Sneak peek into SeaGL Keynotes
The time has come for SeaGL 2023, happening this week! As a Halloween treat we bring you a preview of our keynote presentations. These keynotes will be held in-person at 9am on both Friday and Saturday in the Lyceum at the University of Washington HUB. They will also be streamed live online for our remote attendees!
Deb Nicholson presents: “Diversity and Allyship isn’t Always Easy”
Friday, November 3rd, 2023. 9:10 am
Everyone loves the idea of diversity and most of us want to think of ourselves as “a good ally.” Not only is it the right thing to do, but there are also some very appealing benefits that come with making your tech event, project or workplace a welcoming place for vulnerable, marginalized or under-indexed people. More perspectives lead to more innovation and diverse companies tend to enjoy higher employee loyalty and customer satisfaction rates. There are many great talks and papers about how to increase diversity, but they often skip over the difficult parts. We’re not doing ourselves any favors by leaving the challenges, costs or even the backlash out of the discussion. Once we’re willing to talk about it, maybe we can come up with some ideas to help each other overcome the stress points? I want to start that conversation. This talk is coming from someone who passionately supports diversity and wants to help others do this work and to set them up for success with realistic expectations.
About the speaker: Deb Nicholson (@baconandcoconut@freeradical.zone), Executive Director at the Python Software Foundation and a founding organizer of SeaGL.
Sri Ramkrishna presents: “The Linux App Ecosystem: A renaissance that nobody is watching.”
Friday, November 3rd, 2023. 9:40 am
The Linux App Ecosystem is essentially a group of projects, frameworks, and organizations that implement, contribute, and enhance writing applications on the Linux platform. During the initial years, there was a slew of excitement as open source became more prominent. Yet, as the years went by and even as the concept of open source took off and became the modus operand of software engineering, the interest in the app ecosystem seemed to dwindle and it found itself pushed further away from open source mainstream. Largely hidden from mainstream view, wonderful things are happening.
About the speaker: Sri Ramkrishna (@sri@mastodon.social), one of the longest time GNOME contributors and a veteran FLOSS advocate.
Hong Phuc Dang presents: “Embracing Open Source: Pioneering Sustainable Solutions for a Thriving Future.”
Saturday, November 4th, 2023. 9:10 am
In an era marked by pressing environmental challenges and the urgent need for sustainable development, we need open source now, more than ever. Open Source, with its collaborative ethos and transparent nature, has the potential to revolutionise the way we approach sustainability. This keynote explores the symbiotic relationship between Open Source and sustainability, highlighting how Open Source principles foster innovation, inclusivity, and scalability, while nurturing a global ecosystem of problem solvers. Hong Phuc will share inspiring examples from diverse domains, showcasing how Open Source empowers individuals, organisations, and entire communities to create impactful and sustainable solutions.
About the speaker: Hong Phuc Dang (@hpdang@floss.social), co-founder of FOSSASIA, one of the largest FOSS community in Asia.
Kaylea Champion presents: “Simple Dreams and Complicated Nightmares: Innovation, Trust, and Risk in FLOSS”
Saturday, November 4th, 2023. 9:40 am
Free/libre open source software is everywhere – but that success has come at a cost, and our freedom to follow our own passions is both a blessing and a curse. In this talk, I’ll share results from a series of recent research projects to understand the risks we face and the ways we can protect the health of our movement. I’ll share specific actions you and your projects can take to keep building a thriving ecosystem for both contributors and end users.
About the speaker: Kaylea Champion (@kaylea@social.coop), Ph.D. candidate at the University of Washington researching many things related to free/libre/open source. She is an advocate for women in technology and past SeaGL presenter.