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

Presentation at Penningtons LLP, Solicitors at Abacus House, 33 Gutter Lane, London EC2V 8AR on Wednesday 5 March 2008 from 6pm to 8.30pm

Open Source, one of the most exciting developments in computing in recent years is redefining the way software is written, sold and used. Typically created collaboratively across the internet, open source software is freely available for anyone to download, install and deploy. Open source companies generate revenue by providing extra services: customisation, training and support. Overall, this generally leads to a lower total cost of ownership for users, but just as important are the benefits of increased flexibility, security and control. The presentation will explore this intriguing new world, and look at ways open source can be used by any company for competitive advantage. Our two speakers are:

Chris Kenyon, Director of Business Development , Canonical Limited

Chris Kenyon joined Canonical, the company behind the Ubuntu project in 2006. He leads the global team that handles Canonical’s relationships with Intel, Dell, SUN Microsystems and many others. Based in London and previously responsible for corporate strategy at Global Beach Automotive he is a graduate of Atlantic College and Edinburgh University.

Ubuntu is the world’s fastest growing operating system and is used by over 6 million users in 200+ countries including Google, San Francisco Airport and over 40% of school pupils in Spain. Ubuntu’s 10,000s of community volunteers, combined with these partnership, enable it to compete as a world-class operating system application suite that is free to use, share and distribute.

Glyn Moody, Journalist and Consultant

Glyn Moody, a journalist and consultant will take the commentator role at the event. He has been writing and lecturing on computers and technology for over 25 years, the internet for 13 years and open source software for 12 years. He is the author of the book “Rebel Code”, the first and so far only in-depth history of the subject and also writes a blog on open source and related areas at opendotdotdot.blogspot.com. He has an MA and PhD in Mathematics from Cambridge University and is based in London.

Glyn will be talking about the Why, How and What of Open Source: why it works, how people can give it away and still make money and what it all means for business.

Full details on the IOD website or to download the booking form click here

Unicom seminars have offered a substantial discount for OSSG members wishing to attend their “Web 2.0 and Beyond” conference on 5-6 March. The first 5 members to register can do so for £175 plus VAT (compared to the full conference price of £750). Any subsequent registrants get a 25% discount off the full price.

Further details for this event can be found at www.unicom.co.uk/socialtools. To claim the discount, enter “OSSG discount” in the comments field when making your booking.

Members may be interested in the following:

Amsterdam, June 11 and 12. With a pre-conference (mapping-party) and the
side-conference: 4 years after the ?motie Vendrik? (plea for
governmental use of open standards and open source software) in
collaboration with the open source taskforce of the Dutch political
Party GroenLinks. Location: the beautiful Aula of the University of
Amsterdam (at the ?Spui?), Singel 411, Amsterdam.

This year?s speakers include yet again some renowned experts in the
fields of open source software, open standards and open content including speakers from Vodafone, Yahoo,
Wikimedia, IBM, Google Earth, University of Leuven, European Schoolnet,
OpenStreetmap, European Union, Dutch government, Dutch schools and many
others.

For the latest information on the conference please see www.hosc.nl.