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Be a part of it!
Are you astonished by what one can accomplish with free and open-source software? Are you amazed by what open-source communities put together with great enthusiasm? Would you like to know how this all relates to our daily life?
Would you also like to become one of these individuals? Are you interested in coding for one of the many great free software projects? Applications? Desktop environments? System components? Cloud? IoT? OS Distribution integration? Immutable OS distribution?
A great way to get involved into coding for a free software organization is the Google Summer of Code: Apply for one of their proposed projects (or propose yours to them) and work 3 months full-time on it with a stipend from Google. And after that you know the ins and outs of your organization and keep contributing code, maintenance, bug fixes, code review, ...
But also as non-programmer you are highly welcome for documentation, design, web, community, ...
And all this does not only give you the good feeling of helping in the community and making free software better, it also raises you chances on the job market, mentioning your contributions, or even a completed Google Summer of Code project in your resume, especially for the numerous positions in the area of open source ...
So come and join us! In this conference you will learn a lot, about projects, coding, Google Summer of Code, documentation, ... Talks, panels, Q&A, interactive workshops, demos, ... and lots of great hallway sessions ...
And last but not least, we have two open source organizations in the focus of this event, with many talks, discussions, and workshops by their leading members:
1. OpenPrinting: Responsible for printing in Linux, Unix and similar (POSIX-style) operating systems.
2. Zephyr: Lightweight Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) for IoT, For low-resource hardware (like micro controllers) for which Linux is to large,
We also dive into the world of immutable distributions and sandboxed packaging, with blendOS, Ubuntu Core Desktop, and Snap packaging.
And do not miss our interactive workshops and trainings, on Snap and Zephyr!
We are on Mastodon: #OpportunityOpenSource
A short introduction to what this conference is all about: Open Source and free software!
What it is, how it arose, why we should use it.
Conference attendees to Till:
Printing works better than under Windows or Mac!
Before starting with the OpenPrinting Roadmap Sprint Till Kamppeter, leader of the OpenPrinting project, will give an introduction about what this all is about.
Going through OpenPrinting's history the components of the printing infrastructure of modern Linux (and other Posix-style) operating systems will get shown.
Especially also the New Architecture of all-IPP printing and scanning and also the integration in immutable OS distributions will be treated ...
Short overview what we will talk about this year.
From the Zephyr project web site:
The Zephyr® Project strives to deliver the best-in-class RTOS for connected resource-constrained devices, built to be secure and safe.
From WikiPedia:
Zephyr is a small real-time operating system for connected, resource-constrained and embedded devices supporting multiple architectures and released under the Apache License 2.0.
In this session we will first finalize the features and roadmap for CUPS 2.5 (due end-2023) which has a focus on OAuth and new container/sandbox/distribution-independent-packaging support. Then we will discuss the features and roadmap for CUPS 3.0 (planned end-2024) which implements the all-IPP New Architecture of printing, a well simplified architecture making use of the modern driverless printers.
The New Architecture requires changes in the GUIs, in printer setup tools and print dialogs, as we do not deal with CUPS queues any more but with IPP print destinations. So the GUIs have to list these destinations and talk IPP to obtain all the details.
Sandboxed packaging and immutable OS distributions force us into the realm of the New Architecture already before the release of CUPS 3.x which makes this topic really urgent.
After an introduction about the state of the art and a presentation about the situation of Ubuntu with the CUPS Snap (Ubuntu 23.10 + flavors, Ubuntu Core Desktop) we will discuss the challenges and the solutions.
It is hard to get started in a new technology or a field. It is that first step that stumps us all. In this talk Shuah will talk about overcoming the beginner’s problem and marching towards becoming an open source contributor.
This workshop will guide participants through the critical steps of setting up their development environment and moving beyond the "Hello World" application to tackle real-world challenges in embedded systems development. Participants will engage in practical exercises that cover key topics such as runtime context (Interrupt vs Thread), multitasking, sensor driver, board abstraction, Bluetooth Low Energy and more.
Most examples will run in simulation and do not require a physical board. The presentation and all examples will be accessible in a GitHub Repository that is published before the event.
The GitHub Repository zephyr-workshop contains training material (slides, selected samples) for this workshop.
