Open Tech 2008, from UKUUG and friends, is an informal one-day conference about technology, society and low-carbon living, featuring Open Source ways of working and technologies that anyone can have a go at.

You can pre-register your ticket now at www.ukuug.org/events/opentech2008/registration to allow you to jump the queue and pay your fiver on the door. The last two times we did this, we sold out in advance, so you are strongly advised to pre-register.

With 3 concurrent sessions, The line-up features:
* Open Rights Group - 2 years, 344 days on
* mySociety - WhatDoTheyKnow.com launch, and other goodies
* Overthrowing Government on a Budget, Keeping Track of
the CIA’s Rendition Flights, Tracking Arms Dealers
with Python and Bits of String
* Ben Laurie and friends on network security
* Danny O’Brien’s Living on the Edge
* AMEE, and Open Source Solar Heating
* Saving money and reducing carbon through Green IT
* Getting people involved with online media

Totalling 60 talks across 3 sessions covering 9 hours, there’s plenty in the programme for everyone including Rembrandt, Pr0n and Robot Monkeys, and all that’s just in one session!

Venue: ULU, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HY

The full schedule is at www.ukuug.org/events/opentech2008

Competitive pressures in software-enabled industries and the need to get new products to market ever more quickly mean that corporate use of Open Source Software is now the norm. Open Source is a boon to the CIO, but what are the legal risks? What’s the proportionate response for internal procedures and for dealing with suppliers and distribution? Richard Kemp and Mark Henley, two of the UK’s leading experts on Open Source legal issues, offer practical guidance on how best to maximise the benefit and minimise the risks of using Open Source Software.

Agenda:

• Positioning the issues;
• Current legal issues;
• Source code auditing in practice;
• Case study; and
• Discussion, case study answers, Q&A

18.00-18.30: coffee/tea and registration
18.30-20.00: speaker presentations, case study and Q&A
20.00-21.00: networking and light refreshments

Speaker profiles:

Richard Kemp, Kemp Little LLP: Richard is senior partner at Kemp Little and one of the UK’s top technology and communications lawyers. He has a particular reputation for developing commercial and innovative legal solutions to the business challenges of technology development, application, implementation and regulation.

Mark Henley, Kemp Little LLP: Mark is a technology lawyer in Kemp Little’s Commercial Practice. He has worked on a wide range of ICT projects in both the private and public sectors, from some of the world’s largest PFI and PPP procurements to Internet start-ups. Mark regularly lectures and writes about the legal issues associated with OSS and has advised on a wide range of related matters - from analysing the use of GNU/Linux in embedded systems to assessing investment opportunities in businesses dependent on OSS.

Speaker: Richard Kemp and Mark Henley, Kemp Little LLP
Date: 03 June 2008, from 18:30 to 20:00
Venue: Kemp Little LLP, Cheapside House, 138 Cheapside, London EC2V 6BJ

For further information please visit:

http://www.kemplittle.com/event.html?action=view_event_new&id=2068

Eddie Bleasdale

Eddie Bleasdale has been working in the area of Unix and now Linux / Free Software since the early 1980’s. He was responsible for the development of a range of Unix computers that were manufactured by BT. For the European Commission he was responsible for the development of the Open Source Migration Guidelines. See: http://www.netproject.com/docs/migoss/v1.0/

This presentation will address the issues using technology to enable Social Inclusion. It will consider the following questions: How can the UK Government / the European Commission achieve their objectives of providing care in the community? Can this be achieved using existing mainstream technology? Does the Free / Open Source community offer both the technology and the support to provide the public with secure, reliable computing that, with use, gains the trust of the users?

This is a Joint meeting between OSSG and BCS Lincolnshire.

Venue: EMMTEC Building at the University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS. For directions click here

Talk commences at 1900 hours with light refreshments from 1830 hours.

For further details about this event please complete the BCS Lincolnshire contacts form

OSSG in collaboration with the Justice in Health Network (JIHN) will on Wednesday 14th May 2008 hold an event from 1800 hours at the BCS Central London Offices, First Floor, The Davidson Building, 5 Southampton Street, London WC2E 7HA to consider: What would be needed to set up an open source community in health?

Adrian Delemore runs JIHN, which is concerned with health policy issues from a patient, family carer, service user perspective. JIHN is looking at how an online community in health may be brought into being to further a strong and informed patient voice on health policy issues.

To book a place to attend this event please email your name to the events coordinator.

Map & directions: http://www.epsg.org.uk/locations/bcsss-guide.html

Time: 1800 to 2030 hours

Free buffet and refreshments including wine available.

For further information please contact Mark Elkins at mark_elkins@bcs.org

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Open Source Specialist Group (OSSG) will be held on 14th May 2008 from 1730 hours at the BCS Central London Offices, First Floor, The Davidson Building, 5 Southampton Street, London WC2E 7HA.

Anyone wishing to apply for the post of OSSG Secretary needs to contact Mark Elkins at mark_elkins@bcs.org at least 10 working days prior to the date of the AGM.

The advertised event What would be needed to set up an open source community in health? is due to commence immediately after the business of the AGM has been concluded.

Map & directions: http://www.epsg.org.uk/locations/bcsss-guide.html

Free buffet and refreshments including wine available.

For further information please contact Mark Elkins at mark_elkins@bcs.org