a blog by Brie Gordon
Brie Gordon

I'm Brie, a 22 year-old graduate of Slippery Rock University's Computer Science department. My interests include Linux (generally and Ubuntu), networking, BSD-style operating systems including my own, BrieSD, translating English-Spanish-English for open source projects and LAMP configuration. Aside from that, I enjoy photography, making short films and soccer.

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December 30th, 8:13pm 2 comments

We're awesome and open source software is our idea!

"I'm a PC and Windows 7 was my idea."

I have been subjected to far too many of these commercials. How, exactly, did you tell Microsoft about how Windows 7 was your idea?

What is so ironic about these commercials is that the virtue they extol is a large part of what I (and so many others) love about open source software. It really is *our* idea. Using Launchpad, development mailing lists, Ubuntu Brainstorm and other tools, my ideas (or code or translations or documentation or artwork) can be submitted to the community responsible for a project and considered in an open, clear process for approval.

Try expressing in a clear, open manner your thoughts about Microsoft. Ask to watch the progress of your idea. Request that you be kept in the discussion loop of the key developers. You'll be laughed out of town.

Why should you take my word for it? Because I'm awesome. No, you shouldn't just take my word for it. Below I've included a bunch of links to ways *YOU* can contribute -- even without coding.

We're awesome and open source software is our idea!


Ways You Can Make Ubuntu Your Idea:
Ubuntu Brainstorm
Launchpad
Community Documentation

Ways You Can Make Linux Your Idea:
The Linux Documentation Project
Mailing Lists

Ways You Can Make FreeBSD Your Idea:
Mailing Lists
Submit a Problem Report
The FreeBSD List of projects and ideas for volunteers

Even more goodness:
A huge list of How to Contribute to Open Source without Coding
Microsoft uses the same channels to contribute to the Linux kernel

Until next time,

Brie

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Posted 7 months ago

Comments (2)

Dec 30, 2009
Sam said...
Fantastic post :D
Mar 03, 2010
CSJewellPerl said...
A little bit 'incestuous' if you will, but I use (write, even!) open-source software that runs on Windows 7...

but a fantastic post none the less.

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