Monthly Archives: March 2007

WordPress Summer of Code!

Posted on by
3

Update: Students and their projects.

WordPress is among 131 fantastic open source projects in Google Summer of Codeâ„¢.

We have 7 awesome WordPress contributors as mentors Andy Skelton, Brian Layman, Matt Mullenweg, Michael Adams, Nikolay Bachiyski, Peter Westwood, Robert Deaton, and myself. So we should be able to accept 8 student projects.

Check out our ideas, or submit your own.

2007-03-16 Update: Matt wrote “with some real rock-stars mentoring” and I couldn’t agree more!

2007-03-20 Update: Posted on WordPress.org Development blog: GOOGLE SUMMER OF CODE.

e-tst.com Porn Link Spam Blogs

Posted on by
1

 

My new least favorite spammers, taking the spot from Coastal Vacations, is e-tst.com porn spam blogs (NSFW).

Never thought I would say “my new least favorite spammers”. Oh, the pleasures of working on WordPress.com .

2007-03-19 Update: They are still at it. Spammers are persistent.

Voice Interview with Jeff Waugh

Posted on by
4

Jeff WaughJeff Waugh was interviewed on FLOSS Weekly Semi-regularly 16 hosted by Chris DiBona and Leo Laporte. Although released in February it was recorded in 2006.

The interview is great. Some of the highlights for me are learning more about the early days of Ubuntu, where Jeff sees Ubuntu now, and where he is as an open source professional. Jeff regularly demos his deft wit.

“Then they buy 100 Linux servers because Linux is suddenly real to them. This bizarre thing that the desktop makes it real.”

Jeff is one of the many people that I admire for their contribution to free culture through their work on open source. He has made significant contributions through leadership and evangelism with linux.conf.au, GNOME and Ubuntu, and is now back with GNOME.

It is because of Jeff and people like Jeff that I run Ubuntu and I am as passionate about free culture and open source. Thank you Jeff!

WordPress, Google Summer of Code – Organization Applicant

Posted on by
2

2007-03-15 Update: Our application was accepted.

I was working on the details of WordPress as a Google Summer of Code – Organization Applicant, and happened to click on the link to the application form. Only five spots left the form warns!

I wonder how many organizations have applied? The application period is Monday, March 5, 2007 to Monday, March 12, 2007, I wonder why it tells you how many spots are left?

I submitted our application. It is an awesome commitment from Andy Skelton, Brian Layman, Matt Mullenweg, Michael Adams, Peter Westwood, and Robert Deaton who have already volunteered to be mentors.

I have been working on our ideas page. Please volunteer as a mentor: it is good for you, a student, and for WordPress.

Continue reading →

Different Types of Freedom

Posted on by
2

It seems a bit hypocritical to extoll the greater freedom offered by the BSD license (as its supporters do), and then look askance at companies who use the rights granted to them. The dual-licensing model of MySQL is only possible because the GPL withholds certain rights from the users. It has always struck me as ironic that the primary use of the GPL in the business world is to exert control over customers and require them to pay licensing fees for uses outside the GPL. Without that option, the other business models available are pure support contracts (which don’t make for terribly compelling marketing material), or adding value to the open source code before passing it on to the customer, so they feel they’re getting something worth paying for.

By Allison Randal succinctly describes what many people are challenged about by the GPL vs BSD, where the BSD license appears to provide greater freedom.

Greater freedom? Different types of freedom, protecting different rights important to different people.

The BSD is pure freedom, ripe for abuse and innovation.

The GPL is pragmatic. It keeps everyone on the same playing field.