in retrospect…

Once again, I was invited yesterday, the 13th of February, this time at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, to advocate the use of the Linux server OS and desktop. And once again, I’ve had many converts among the audience.

Just today (Happy Valentine’s Day, by the way!), I received an email from a Christine Joy Magadia (CJ for short!) asking if “know a site that could give me a clear and complete knowledge about Linux“. And that’s just the start.

On March 1-2, I’ll be on my way once again to Baguio to be the speaker at the Baguio Colleges (I forgot the exact school name), to do the same thing over again.

And I don’t mind doing it over and over again, because: 1. I truly enjoy what I am doing, and 2. I love advocating the use of Linux, much like the feeling I had when I was advocating the use of Novell.

So, what can I say?

Ciao, baby…

Last Saturday, the 8th of February, I and some friends from the Philippine Linux Users Group (PLUG) went to San Pablo Colleges in San Pablo City, Laguna, to talk at their symposium (I forgot the symposium title) and help in the InstallFest that they did that day. The audience are all composed of the Student Information Technology Society (SITES) and range from freshmen to seniors. There are also some Computer Science faculty members there as well.

How did the symposium/installfest go? It was actually very good, considering that most of these students have only heard of Linux for the first time. And I tell you, they are very eager to get their hands dirty in Linux, and work on it. During my talk, one of the most captivating moments for them was when I was telling them about the price difference between installing an NT/2000 server and Linux. They were asking: “how come you can already install a fullblown server complete with applications for just the cost of the CDs?”. And that was, I believe, the “straw that broke the camel’s (Microsoft’s) back!”

BUT what floored the audience was when I told them that apart from getting Linux for almost nothing, they can also get the source code of Linux and its applications for free, without fear of reprisal or without breaking any law! There was a collective “whhhaaaaattttttttttt???”

“Yes,” I told them, “that is the essence of open source”, I said. And that is the same thing I want to get across you guys, too! That when you work with the Linux source code, you must not fear that somebody can just pounce on you and haul you off to jail just because you are looking at their source code. Hindi ka maaakusahan ng pamimirata…

So, that is it for now… look for further posts soon!!!

Oh! And Happy Balentayms Day!!! :P

Ciao, baby…