Penguin Day Seattle

The following was the agenda for the first Penguin Day Seattle.

8:30am - Coffee, juice, pastries

9:00am - Introductions and Opening Circle

9:45am - Spectrograms!

Spectrograms are interactive group opinion polls, intended to encourage participation by everyone. Spectrogram topics will be revealed in the moment; come prepared to explain where you stand :^)

10:30am - Break with coffee and snacks

10:45am - Morning Break-Out Sessions

Facilitators for each workshop will briefly describe what they will be discussing in their session. Participants will be able to ask questions and choose which session to attend.

Sessions will run for 75 minutes each in parallel, with the large group re-convening for 15 minutes of report-backs at the end.

Introduction to Free and Open Source Software
Facilitated by Zac Mutrux and Jonah Silas Sheridan
This session will introduce the history, philosophy and practicalities of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). Key terms and concepts will be discussed, including "source" and the differences between "free", "open" and "proprietary", and participant questions will drive the course of the dialog. The nature and role of software communities and user support will also be explored.

Introduction to Free and Open Source Desktop Applications
Facilitated by TBD
From Firefox to Open Office to the Gaim instant messaging tool, there are plenty of Free and Open Source applications that rival or even exceed their proprietary counterparts. This session will offer a guided tour of those tools, while also leaving room for discussion of what's still missing and what's hard to install and use.

Hardware Recycling: The Role of Free and Open Source Software
Facilitated by Oso Martin and FreeGeek
FreeGeek is a long-time innovator in using Free and Open Source Software empower their hardware recycling operation. Oso and members of the FreeGeek team will tell the FreeGeek story, discuss how FOSS has enabled and inspired their operations, and explain the importance of hardware recycling in the Free and Open Source ecosystem.

Making sense of Free and Open Source Content Management Systems
Facilitated by Joel Burton, Ryan Ozimek, Andrew Burkhalter, others TBD
Selecting the right platform for web publishing is a ubiquitous and vexing challenge that many nonprofits face. This session will provide an overview of several "Content Management Systems" (CMS) and offer perspectives on how they differ and how to compare them for nonprofit web publishing needs.

Healthy and Sustainable Free and Open Source Communities
Facilitated by Zack Rosen
" Community" in its many and varied manifestations is a dynamic that sets Free and Open Source software projects apart from proprietary ones. Zack, who has directed the CivicSpace project from its inception, will discuss what makes for vibrant communities that sustain and enhance software projects.

How Users Can Influence FOSS Development
Facilitated by Greg Heller and Dan Robinson
FOSS projects bring end users closer to developers. Good FOSS projects have mechanisms for engaging end users in the design and testing process. This relationship does not always come naturally and both groups can take steps to making it easier. This session will focus on how end users can engage in the FOSS development process and influence product development to meet their needs.

12:30pm - Lunch and Open Discussions

Geek Yoga, Facilitated by Sarah Pullman
Come out from behind your laptop and spend part of your lunch hour doing a relaxing beginners yoga class! This class will be accessible to all levels of flexibility and experience and you'll learn some tricks especially for people who spend a lot of time in front of computers. No experience necessary - just don't wear your tightest jeans. There will be time to eat lunch after yoga, before the afternoon sessions start.

1:30pm - SpeedGeek Extravaganza!

Speedgeeking is a chance to see a lot of Free and Open Source tools and projects in a short amount of time! Small groups move in a circle from station to station in five minute intervals, learning rapid-fire about tools and projects. See a complete explanation of SpeedGeeking.

2:30pm - Break with coffee and snacks

3:00pm - Breakout Workshops

Same format as morning breakouts: sessions will be briefly introduced, participants will ask any questions they have, and we'll break into small groups.

Helping Techies and Non-Techies Communicate and Cooperate
Facilitated by Zac Mutrux
Penguin Days exist to allow nonprofit "end users" to meet and share ideas with Free and Open Source Software developers. This is session will provide a forum for discussing the language and perspective differences that exist between those who identify as "Non-Techie" and "Techie", and offer suggestions on processes and successful models for productive collaboration and communication.

Free and Open Source GIS/mapping
Facilitated by Josh Livni
" Geographic Information Systems" (GIS) offer a range of exciting real and potential applications for nonprofit programmatic needs. While great low-cost options include Google Maps and other non-FOSS frameworks, Josh will speak about open source mapserver-based applications that he has worked with, and invite participant questions about how they might better integrate GIS tools into their own organizations.

Free And Open Source Online Advocacy: Tools And Best Practices
Facilitated by David Taylor, others TBD
The range of platform available to support online advocacy is rich to a point of overwhelming. This session will start by characterizing the different types of available tools for different advocacy and campaigning models, and address best practices for getting started and sustaining online advocacy efforts.

Creative Commons And Open Content
Facilitated by TBD
While there is much discussion about the promise of "Open Source" software, there is arguably more promise and potential in creation and utilization of "Open Content" for nonprofit needs. This session will define core concepts including the Creative Commons license, and then offer examples of how open content is already benefitting the nonprofit sector. Participants are encouraged to bring their own open content ideas, questions and challenges to the dialog.

Business Models for FOSS developers and providers
Facilitated by Greg Heller and Dan Robinson
Many providers of FOSS implementation, support and development struggle to find the right business model in the absence of proprietary licensing and royalties. What are "competitors" in the FOSS market places? How can FOSS providers structure business models that support the larger FOSS ecology and serve their customers best? In this session, various FOSS providers will discuss their business models and ways to encourage the three "C"s (Communication, Cooperation, Collaboration).

Content Management System (CMS) Crash Courses
Following from the morning CMS discussions, these workshops will offer overviews of several popular platforms, explaining core concepts and terminology, in part by demonstrating sites based on the respective techologies.

Plone CMS Crash Course
Facilitated by Joel Burton, Andrew Burkhalter

Joomla CMS Crash Course
Facilitated by Ryan Ozimek

Drupal CMS Crash Course
Facilitated by TBD

4:40pm - Closing Circle

Participants meet in final plenary to summarize the day, imagine next steps and prepare for post-event beveration and merriment.

Post-Event

Adjourn to nearby watering hole for further Penguin Antics

Other possible session topics if passionate facilitators emerge:

Making sense of FOSS licenses

Selecting an Operating System

Intro to eRiding

Supporting Open Source Software In Nonprofits (ONE/NW?)

Open source and disaster relief

Security for FOSS Users

Running Your FOSS Hosting Business

Using FOSS to win campaigns