If you already have experience at Zephyr, please join this session and help answering the attendee's questions.
Immutable Linux operating systems get more and more talked about as they are more secure and much easier to maintain. Especially with their smartphone-like way of packaging and distributing applications and system components they are also a way to make Desktop Linux more attractive to end users.
This different system architecture also affects printing. We need a safe way of letting third-party application developers acess the printing system withiout being able to mess it up or access files of other users. We also need a way for printer (and scanner) manufacturers to add drivers without need of the whole immutable system core to be replaced, ...
The New Architecture helps towards this new system realm by its all-IPP approach only using network-based communication protocols.
Here the changes and methods are presented and possible approaches and solutions discussed.
Till Kamppeter and Aveek Basu are organizing every year the participation of the Linux Foundation as mentoring organization in the Google Summer of Code (GSoC) and mentoring contributors for OpenPrinting.
In all the years we did not only get a lot of work done, but got people into our team, got contributors into the world of free software, gave them experience for their careers, ...
In this panel session Till and Aveek, and some of the current and former contributors and mentors will tell about their experience with GSoC, what was amazing, where they struggled, ...
We tell how to get a GSoC contributor, what is required and how one works on a project. We also show the evaluation and onboarding process of OpenPrinting ...
And we do a Q&A session for the audience, answering all their questions and dispel any doubts ...
Introducing words from Kate Stewart
This is a recorded talk, unfortunately, Kate could not make it to Mandi, and she is also not available for presenting live on this day.
TALK SUMMARY
"ScaniVerse: A New Horizon in Unified Scanning for Linux Systems". In this fast-paced 20-minute talk, I will introduce ScaniVerse, a unique project poised to revolutionise the scanning landscape across all Linux systems.I will navigate through my journey of extending PAPPL, an open-source printing system, to embed scanning capabilities by metamorphosing non-ESCL scanners into ESCL servers. Furthermore, I will be illustrating an innovative MetaScan system, a smart data cataloguing module for scanned images. ScaniVerse is a testament to the power of open-source networking in crafting innovative, adaptable solutions, and heralds a new era in device interaction.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
ScaniVerse is an innovative project set to revolutionize scanning technology, spearheaded in two directions. The first part, implemented by me in GSoC (Google Summer of Code) under the mentorship of Mr. Till Kamppeter, involves extending the Printer Application Framework, PAPPL, to support the eSCL (AirScan) protocol, thereby converting non-eSCL scanners into eSCL servers to significantly enhance their cross-platform interoperability and functionality. The second part, inspired by my GSoC work, is the development of MetaScan, an intelligent scanning frontend prototype that facilitates smart categorisation and archival of scanned images using a combination of OCR, machine-learning-based image recognition, and a dynamic metadata tagging system. When integrated, these components form the robust ScaniVerse framework—a sandboxed Scanner Application compatible with all Linux Systems. This project underscores the transformative potential of open-source networking in creating innovative, unified solutions, thus pioneering the next generation of scanning systems.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Participants will gain insights into the process of working with and extending an open- source system from scratch through my GSoC Journey, the development and functionalities of MetaScan, and the exciting potential that lies in the convergence of scanning and printing technologies. You'll also learn about the transformative power of open-source networking and how it can innovate, unify, and streamline solutions. I invite passionate individuals to contribute and participate in this innovative journey. Upon completion of the session, those interested can get involved with ScaniVerse by contributing to the GitHub repository links, or directly reaching out to me.
LINKS:
- Ongoing extension work with PAPPL
- MetaScan
There aren't many days when you don't come across blogs or documentation while working in tech.Technical writing is an important skill for professionals in the tech industry, as it allows them to clearly and effectively communicate technical information to their audience.
Whether you are writing a blog post, creating documentation for a software application, or producing a user manual, effective technical writing is essential for ensuring that your message is understood by your readers.
This talk covers the fundamentals so your next piece of content will be well-organized, easy to understand, and something you can leverage to grow your career.
In this talk, we’ll delve into different aspects of documentation – both from a technology perspective and from a people perspective. We’ll consider information architecture, automation, quality and means of getting things done. We’ll try to answer questions like “How to make documentation useful and yet easy to use?”, “How to ensure an easier life for both the producer and the consumer of documentation?”. In the process, we’ll hopefully figure out if documentation can be thought of as fun or not.
