[chisigmail] Melbourne event: Free software and UCD/usability (tomorrow)

[Scott Rippon]

Title: Free software and UCD/usability - an introduction

Presenter:
Scott Rippon

Date:
Thursday 6th December 2007

Time:
6pm networking for a 6.30pm start.   Wrap up by 8pm.

Venue:
Melbourne Uni, Barry Street Carlton, Lecture Theatre 2 - the intimate
one on the right.  We'll meet in the foyer at 6pm for drinks, nibbles and
networking.

How to get there:
Melway map 571 of Melbourne University.
Bus - 546 goes along Grattan Street.
Tram - Trams run up and down both Royal Parade and Swanston Street.
On Swanston Street, hop on tram 1,3,5,6,16,22,25,64,67 or 72. Hop off at the
corner of Queensberry Street, head west along Queensberry Street until you
reach Barry Street (second on the right).
Parking - may be available in the surrounding streets (meters), or in the
University Square Car Park (enter via Berkeley Street, near corner with
Grattan Street), for a fee.

About the topic:

>From its humble beginnings in 1984 free software (AKA open source software)

and GNU/Linux are presently revolutionising the industry.

Free software is presently being used to:
- power many of the web servers around the world,
- store and manage the vast amounts of data produced by a certain large
search engine company,
- power the $100 laptop (http://laptop.org/),
- plus many many other applications.

This presentation aims to give the history of the free software movement and
an introduction to its philosophical underpinnings.

Each year many enthusiastic supporters declare this year will be year of the
GNU/Linux desktop and each year pundits also declare that GNU/Linux isn't
quite ready for Aunt Tillie.  So how can the usability of free software be
improved?  This presentation also aims to give an overview of the present
usability efforts and how UX practitioners and academics can participate?

About the presenter:
I've has been working as a web developer and a User Experience
practitioner since 2001.  I'm presently working at the State Library of
Victoria ( http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/).  I was fortunate to see Richard
Stallman present in Melbourne a few years ago.  Since then I've has
attempted to participate, use and promote free software.

I'm also a member of the Linux Users of Victoria (LUV) and helped
establish the EduSIG (Education Special Interest Group)
(http://luv.asn.au/sigs/edusig/).  EduSIG aims to act as a network for
people interested in promoting the use and development of free software
within Victorian educational institutes.

Hope to see you there.

Cheers,
Scott.
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