[Linux-aus] Update on Linux Australia Council activities July 2017

Mon Jul 17 11:28:01 AEST 2017

Hi everyone,

Hoping that this note finds you and your loved ones well, and that the
laws of mathematics still apply wherever you are ;-)

We've got a jam-packed update for you today, covering a wide range of
activities that the Linux Australia Council and Subcommittees are
involved in. As always, your comments and feedback are warmly welcomed,
and if you'd like to become more involved in any of these activities,
please do make contact.

        Inaugural #VALATechCamp - 12th-14th July -
        https://www.vala.org.au/events/1116-vala-tech-camp

Sae Ra Germaine (Secretary) and I represented Linux Australia at the
inaugural #VALATechCamp last week, which saw nearly 120 library
technologists come together to get hands-on learning about emerging
technologies in the library space.

Linux Australia sponsored the Diversity Scholarship for this event,
which after a rigourous selection process was awarded to Nathan Sentance
<https://twitter.com/SayWhatNathan>, a proud Wiradjuri man who works for
the Australian Museum. Nathan will be able to share learnings from the
event with his community.

A big shout out to Gala Camacho and Noon van der Silk who delivered the
double-length Introduction to Python workshop, providing an introduction
to variables, functions and data types to budding new programmers.

You can follow the Twitter discussion at #VALATechCamp
<https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&vertical=default&q=%23VALATechCamp&src=tyah>
or read my blog post
<http://blog.kathyreid.id.au/2017/07/16/valatechcamp-2017-libraries-as-the-vanguard-of-digital-literacy/>
about it.

        WordCamp Brisbane - 22nd-23rd July -
        https://2017.brisbane.wordcamp.org/

WordCamp BNE has SOLD OUT!

Excellent job, Dion Hulse, Cameron Jones, Ricky Blacker, Hannah Malcolm,
Robert Wilde and Peter Bui.

You can follow all the Twitter action at @WordCampBNE
<https://twitter.com/wordcampbne>, #WCBNE
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/WCBNE?src=hash> or on Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/WordCampBrisbane>.

In other WordPress / WordCamp news, we have finalised wording on a
Memorandum of Understanding with WordCamp Central, and when this is
signed a further update will be made. Huge thanks to Josepha Haden from
Wordcamp Central and Dee Teal from the Australian WordPress community
for their efforts here.

        GovHack 28th-30th July - https://govhack.org

Spots are filling up for the CBD locations, if you want to go and
haven't registered, do it quick. Oh, and we're a Gold Sponsor :D

        linux.conf.au CfP is open until 6th August -
        https://linux.conf.au/proposals/

CfP will NOT be extended this year. *In the voice of Mikal* Proposey
proposey!!

Big thanks to Michael Davies and Michael Still for chairing Papers Ctte
again this year, and to Bruce Crawley and James Polley and the LCA2018
for their stellar efforts to date.

Bids for linux.conf.au 2020 will open shortly.

        Pycon AU - 3rd-8th August - https://pycon-au.org/

Tickets are now on sale! Get yours! It will be awesome!

Richard Jones and the team are doing a brilliant job - thank you.

Follow Pycon-AU on Twitter <https://twitter.com/pyconau>, or Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/PyConAustralia/>.

        Joining the Dots data visualisation symposium 18th August -
        https://joiningthedots.github.io/

Linux Australia has sponsored the Joining the Dots data visualisation
symposium at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, enabling costs to
participants to be reduced, thus minimising barriers to entry. 

Run by Dr Fiona Tweedie (prev. GovHack Melbourne, Open Knowledge
Foundation, and convener of RezBaz) and Dr Alan Rubin (prev
Bioinformatics Miniconf Organiser at LCA2016), the one-day symposium
will cover many aspects of data visualisation, including a range of open
source tools, such as Python, d3.js and so on.

CfP closes July 31.

        Council doing another Face to Face meeting in Melbourne 5th-6th
        August

Council have resolved to do a second Face to Face meeting in Melbourne
over 5th-6th August. F2F meetings are a key way that Council can work on
key tasks, and do forward planning for the organisation. Given that most
of Council this year is Victoria-based, the costs of running a F2F are
lower than usual, and this has contributed to our decision to do a
second F2F. Our key tasks will be preparing the 2017-2018 Linux
Australia budget (financial year 1 October 2017 to 30 September 2018),
and planning the rebrand and platform refresh (MemberDB and website).

        Beyond 2020 Alliance - http://www.beyond2020.net.au

The Beyond 2020 Alliance has met again, and resolved to work on a white
paper outlining options and decision points for the future of
Australia's digital infrastructure.

You can follow the Alliance at @Beyond2020All
<https://twitter.com/Beyond2020All> on Twitter or on Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/beyond2020all/>.

        Signatory to the Secure the Internet petition -
        https://www.securetheinternet.org/

Linux Australia has signed the Secure the Internet petition, calling on
governments worldwide to uphold security, privacy and strong encryption.
The laws of mathematics are universal.

        Rebranding activity - http://tobyansell.com.au/

After a competitive quote process, we have selected Toby Ansell, Graphic
Designer, to work with Linux Australia on our rebrand. The rebrand work
will be a foundation piece for platform refresh later in the year.

        Data Governance Code of Practice -
        http://datagovernanceaus.com.au/dga-code-of-practice/

Lastly, you may want to have a read of the recently released Data
Governance Australia draft Code of Practice. We're still not sure what
to make of Data Governance Australia, its independence and proposed code
of practice, and your input and thoughts will help us in forming a
position, and if required, responding to the draft code of practice.

With kind regards,

Kathy Reid, Cameron Tudball, Sae Ra Germaine, Russell Stuart, Josh
Stewart, David Bell and Hugh Blemings - Council 2017

-- 
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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