Have you already thought about how the applications we develop get distributed to end users?
Often developers only provide the source code. So for not so tech-savvy users the major distributions need to pick up projects and package it, and maintain it for new releases.
This is why there is a need for distribution-independent, secure, and easy-to-use packaging, like on smartphones. This exists also for Linux ... Among the options, there is Snap! Applications are easy to find in the Snap Store and they are installable on most Linux distributions.
And, to make Linux even easier for end users, we cannot only provide applications in the Snap format, but also have an all-Snap operating system, Ubuntu Core Desktop, an immutable core operating system based on Snap.
All this is based on the knowledge and experience we gained at Canonical when creating the smartphone operating system Ubuntu Touch. After the phone project having been discontinued we started with the IoT system Ubuntu Core, snapped desktop applications, ...
More about Snap: The Powers, The People
And if you eager to learn snapping now, come to our workshop after this talk!
Discussions that will provide insight into life at Canonical and into the long but interesting interview process. Our panelists have gone through the interview process recently and have interesting stories to share about their journey, for instance Aaryan will talk about his GSoC and its pivotal role in his work. We’ll also look at the work culture in Canonical, the conferences / work sprints held all over the world and other perks of remote work. You’ll get an idea about the large number of products and services that Canonical offers apart from Ubuntu.
Attendees will gain valuable insights into Canonical's unique organisational culture, the diverse range of roles available, and the essential qualities that set successful candidates apart. At Canonical, we are not just techies interested in building products, but are equally passionate about open source, cultural diversity and inclusivity.
What’s the difference between a technical writer and a technical author? We’ll take a quick look at a day in the life of a technical author to understand what Canonical means when they say they are looking for a Technical Author.
In this session we will present further lightning talks, 5 minutes each. 7 slots are still free.
If you have something interesting to present, it is your chance. Come to the registration desk at any time before this session starts and sign up for a slot, on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Please also bring your slides (on a USB stick) so that we can load them onto our presentation laptop, for smoothly changing speakers during the session.
Alternatively, you can also already submit your lightning talk before the event, via the Call for Abstracts ...
Here Aveek and Till wil give some hints how to get into the Open Source world, for coding, designing, triaging and fixing bugs, documentation, triaging bugs, bringing people together, ... We are also answering the audience's questions.
BeST Berliner Sensortechnik GmbH, based in Berlin, Germany, has successfully utilized Zephyr RTOS along with open-source software components for the past three years. In this presentation, Oliver Völckers will provide valuable insights into their journey of designing and implementing a pump monitoring system employed by the German railway operator, Deutsche Bahn.
The presentation will highlight the substantial advantages offered by Open Source Software and Zephyr RTOS when compared to vendor-exclusive SDKs. Additionally, Oliver will delve into key design choices made in both hardware and firmware throughout the system's development. He will also emphasize the project's accelerated progress and enhanced support resulting from their transparent sharing of experiences and insights.
Have you already thought about how the applications you develop get distributed to end users?
Often developers only provide the source code. So for not so tech-savvy users the major distributions need to pick up projects and package it, and maintain it for new releases.
This is why there is a need for distribution-independent, secure, and easy-to-use packaging, like on smartphones. This exists also for Linux ... Among the options, there is Snap! Applications are easy to find in the Snap Store and they are installable on most Linux distributions.
More about Snap: The Powers, The People
In this workshop we are here to introduce you to the Snap packaging format and guide you on how to create your first Snap. Hands-on exercises will be done on your laptop. We will start with simple GNOME applications and in the end we will help you snap your own application. And do not fear the daemons, we snap them, too!
What you need to bring
Want to help?
If you are an experienced snapper, please join this session and help answering the attendee's questions.
Traditionally, you would use your system package manager to install all kinds of software ranging from compilers to IDEs and games, but this has changed lately thanks to the advent of new packaging formats such as Snap and Flatpak, which has encouraged new as well as some existing Linux distributions to adopt read-only root filesystems and atomic system updates. If you want to get familiar with them, this talk is for you. I'll be using blendOS as an example.