tenure professors as possible, move towards more research, and have less emphasis on undergraduate studies. Sad. However, they are going to start relabeling classes to be more open source friendly. “Linux Systems Administration”. I guess this is a step, but not really too helpful. It is progress none the less.

We gave our pitch during the meeting and it went pretty well. I am pretty confident they are going to get us an adequately sized space for the LUG.

As for getting actual education around FOSS? Well, we need to get cracking on the platform for learning. This will ideally be our next move. Right now COE is in a flux with what to do with the CS dept. The EE guys have tekbots and everybody loves it. We need to match that with a platform for learning based around open source software.

The right people are listening, we have the support, we have the students, it is just going to take leadership to make it happen.

Today the OSDL, from Portland, came to OSU to talk to students about a “membership” into the OSDL. Sort of like how ACM, NSPE, or EFF is funded.

Here are my notes:

- About the OSDL

* Mission: “… Center of Gravity… ”
* Vendor neutral
* No products
* Supply full time developers to the community
** Linus
** Mortan
* “doing patches to 2.7 right now”
* “All tests posted on the web”
* Production kernel: Morton, Experimental: Linus. (I thought it was the
opposite)

- About the memberships

* OPB style
** Gifts for contribution
* Supports kernel development
* Supports Legal efforts
** SCO Suit
** Easier for users because they do not have to worry about SCO
** Grow legal fund
** Open Source Licenses.
** Works with OSI

* Do not sell members products
* Trying to get involved with the end user.
** Getting involved with the desktop initiative.

“What would make you feel good about giving a donation?”
* Help kernel devs
* Help engineers
* more projects
* more initiatives

Pays Linus to work full time to develop the kernel.

She also said twice “Down with Microsoft.”

My comments on the situation:

Honestly, I am not quite sure what the OSDL is up to about this. This
could easily be looked as a fund raiser, but I do not think it is.
Simply because they would not make much money from us poor college kids
;) They seemed to understand that. So what else is there? I suppose they
could be trying to build an elite community, but that _sort of_ goes
against the whole open source world. Even though there are some elite
OS groups out there — nobody (that I know of) paid to be in them.

If they really want to build a good relationship with FOSS users and
devs in college, they need to offer scholarships and internships. This
year was the first year they provided internships to the popular MECOP
program on campus. Good start. They also need to be proactive about
getting speakers down here to talk about how cool they are. The OSDL has
plenty of interesting resources, in people, that could greatly benefit
students. Now we just need to get them to share, with out having to buy
our way in.

We told them all this.

I think this was a good start for them. They started by coming to our
community and gathering our thoughts. However, the fact that they did it
as a “Focus Group” just screams cooperation. If they want to come
across as a community member they need to interact more with the
community, in a community style. They probably would have gotten more
feedback and attendance if they just would have came to a LUG meeting.
:)

If nothing else, they understand that selling a college student this
“membership” is not going to be easy.

Dr. Quinn, Kveton, Philips, and myself got together to talk a little more about adopting open source into EECS. This was the first meeting that Scott was involved in directly, and he nearly sealed the deal. Scott’s energy got all of us excited, including Dr. Quinn.

This Friday we are all meeting again. This time with Dean Adams, Dean Lundy, Dr. Quinn, Kveton, and Philips. We are going to talk about finding a permanent space for the OSLUG to foster open source innovation. :) We are also discussing curriculum.

Very very exciting!

Today Brandon, Mike, Ron Adams, Micheal Quinn, and myself all got together to talk again about open source in eduction. Prof Quinn brought faculties point of view to the situation. Here is the quick story, Dean loves it, to Quinn it was just another thing on the list of great things to do. In specific he said, “There are only finite resources, however there are infinite things to do”. He likes the idea, just not sure how it would work out.

I can’t think right now, so here is a list

• Should start by finding space for the lug to grow a larger community
• Creating curriculum is hard when there is no ghun-ho faculty member
• Things are already tight, so change is hard
• If something curriculum based was to happen, it would need external funding (anyone want to help here?)
• We need to develop a state of the LUG, telling what our accomplishments are
• Adams loves it
• Adams loves it
• We will prevail, because it is the right thing to do

Our recent installfest was a major success. We had over 65 people attend, in which about 3/4 of those brought a machine. Pretty fantastic.

We got some fancy press before and after the event!

I just got done talking with Dean Adams, from the College of Engineering, about the open source curriculum campaign. I can happily report that prospects are looking very good. First off, the timing of our conversation seems to be perfect. Linus was recently on the cover of Business Week, a magazine that Adams reads and respects. Our Installfest ran in the paper today, showing how much support there is for open source on campus. COE is in the process of developing curriculum that creates an opportunity for experiential learning. On top of all that College of Business is in the process of recruiting Linus to speak for a “Distinguished speaker series”.

As I made the pitch about OS in education I got the impression that he was truly interested in what I had to say. As the conversation went on, he was finishing my sentences, and adding his own bonuses to why OS in education makes sense.

