Life

Open source is for lovers

It's true. If you think about the characteristics of open source and the qualities of a successful relationship, you will find a lot of overlap.

OPEN: You have to be open and flexible to make a relationship work. Going back to my favorite analogy in regards to open source software and proprietary software--proprietary software is like buying a car with the hood welded shut. Oh, you need to change to oil? Too bad. Buy a new car. If we aren't flexible and open to change--if our hoods are welded shut--it makes it extremely difficult to keep the (love) engine running.
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7 CommentsPosted 14 Feb 2011 by Mary Ann (Red Hat)

A MeeGo timeline: What led up to today's Microsoft/Nokia partnership?

Today the landscape changed for open source and smartphones when Microsoft and Nokia announced a partnership making Windows Phone 7 the platform for Nokia smartphones. For those who don't follow the mobile device industry (and perhaps just learned the word "MeeGo" this morning), or for those who are just trying to keep track, here's a timeline of what happened leading up to today's announcement:

Nov. 2005: First version of Maemo platform, based on Debian, released by Nokia for smartphones and tablets » Read more

7 CommentsPosted 11 Feb 2011 by Ruth Suehle (Red Hat)

sprout: Reclaiming science as a creative craft

In a house not far from Davis Square in Somerville, MA, just outside of Boston, there's a garage full of equipment, a library full of books, and a group of people full of passion. They're called sprout. » Read more

3 CommentsPosted 11 Feb 2011 by Ruth Suehle (Red Hat)

Democratizing fashion

I'm one of those people who are, well, fashion challenged. I never seem to get it right. I show up to events dressed casual when everyone else is formal, or formal when everyone else is casual. You name the event, I will inevitably get the wardrobe wrong.

So I was intrigued when American Public Media's Marketplace brought Polyvore to my attention. I like the idea of open sourcing my wardrobe decisions. Polyvore is a website that allows visitors to » Read more

2 CommentsPosted 11 Feb 2011 by Lori Mehen (Red Hat)

First open hardware definition has been released

After last September's Open Hardware Summit, today version 1.0 of the Open Source Hardware Definition was released.

Last summer, people and groups that included Bug Labs, MakerFaire, Creative Commons, The New York Hall of Science, and littleBits gathered to plan the first Open Hardware Summit. The event was held with the goal of creating the Open Source Hardware Definition announced today, similar to the OSI's Open Source Definition regarding what is and isn't open. Today's release marks a big milestone for those efforts. » Read more

0 CommentsPosted 10 Feb 2011 by Ruth Suehle (Red Hat)

Community building the Packers way

Unless you've been living under a rock, or don't really care about U.S. sports, you probably know that the Green Bay Packers are the champs of Super Bowl XLV. What you may not know is that despite hailing from a town of a little over 100,000 people, the Green Bay Packers are one of the most popular teams in the National Football League. So popular, in fact, that the current waiting list for season tickets informs new registrants that they might receive their tickets by 2074.

The Green Bay Packers have remained a successful franchise for multiple reasons, » Read more

4 CommentsPosted 9 Feb 2011 by Travis Kepley (Red Hat)

Open source games: It’s a team effort

I've been involved with a fair share of open source activities, game-related and otherwise, and by and large I have thoroughly enjoyed the ride. It all started with an overly ambitious open source game. It never went anywhere, yet I treasure the time I spent working on it. This project sent me head first into the marvels of collaborative open source--and game development, without any training wheels. It’s an experience and an education that comes highly recommended, but is not without its hits and misses. Getting it right the first time ultimately comes down to chance, but if nothing else, sharing my experience might improve your odds. » Read more

12 CommentsPosted 8 Feb 2011 by Erlend Sogge Heggen

More ratings, please

Given the interest in my earlier article about a scorecard for open source and my own rough-and-ready benchmark proposal, I’d be interested in seeing how well the benchmark works at rating a variety of open source projects. » Read more

0 CommentsPosted 7 Feb 2011 by Simon Phipps

The open-by-rule governance benchmark

What does authentic open source community governance look like? An open source community will involve many people gathering for their own independent reasons around a free software commons with source code licensed under an OSI-approved open source license. But there's more to software freedom than just the license. » Read more

0 CommentsPosted 7 Feb 2011 by Simon Phipps

Will reading your doctor's notes make you healthier?

In an old Seinfeld episode, Elaine visits her doctor  and manages to sneak a peek at the physician’s notes. She sees she’s been labeled "difficult." The doctor grabs the notes from her and after a confrontation, jots down more notes. Later, Elaine convinces Kramer to try to get access to her chart, but he walks out empty-handed only to report, "they’ve now created a chart on me."

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) now allows patients access to their medical records, but few patients—like Elaine--have ever lain eyes on their records. And those who try commonly face bureaucratic obstacles and exorbitant copying fees.

One doctor thought that openly inviting patients to review these records could better engage patients, and increase their understanding of health and treatment regimens. So he decided to find out for sure. » Read more

4 CommentsPosted 3 Feb 2011 by Lori Mehen (Red Hat)