Open source is changing the rules about how software is designed, created and distributed. But leadership isn’t always nearly as innovative. Esther Schindler spoke with Ubuntu’s Mark Shuttleworth and two of the dudes who run SourceForge, and discussed some of the lessons the open source community could bear to learn.
Whether you call it a cellphone, a “Palmtop”, smartphone, or a converged device — pocket-sized computing devices took center stage at the first-ever O’Reilly Open Mobile Exchange held this week at Oscon 2008, in Portland, Oregon.
With more than 3 billion cellular users world-wide, “open” handheld devices promise to smash the stranglehold of proprietary systems — even invade the domain of desktop computers. In 2008 more users will access the internet via a mobile phone than PCs or laptops. The excitement and creativity was palpable. Open source mobile platforms have been introduced by The Limo Foundation, The Open Handset Alliance, Symbian and Open Moko. Topic of the day: global domination.
Sam Churchill’s story continues here.
Michael Halligan reports on his friends’ session, “How to Run a User Group” and details the series of steps he learned from the panel.
“Speaking at the Open Mobile Exchange portion of the O’Reilly Open Source Conference (OSCON), Jim Zemlin, executive director of the foundation, touted the trends and technologies pushing Linux into a leadership position in mobile systems. He was followed by Jason Grigsby, web strategist at mobile and web design firm Cloud Four, who emphasised the coming influence of the mobile web but countered that developers are not yet ready for it.” Read more of Paul Krill’s article.
We loved reading Serdar Yegulalp’s opinion on OSCON, especially since he started by saying, “O’Reilly knows how to treat their guests. Not only was the registration process wonderfully painless (+1 points), not only was there wireless throughout the convention center (+3 points), the tables in the lecture halls had power strips (+5). My notebook gets around 4-5 hours of battery life, but not having to run out of juice in the middle of a lecture is a huge help. (The giant Buddhist temple bell outside the convention center that rings “without warning” was another nice bonus.)”
Darryl Taft reports on Mark Shuttleworth’s keynote, “Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Canonical, calls on Linux developers to make the presentation layer of desktop Linux applications even more attractive to users than Apple’s Mac OS.”
I have attended the O’Reilly Open Mobile Exchange (OMX), which is a one-day event organized for the first time as part of the O’Reilly Open Source Convention (OSCON2008). I came to OSCON primarily for OMX and I am glad I did — it was a wonderful event full of useful information — many thanks to the organizers and speakers. Here are some highlights with comments…
Its good to be back in Portland for my favorite geek convention: O’Reilly’s Open Source Conference. The overcast sky in Portland is making it a little easier this year to focus on the plethora of excellent speakers and sessions. The first session to really grip and and speak to me was Rabble and Kellan’s “Beyond REST? Building Data Services with XMPP PubSub” presentation.
“One of the reasons that I attend O’Reilly’s Open Source Conference (OSCON) is that, more so than others I go to, it gets into the intellectual and—dare I say—philosophical underpinnings of things as well as the things themselves,” says Gordon Haff in this thoughtful piece on the issues raised by the Participate 08 panel.
O’Reilly author Brian K. Jones monitors the BOF Board, reports on the “Python in 3 hours” session, and shares more Portland tips.
“Jim Zemlin of the Linux Foundation says Linux is the platform of choice for the mobile and embedded platforms. Zemlin will speak on the state of mobile Linux at OSCON,” writes Darryl Taft.
Fourth Edition Launch Pad Addresses the World’s Need for Change
SAN FRANCISCO - July 10, 2008 - TechWeb (formerly CMP) and O’Reilly Media, Inc., co-producers of the annual Web 2.0 Summit, today announce the Launch Pad program, a unique public forum designed to uncover the most promising Web startups, is open for submissions. The theme for this fourth edition Launch Pad, Web Meets World, spotlights the industry’s best startups that use the Web’s culture to change the world. For more information on submitting your company or product for this year’s Launch Pad and to complete a submission form, visit: http://en.oreilly.com/web2008/public/content/launchpad. The Web 2.0 Summit takes place November 5-7, 2008 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.
