Reports from Brazilian Open Software Conference 2003 (long)

Mon Jun 9 20:57:41 BST 2003

Helio, KDE-Developes, etc,
I'm a kind of KDE contributer also in Brazil. Soon CVS will receive some 
pieces of code I'm working on.

At a corporate level, here at IBM we are talking about a global desktop 
support offering, but it is mostly based on Ximian (read Gnome).
To let us say we globally "support a Linux Desktop", we need somebody to 
give us 3rd level support, somebody to call when a customer have a problem 
and a commitment that there is somebody to look and fix the bug. We (or a 
customer) can't depend on the kde-devel mailing list.
>From this perspective, Ximian represents a corporate endpoint for it, with 
solutions like red-carpet, etc. We can also sign a support contract with 
them.

I noticed there is a KDE::Enterprise initiative, but they look to me as 
inexpressive from a corporate perspective. I mean people that can come and 
talk in a business level with business people saying "sign this contract 
and I'll give you support", not just developers saying "subscribe this 
mailling list and you'll have free support from the source".

Personaly, I prefer KDE, and I believe it is a much more integrated, 
smooth and advanced desktop for the final user. I want KDE to be the 
winner of the Linux desktop (or any desktop). But a corporate commitment 
is vital.

As an example, few day ago I reported a design problem (bug #59285) regarding 100% 
unaccessible files when their names are non-UTF-8 encoded. Many developers 
understood the severity but the position was "this is mainly unsupported, 
and will fix when we'll have time". I'm not blaming them, because I 
understand. But this is the kind of problem a company can't stand without 
help. There is many ways to workaround this particular situation, but I'm 
talking about the approach to the problem, and not the problem per-se.

Thank you,
Avi

Avi Alkalay <avi at br.ibm.com> :: SW & IT Architect
LA Linux Impact Team :: IBM Brazil :: http://ibm.com/linux
Tel: +55 11 2132-2327 | Mobile: 9659-9059 | Tie: 842-2327
:: Think Open : Think Linux ::

----- Forwarded by Aviram Alkalay/Brazil/IBM on 09/06/2003 16:24 -----

"Avi" <avi at alkalay.net>
09/06/2003 16:17

        To:     Aviram Alkalay/Brazil/IBM at IBMBR
        cc: 
        Subject:        Fwd: Reports from Brazilian Open Software Conference 2003 (long)

----- Original message -----
From: "Helio Chissini de Castro" <helio at conectiva.com.br>
To: kde-core-devel at kde.org
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2003 21:22:03 -0300
Subject: Reports from Brazilian Open Software Conference 2003 (long)

Hello all..

I'm just back from my journey ( closed airports, delay, no lunch, etc.. )
to 
Open Software Conference at Rio Grande do Sul, where i did a speach about 
Corporate Desktop and KDE approach.

First, a little excerpt from what this conference represents to Brazil
itself.
This conference become the major computer conference in Brazil, since the
down 
of Comdex Brazil and Fenasoft, and in last two years they earn a strong 
political side, since Brazilian government is strong turned to Open
software.
It happen's every year in the same place, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do
Sul, 
where is a strong GNU/Linux nest, and barelly all Gnome centric. To
finish 
excerpt, just mention that the guy who leads Rio Grande government
software 
project, Marcelo Branco, is now invited to assume all Brazilian
government 
software project, antd he is a "just Gnome" guy indeed.

So, after 4 hours delay in my flight, a arrived at Porto Alegre and
barely 
have time to eat something and goes to conference. Today, the last day,
is 
considered the "Gnome Day", since Mr. Icaza was going to do two speachs
in 
the main room ( 600 places ), and the first one was happen just an hour 
before i arrived. To mention, no seats are empty. A comment: Icaza is
kind of 
a mytical God there. Is really a star to this people. 
When i got my id's, i just go to V.I.P. room, closed to speach guys.
After i 
just turn on my notebook, and start read mail., Mr. Icaza comes to my 
surprise and seat aside me to do the same. I tried, i really tried change 
some words with him, but you know how must be hard speak to a God must
be, 
hardly when the guy REALLY act as one.. For a few moments i'm feeling a
bit 
unpleased with everything, despite the good treatment gave me by the
staff.
After harsh talk with Miguel ( KDE is not interesting, Gnome will be won
in 
the next version, Mono i seven times better than pnet, yada, yada, yada
), 
was the time to front the real treat, Mr. Marcelo Branco ( from
government ). 
I barely talk with him, but after some talk, i figure out that to put our 
beloved KDE in, we will need do things from a different way..
That's what i start to did in that moment..
I was prepared a small old notebook P2-300 Mhz, 64Mb , with new Conectiva 
Linux, to prove to everyone that's be  possible run our distro, and most
of 
all, KDE in a simple machine.
And to show new features, package fom CVS HEAD 4/06/2003, including
Gideon and 
Quanta.
So, when i arrive at my speach room, how surprise i'm am about having
almost 
all seats ( 100 ) full, and after i start, just a few leave during the 
speach. So, hard responsibility, things must work and i had to be
delicately 
about talk with many Gnome Hun Hords in the room too, showing just KDE 
itself, and avoiding any comparison. Thanks God, evrything goes allright,
and 
no Krash appears during the 1 hour speach, despite some slowness due a
little 
mem, and surprisely, i got some of crowd to participate from the speach.
But, what i really mention above about which steps we ( at Brazil ) will
need 
do to put KDE in our gov. i did in the early beginning and the end of my 
speach.
In the beginning, when i'm introducing myself, i spoke about the three
only 
Brazilian KDE developers ( me, Roberto and Thiago ), and mention that we
have 
a lot of difficult to reach developers here to help. I really touched
some 
guys in this moment, but the "piece of resistance" comes in the end
Questions 
time.
A corporate guy that watching my speach ask me this question:
- "In this conference government stated that 2004 will be the Open
Software 
year to Brazil. I want to know if KDE will be there at this time.."
- This is the clue that i was waiting. My response was directly. We want,
we 
really need, but now, we are three and some translators. We will do all 
efforts to walk with this moment, but if we didn't have more local help,
will 
be dificult...
After, many people come to me to ask some more directly question about
speach 
talks, but i really earn the day when i walked on the conference
showrooms, 
and listening a lot of people talking well about my speach, and more, i 
believe that i earn one or two newest possible developers.. My first move 
will be completly done when the hears of KDE speach reach in the Gov.
guys 
ears.. And more, i reach this without using any usual Win/Gnome attacks
that 
some guys usually use.
Just to mention, at the end of my speach, this guys ( Gov. guys ) are at
main 
room conference again with Miguel de Icaza in a really boring Mono
speach, 
for about 500 people :-P

I really don't know if i'm a little emotive now, but in the plane backing
home 
i really felt that had a great day to both Conectiva and KDE project..
More 
days like this must come :-)

-- 
Helio Castro
KDE Developer
Development Conectiva S.A.

>> Visit http://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-devel#unsub to unsubscribe <<

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Avi Alkalay <avi at alkalay.net>
+55 11 3673-4209 | 9659-9059
Think Open :: Think Linux

-- 
http://www.fastmail.fm - Does exactly what it says on the tin

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