FOSDEM 2008
Unlike two years ago, this time I have been a "completely different person" in FOSDEM: arrived by plane, used hotel and also brought two young developers I supervise - to demonstrate them how the FOSS looks like from the closer distance. Even a very simple things are impressive for some people: that the conference was organized by the university, that it was really large, that the level of the projects is indeed very high and that nobody does not even think to talk about things like cracking iPhones. It is important to resist various FUD in time. This goal seems reached and I am satisfied with the result.
Apart java talks, one of the most interesting things I have seen might be OpenSolaris. While I needed to stuff an extra hard drive into my box just to install it properly, I did - runs fine, scaring the older staff from the oil industry like a resurected ghost: Solaris??? Its dead! It is over! Well, there are many other interesting things - the summarized report was 16 pages long. Really a nice weekend.