Launch Pad’s focus will be on startups in the fields of alternative energies, social entrepreneurialism, microfinance, developing economies, political action, renewable technologies, and other innovative areas. Web 2.0 Summit Launch Pad will provide Web 2.0 companies a chance to present in front of six leading venture capitalists from Internet and Green backgrounds, while receiving raw, real-time feedback from both judges and audience members.
“The conversation is no longer just about the Web, rather about the bigger social movements driving the Web’s greatest solutions,” said John Battelle, Web 2.0 Summit’s Program Chair. “We’ve adjusted our Launch Pad to reflect the natural progression of the conversation and, most importantly, to present the Web’s most promising innovations.”
The Web 2.0 Launch Pad’s judging panel of venture capitalists will sponsor the program, thus eliminating company participation fees. Any company in any stage of financing can compete for a slot on stage, whether or not they are launching a new company or product. Judges will select the finalists who will compete at the Web 2.0 Summit event and receive up to ten minutes on stage to present to the entire Web 2.0 Summit audience and the VC judging panel.
“We’re honored to be a part of Web 2.0 Summit’s Launch Pad: Web Meets World. It allows us the unique opportunity to learn about those Web companies working to improve the complex problems facing industries outside the Web- something invaluable for Panorama Capital,” said Chris Albinson of Panorama Capital. “Together with the Web 2.0 Summit’s audience, we’ll uncover those shining stars working to build a better future.”
Submission deadline for Web 2.0 Summit Launch Pad is September 10, 2008. Final determination of the Launch Pad companies will be made by John Battelle, Web 2.0 Summit’s Program Chair, in concert with VC judges including Chris Albinson of Panorama Capital, Vinod Khosla of Khosla Ventures, and Mike Goguen of Sequoia Capital.
Web 2.0 Summit is produced by partners O’Reilly Media, Inc. and TechWeb and is moderated by John Battelle, Program Chair, and O’Reilly CEO Tim O’Reilly. Attendance is limited to maintain an intimate setting and foster dialog among participants. General attendee registration is by invitation only; requests for invitations are being accepted through mid-September. Media credentials will also be extended by invitation only.
-For more information on Web 2.0 Summit and to apply for an invitation, please visit:
http://web2summit.com
-To read coverage from Summit 2007, please visit:
http://conferences.oreillynet.com/pub/w/62/news.html
-To view select video from last year’s Summit, please visit:
http://web2summit.blip.tv/
About TechWeb
TechWeb, the global leader in business technology media, is an innovative business focused on serving the needs of technology decision-makers and marketers worldwide. TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed media brands in the business technology market. Today, more than 13.3 million* business technology professionals actively engage in our communities created around our global face-to-face events Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat and VoiceCon; online resources such as the TechWeb Network, Light Reading, Intelligent Enterprise, InformationWeek.com, bMighty.com, and The Financial Technology Network; and the market leading, award-winning InformationWeek, TechNet Magazine, MSDN Magazine, Wall Street & Technology magazines. TechWeb also provides end-to-end services ranging from next-generation performance marketing, integrated media, research, and analyst services. TechWeb is a division of United Business Media, a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than $2.5 billion.
*13.3 million business decision-makers: based on # of monthly connections
About O’Reilly
O’Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O’Reilly has been a chronicler and catalyst of leading-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying “faint signals” from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism. For more information, visit: http://www.oreilly.com/.
O’Reilly is a registered trademark of O’Reilly Media, Inc. Other products mentioned may be trademarks of their respective companies.
###
About O'Reilly | Contact | Jobs | Press Room | How to Advertise | Privacy Policy | 
© 2008, O'Reilly Media, Inc. | (707) 827-7000 / (800) 998-9938
All trademarks and registered trademarks appearing on oreilly.com are the property of their respective owners.
