Amazing country, full of contracts and color, warm and hard working people, excellent cuisine, and great music. I left to Mexico without expecting something that would impress me so much. It wasn’t the all-inclusive resort – quite similar with other places; but the land, the people and the culture. We just scratched Mexican spirit; for sure, we will turn back there.
I did many pictures, unfortunately, not all were good so I published only few. Still, I think is reflecting a little bit of what we found there.

Viva Mexico! Now I know why I was in love with its music before visiting it. And the movie, Apocalypto, incredible cruel, but what a movie. You should not miss it. See it together with the other masterpiece, 1492: Conquest of Paradise. And you will learn a little bit about what America means.

For the ones who don’t know what is FLOSS (I’ll continue to use this term instead of FOSS because is clearly defining what “free” means in this case- free = libre) Wikipedia is explaining it clear:

“Free and open source software, also F/OSS, FOSS, or FLOSS (free/libre/open source software) is software that is liberally licensed to grant the right of users to study, change, and improve its design through the availability of its source code. This approach has gained both momentum and acceptance as the potential benefits have been increasingly recognized by both individuals and corporate players.” …read more on Wikipedia.

Dan, I appreciate your comments and your opinions, and you may be right from some angles. I’ll give you a single example I already gave it a few years ago, when we allowed Microsoft to sponsor the event first time: please take a look at the biggest Open Source conference in the world, OSCON http://www.oscon.com/oscon2009, and tell me what you see on top right? Did the fact they allowed Microsoft to sponsor diluted their message and involvement in promoting FLOSS? No. Is somebody criticizing Tim O’Reilly for it? I don’t think so.

We should understand that both FLOSS and closed source models are going to coexist for many-many years from now. I don’t want eLiberatica to be perceived like an extreme FLOSS event, where we invite only the “pure” FLOSS organizations. eLiberatica should be an event where bright IT professionals with different opinions will come and talk in a civilized mode, exchange ideas and gain value.

I’m not afraid at all that Microsoft speakers will influence FLOSS enthusiast and twist their minds, or they will confuse the neutrals or non-decided ones. Why? Because even if Microsoft is paying big bucks for smart and well-prepared professionals, first – they are not right, and last – these speakers will always lack passion. You cannot buy passion. Besides this, each time we were careful to invite at least a few very bright and exceptional FLOSS representatives that put light there, showing where Microsoft is wrong even if Microsoft speakers pretend they love FLOSS.

I totally agree with you that Microsoft will try hard to slow down FLOSS adoption. But making the rest of the people (I mean the non-FLOSS enthusiast, or the ones that are not aware) thinking that FLOSS is an IT extremist movement, is more dangerous that trying to talk and influence Microsoft. Of course, Microsoft will not change if we talk to them (they will change when their marked will shrink and they will fill the pain in the pockets).
But I know who will change – the undecided. The people who don’t know much about the issue. And even the ones who are Microsoft users. They will see that FLOSS people are open-minded, they are not fanatics, and they are in fact the ones that should be followed. That is my feeling.

Last but not least, please believe me that I would like to have no sponsors if it would be possible. I would like to be rich enough to organize this conference (which is a really expensive one) without the need of any financial support. That is in an ideal world.

Come at eLiberatica; if you will see any favored sponsor or the fact we allow them to manipulate the listeners in any wrong way, then you should let me know and I’ll put ashes in my head.

(PS – I apologies, but I’ll be with limited internet access until first of March, so I might not respond until then to any other comments.)

I hated the streets closures, crazy security and overpriced stuff, not to mention the guys who “demonstrated” smashing windows (I still didn’t get what was their call).

But I loved the cosmopolite atmosphere, the joy and celebration in the air, the tourists from the entire world, the Canadians being proud and sustaining their team, and the great weather (not so good for snow sports actually). Is sunny, the spring is in the air, the summer is coming and we have all they eyes on our town.
I read some articles in the world media, criticizing the organizers and insinuating these Olympics are the worst. Well, I don’t feel the same. I think they should look in their garden first. I was here from the beginning and I can tell you how much all these people worked to do something good. And when I mean people, I mean all of them. Did you see in the pictures or on TV those wearing light blue outfits? They are volunteers, and they are thousands. This tells a lot about Vancouverites.

Below are the pictures I took walking the streets of Vancouver all these days. I’m afraid this is all from my side. In a few days we are leaving for a vacation so you should soon expect some images from Mexico ;)

Ah, and here is a story: an US comedian named Stephen Colbert said that Canadian are “iceholes” and “syrup suckers”. So they came to cheer him ;) I mean really cheer him. And a beer brand was born. Here ist the story and here about the beer… I don’t want to hear anybody saying that Canadians don’t know how to take a joke.

I’m proudly I’m belonging to this city. Good job people of Vancouver!

“This is a translation of the original Romanian article, published on February 11^th, 2010 by Capital Online magazine.

The Romanian Communications Ministry will pay EUR 90.18 million (including VAT) for the right to use 163,427 Microsoft licenses – for around 30 public agencies, including some ministries. The payment will be done in nine equal batches, until 2012.