One comment he made about open source was, “It cannot be ignored.” He understands that Oregon is quickly becoming the center of open source, and that Oregon State needs to recognize that. We already have the open source lab, but since it is part of IS, there is no tie into education. Yet. He noted that this campaign for open source would have been made leagues easier if the OSL could have gotten the buy in of at least one professor from EECS. As it stands, we have more support from the college of business faculty, then by Engineering.

He mentioned that we need some sort tie in to the OSDL up in Beaverton. I was happy to jump in and say the OSL has already made that connection by having Oregon State be one of the first universities to become an OSDL affiliate. To the outside world all the Oregon State embraces open source, so it is just a matter of sorting thing out internally.

Another concern was of faculty to drive this. We have nobody who is completely hip to using open source in the classroom. He said, “If you had one, just one faculty member interested this would be very easy.” This comment was very similar to the one made about the OSL. The next part of this campaign will involve engaging EECS faculty, and trying to get buy in. From there he wants to meet again with the faculty member, and myself, to discuss prospects.

He noted that the OSLUG is doing a very good job of being active. Being involved with Oregon State, and getting things done, helps a lot. I agree, we have been really active. We have completed two installfests, both of which were a huge success. Our meetings are becoming more regular, and we are gaining a lot of momentum. I was very proud to hand Adams a Barometer and have the Linux Users Group on the front page. We rule.

Our conversation ended with, “Alex, you will make a difference.” That is awesome, my difference is going to be developing a platform for learning based around what (a lot of) students are interested in. Him telling me that gave me the sign that he wants to move forward with this, we just need the buy in of the folks to make it happen.

Some other interesting facts:

• COE received a grant for $1.3million that is being used to find ways to enhance learning.
• Jim Johnson, the CEO of Tripwire, and Dean Adams friend is interested in coming to stay in Weatherford.
• “We must use the assets such as the Open Source Lab on campus”

This is going to happen, it is just a matter of time and the stars aligning. In the mean time I encourage everyone who wants to help to get involved in the OSLUG. Just general participation in any thing open source related will make this possible, because it is the support that matters.

Chris Bell encouraged me to send a letter to Dean Adams about open source in College of engineering. So here it is…

Hi Alex,

Thanks for making a clear pitch for open source in COE. I’ll discuss
with college leadership and get back to you.

Best,

Ron Adams

—–Original Message—–
From: Alex Polvi
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 9:07 PM
To: Adams, Ronald Lynn
Cc: Bell, Chris A.; test display name
Subject: Engineering and Open Source

Dean Adams,

This is an informal proposal for incorporating open source software into
the engineering community on campus. From my research within the EECS
department, open source tools are not being utilized to their max
potential in the classroom. I propose that College of Engineering
develop a platform for learning based around free and open source
software.

There are a many reasons why this is strategically, and educationally
very important.

1) The interest from students is overwhelming. An example of this was
the Oregon State Linux Users Group InstallFest near the beginning of the
first term. An InstallFest is where members of the community, mostly
students, bring their computer to get support installing Linux. Our
event started at 4:00pm, and within 15min the lab we had on the second
floor of Dearborn was full. We had a line out the door. Below are photos
(if you are interested). Interestingly enough, a lot of the people who
attended were freshman engineering students with their laptops.

We are having another InstallFest, this time in the Valley Library (3rd
floor, Willamette room), from 4pm-8pm on Friday Jan 28th. It would be
wonderful if you and your peers could attend!

2) Industry seeks experience in open source. There are many examples of
companies that look for open source on the resume. One company that
successfully adapted open source into a commercial product is Tripwire.
Tripwire originally used an open source tool to build its business, and
now sells a commercial product while offering an open source version.
IBM also has invested over 1 billion dollars into open source solutions.
If either of those companies saw open source on the resume, it would put
that student leagues above the other applicants. There are many other
companies, not just these, that would greatly desire students to have
experience in the open source world.

To achieve experience with open source, we need it in the classroom as a
formal track of computer science. Beavers could graduate with a degree
in “Computer Science with an emphasis in Open Source Development”.

Such a program would instantly create an opportunity for OSU to become
leaders in this field. PSU currently has a single class for such topics,
they have the vision, they are just not thinking big enough. When I
mentioned this idea to the professor who taught the open source
classes, he went bonkers. His curriculum is currently available and
would
be perfect for an introductory course.

This is truly a way to impact our college and the students that utilize
its resources. This program will also line up very nicely with the top
25 campaign — by offering something that no other engineering school is.

The greatest thing that this program will bring is talent. Many of the
finest developers are looking for a place to get a CS degree, right now
there is no program out there that is aimed at such talents.

I could go on and on about all the wonderful reasons why we need to do
this. Could we get together to talk about this in person? Hopefully you
will be able to make it to the InstallFest on Jan 28th!

Quick recap (I know that was a lot of information)
* Open Source Development Program
* Students want it
* Industry wants it
* An opportunity to become leaders in CS education
* Will undoubtedly attract talent
* Next InstallFest is Jan 28th

Thank you for your time.

Regards,

-Alex

PS: Installfest photo to illustrate how many people we had:

http://lug.oregonstate.edu/gallery/installfest/pict0042

–
Alex Polvi :: student-at-large
Oregon State University
http://alex.polvi.net/