[Announce] Linux Australia October update

Wed Oct 4 14:33:06 AEDT 2017

Hi everyone,

Firstly for those in our northern states, stay safe as the weather heats
up, and for all of us, stay well as we hit the end of year rush and
silly season.

A few updates on goings-on in the Linux Australia universe:

        Tickets for linux.conf.au 2018 Sydney are available. Go get 'em!

https://linux.conf.au/attend

It will be awesome. Early birds open until sold out.

Follow along at #lca2018
<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23lca2018&src=typd> on Twitter or join
the Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/linuxconferenceaustralia> page

        DrupalSouth November 16-17th, Auckland, New Zealand

https://drupalsouth2017.drupal.org.nz/conference/tickets

Tickets are now available. It will also be awesome.

Follow along at @DrupalSouth <https://twitter.com/DrupalSouth> or join
the Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/drupalsouth/> page

        We're sponsoring CiviCon Canberra October 23rd, Canberra

We're delighted to be Bronze Sponsors of CiviCon Canberra, the first
CiviCon in Australia. CiviCRM is an opensource CRM platform, and it's
what we'll be moving to after the rebrand. Yes, it will be awesome.

https://civicrm.org/civicon/canberra-2017

As part of our sponsorship, we get a free ticket. If you're in Canberra,
or can travel to Canberra and are free on the 23rd, please email
Council. If there are multiple applicants we'll make a call based on how
active you've been in the Linux Aus community.

        LCA2020 Bids are open!!!!!!! 11111!!!!!

Want LCA2020 in your city? You do? Reckon you can do a kick-arse LCA? if
(1) then submit an LCA2020 Bid!111!!!11

http://lists.linux.org.au/pipermail/linux-aus/2017-October/023216.html

        Warmly welcoming Linux Users Victoria as a subcommittee of Linux
        Australia

Linux Users Victoria have disincorporated as an incorporated association
in Victoria, and have reformed as a Subcommittee of Linux Australia.
Many thanks especially to Andrew Pam and Wen Lin for all their
professionalism and efforts during this transition. Check them out at
@linuxusersvic on Twitter or https://www.luv.asn.au

        Rebrand update

We've been through one draft of rebranding material, and have now
narrowed down options, and our graphic designer will now further refine
these. If you'd like to be involved, let me know.

        Grants Program 2018

Our end of financial year was September 30, which means that we're now
operating on the 2017/2018 budget, which was set at Face to Face in
August. It allocates $35k for Grants and Sponsorship for the year. At
Council meeting on 26th September, we resolved to spend no more than
$10k from this allocation before the new Council is elected in January -
basically so we don't spend money that is really up to the new Council
to administer. At some stage we'd like to do a review of how the 2017
Grants Program went but for now we'll operate under the same conditions
/ process / expectations as the 2017 Grants Program, then "re-launch" if
we make changes to the process.

The next Grant up for discussion is BuzzConf Grant for Kids Track

http://lists.linux.org.au/pipermail/linux-aus/2017-September/023196.html

We will soon be chasing Grant reports from 2017 Grant recipients. 

If you've ever thought "Linux Australia should do more of X", then
Grants are your avenue to help make that happen. Want more Indigenous
reach out for open source? Submit a Grant so we can fund you to make it
happen. Want better UX in open source products? Submit a Grant so we can
fund you to make it happen. Awesome things happen because awesome people
make them happen.

        Report from Nathan Sentance, Diversity Scholarship recipient for
        VALATechCamp

Nathan Sentance was awarded the Diversity Scholarship for VALATechCamp,
sponsored by Linux Australia.

Nathan has provided a conference report of his experience, with an
excerpt below - wise words indeed. Happy to provide the full report if
desired.

    "Winning the VALA/Linux Diversity Scholarship and attending VALA
    Tech Camp was an invaluable experience for my career. I have long
    had an interest in being part of something like the VALA Tech Camp
    as I believe information technology presents exciting opportunities
    for Aboriginal communities to access, revitalise and disseminate our
    culture and knowledge. Just have a look at the many language apps
    coming out.

    Libraries and similar memory institutions have long been considered
    gatekeepers in regards to records relating to Aboriginal culture and
    history, but in the digital space that control can be handed back to
    community and potential access barriers may be minimised.

    Because of this, VALA Tech Camp sessions such as the introduction to
    Python were handy to my personal and professional development as it
    can help increase of understanding in regards to computer science
    which in turn I will use to help increase access to cultural
    heritage information for community as well as preserve it digitally.
    Additionally, the more I increase my digital literacy skills the
    more I will attempt to share those skills with my community and in
    this digital age those are not just useful, they are necessary. "

        Are you awesome? Want to learn to be more awesome? Should you be
        on Linux Australia Council?

Linux Australia is awesome because we have many awesome people doing
many awesome things. Part of that awesome is making sure that our legal
requirements are fulfilled, running programs like our Grants Program,
running our finances, building relationships with sponsors and grant
recipients, building our digital presence, maintaining membership
records and generally getting stuff done.

Being a part of Council is a great professional development activity,
but does require a time commitment.

Start thinking about whether this is something you might be interested
in, as Council elections will open soon (TM).

Sae Ra Germaine, our longstanding Secretary, has compiled Position
Descriptions here - https://github.com/linuxaustralia/position-descriptions

        Next actions

Council is going to be pretty busy over the next couple of months with
running-an-incorporated-association-administrivia such as

  * Doing the books for the 2017-2018 financial year and getting these
    audited
  * Preparing reports for AGM in January - this year we'll be doing a
    combined Annual Report
  * Submitting paperwork to relevant $AUTHORITIES
  * Preparing to open Council elections for 2018
  * Ensuring that our activities are in a good place for handover to
    Council 2018

        Parting thoughts

On another note, many in our community will really enjoy the latest
episode of #QandA, which featured a mature discussion on drones,
artificial intelligence and their societal implications:
http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/qanda/NC1703H033S00

On a more personal note, many in Australia will have already voted in
the postal survey on marriage equality, and many more are yet to do so.
My personal views on this are well known, but with my President hat on,
let me make one and only comment on the issue. History, time and time
again, has shown that the most successful societies and organisations
are also those that are the most inclusive. Together we do better - and
Linux Australia has endeavoured - sometimes well, and sometimes not so
well - to be more inclusive over the years. My thoughts are especially
with those in our community who are experiencing increased levels of
anxiety, and psychological distress at this time. This debate is
difficult for many.

As always, your feedback, comments and concerns are warmly welcomed. May
your dashboards be green and your packets be fast.

Kind regards,

Kathy

-- 
Kathy Reid
President
Linux Australia

0418 130 636

president at linux.org.au
http://linux.org.au

Linux Australia Inc
GPO Box 4788
Sydney NSW 2001
Australia

ABN 56 987 117 479 

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