Help us out!

KDE is sponsoring a communal sprint in Randa, Switzerland again this year, but funds are a bit lacking. So we are doing a fund-raiser to help out the e.V. (foundation supporting KDE development).

I'm lucky enough to be sponsored, so of course I need to help out as well!



Please click and toss a bit of money in the hat.

Thanks!

More information at http://dot.kde.org/2012/08/13/support-2012-kde-randa-meetings-inspired-and-intense

BoFs at Akademy

So excited to see all the BoF meetings shaping up for Akademy. Perhaps most exciting is the KDE Authors meetup. For background, see Supreet's great post at http://supreetpal.blogspot.com/2012/06/kde-authors-promoting-book-writing-in.html. For the BoF info, see http://community.kde.org/Akademy/2012/Wednesday. As plans now stand, we'll be in room 226 on Wednesday, July 4th at 14:00 UT. I assume we'll be in IRC (freenode) #kde-docs, or announce there a special channel.

If you want to write for or about KDE, be there!

Other exciting BoFs (These are exciting to me. There are lots of others.):

Monday: http://community.kde.org/Akademy/2012/Monday

Quality Team, 15:00 in room 226.

OwnCloud/KDE, 10:30 in room 419. ( http://dragotin.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/owncloud-bof-at-akademy-2012/ )

Tuesday: no sessions formally scheduled during the KDE e.V. Annual General Meeting. This will be my first e.V. AGM, so this is very exciting.

Wednesday: http://community.kde.org/Akademy/2012/Wednesday

Besides our Authors BoF, it will be great to attend  the Women's Outreach, at 9:30. The women's session at the Desktop Summit was outstanding, and I'm expecting great things from this session as well!

Thursday, I hope to attend Liquid democracy. Pirate politics – Free Software relationship in room 419 at 10:30. Others may find the more technical BoFs to their taste on Thursday: http://community.kde.org/Akademy/2012/Thursday

The final day of Akademy is Friday. So far the day's schedule is blank! I hope it fills as people talk about projects with others.

Going to Akademy!

Yes, I'm going to Tallinn, Estonia in a few days, courtesy of the generosity of the KDE e.V., who has sponsored my travel costs. I'm so excited! Flying in a few days early, so that jet-lag won't hinder my time at Akademy, and perhaps I can do some setup help as well. And of course I hope to wander around the medieval city until my feet fall off -- when will another chance come to see Tallinn, after all?

The talks and meetings sound exciting, but what I most look forward to is meeting my KDE family, most of whom I know only from IRC and email. I hope to see you there! Please tell me you read my blog sometimes, and I'll buy you a coffee or a beer. :-)

Taxes, and Supporting Free Software

Elections bring issues out in the open, and expose ideas to the public. My country is preparing for a national election, so naturally taxes are being discussed. When I got my first paycheck, I was shocked and disappointed to see how much of MY money was going to taxes! I was very young then, and didn't know how much my pittance helped ME to become part of the adult world, by doing my part, paying my fair share, supporting my government and even my future self. The act of paying didn't engage my emotions, or make me feel part of my community then.

Back when I used Windows, I paid my fair share both by buying the software I used, but also by contributing to my favorite shareware applications. However, just as when I first paid taxes, I didn't feel part of the community, because all I gave was money.

As I became an adult, I began to contribute in some organizations where I felt that my work really did help to change the world, improve my culture, and my country.

Then I started using free software, and eventually learned that there are communities creating this software, and even more astonishing, that I could help. And not just with my money, although that is sometimes important. For instance, KDE welcomes all kinds of contribution; code, bug reporting, bug triage, and bug fixing. Writing documentation, press releases, news stories, interviews, blog posts, even tweet/dents. Art, graphics, design, videos, baked goods! Party planning, setting up meetings, sprints, summits, conferences, leadership, management, moving chairs, taking minutes--and giving money.

The foundation supporting KDE, the KDE e.V., needs supporting members, corporate sponsors, and even occasional small donations. All of that money is needed to support the office, fund sprints, and do large meeting start-up.

I'd like to urge you to become a Supporting Member if you use KDE software. Doing so will move your heart from feeling like a user, to feeling like a contributor to the community. If you can't afford Join the Game, please contribute as you can! The more you contribute, the more your KDE community becomes your family. Do it now. You'll be glad you did.