The provider of the right to use the licenses is the business association between D-Con.Net AG, D-Con.Net GmbH, Comsoft Direct AG, Bechtle Holding Schweiz AG, Dim Soft SRL and Microsoft Romania, the only provider that participated to the bidding organized by the Ministry of Communications and Information Society (MCSI) in July 2009.
The contract was signed a month later.
The first batch of payment will be done during this year, according to MCSI data obtained by Mediafax.
“For the acquisition of rights of use, the manufacturer will provide a number of minimum 50,000 hours of consultancy and support, at no cost (…). These hours will be used by the purchasing public agencies (…). The provider will offer these consultancy hours during the entire period of the framework contract, establishing in each subsequent contract the number of hours that are necessary“, says the bidding specification.
According to Government’s Order 460/2009, the act in which the Government mandates MCSI to held the public bidding, the majority of computers and servers that get those licenses belongs to Ministry of Internal Affairs – 43,417, Justice – 25,247, Public Finances – 20,395, National Defense – 17,733, Public Health – 13,348 and Agriculture – 9,554.
In 2004, the Romanian Government and Microsoft signed a contract that stipulated using the products of the American company for five years. The clauses stipulated the use of about 50,000 Microsoft licenses for 54 million USD – that have been already paid.
Together with the amounts that were to be paid in 2009, totalizing $57.86 million, the value of the 2004 contract arrived at $111.86 millions.
Microsoft is the biggest international software manufacturer.

SOURCE: Mediafax“

Last year at eLiberatica, we raised some questions about this contract. Of course, without any result… At least, the world should know. And spread the word. Here is the link to eWEEK article Romania Issues €100 Million To Microsoft Without Bids.

Olympic Torch Relay – Best vantage point in Vancouver – Harbor Centre, our office building.

A place to check where to go if you are in Vancouver, is this website
http://www.citycaucus.com/2010free

In front of our building is the German Hospitality House. I’ll put some picture on flickr soon.
Just looking forward for the beer and schnitzel ;)

Check here a blog post with more details about Olympics guesthouses:
Vancouver 2010 Pavilions & Hospitality Houses

Bellow: German Fan Fest Hall – Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

See you there! If you are vising from Romania, give me a sign, I’ll be glad to get together for a beer ;)

I wasn’t too excited until now, all this spending of money, commercialism and those things. Now I start to feel different because the city itself started to feel different. Is like for a few weeks Vancouver become the capital of the world. Even the people seem to be different.
I’m passing each day in front of Quatchi mascot (a pity they put there some huge cell phones advertisements) wishing the city will stay the same for the future – cosmopolitan, friendly and fun.

I have to teams I follow now: of course, Canada; and of course, Romania. No doubt, Canadians will win medals; they have all it takes, starting with well-prepared athletes and finishing with excellent training conditions.
Not the same with Romanians, which are having poor training conditions especially for the winters sports.

Anyway, I put a bet on:
Paul Constantin Pepene – Winner of U23 World Championships in Hinterzarten (Germany) – 15 km + 15km
Eva Tofalvi – the best Romanian on biathlon – 2nd place in the Individual event at the end of the 2008-09 Biathlon World Cup

One way or another, it feels good to be here!

This is the biggest USB hub (at this date). I ordered it some time ago, now I used it, works great.
It has 16 usb ports, and is auto powered. The nice part is the switch, so you can connect two PC and share all the ports.

I ordered it directly in Japan, and here is the link for it. They have other crazy gadgets, you know, Japanese stuff, first hand ;) .

Btw, they ship internationally, as far as I understand.
http://brando.com/

—-
Tot cautand sa ajung cat mai repede acasa am gasit un traseu care ocoleste No.10 in marea ei majoritate, scotandu-ma foarte aproape de No.91. E un traseu foarte idilic, cu largi perspective in toate drectiile, printre ferme, fara trafic sau semafoare. Desigur e mai lung dar am desoperit ca daca ii “dau in goarna” fac chiar mult mai putin decat pe #10.
Ieri dupa ce am “rup” usa am lua-o pe cai stiute spre casa. Nimeni, nimic pe traseul meu, doar o masina alba la ceva distanta in spate. Ii dau in goarna, ocolesc cateva gauri, ma uit dupa un vultur de ajung pe sensul celaltat, etc…
Dupa un timp masina alba se apropie si ma urmareste la cativa metri in spate. Imi vad de treaba… numai ca masina alba nu ma lasa ba chiar incepe sa se umple de lumini rosi si albastre. Am pus-o! Trag pe dreapta, opresc si pregatesc carnetul de conducere.
Urmeaza cateva momente de asteptate. Il vad pe politist ca ma verifica prin statie… Astept. Se da jos, vine la mine, se prezinta. Ma intreaba calm: “Stii de ce te-am oprit?”. In capul meu se pornesc tot felul de algoritmi: Ce sa zic sa iasa bine?, Sa fie viteza? Sa fie ca m-am uitat dupa vultur? Sa fie ca m-am trezit pe sensul celalalt? Cum sa fac sa nu iasa prea rau? Ma decid si raspund tot cu o intrebare: “It is speeding?” Da din cap afirmativ si incepe sa imi zica calm: “Aici e zona de 50km/ora – te-am inregistrat cu 80, ba chiar la un moment dat cu 96 km/ora. Am asteptat sa treci de indicator, nu ai redus. Am vazut ca ai ocolit ceva gauri… Legea e drastica cu cei care depasesc viteza cu asa de mult…”.
Paradoxal, eu aram asa de linistit de parca nu era vorba de mine. Incredibil de linistit si calm, aproape ca nu imi pasa. Zic intr-o doara “It is nothing I can do right now. I made a mistake, this is it.” El raspunde: “Ai putea pierde licenta acum, aici… dar vad ca nu esti genul ala. Asta e doar un friendly avertisment.” Eu: “I appreciate it, sir!” Mai schimbam ceva vorbe in care el zice ceva de Academia de Politie, avetismente, etc… Eu incep sa realizez prin ce am trecut si ce se intampla. Ma ia asa o amorteala… Tocmai am scapat de o amenda de cateva sute de dollari si de un “commute” cu faimoasele noastre autobuze ecologice de cel putin cateva luni.
Fain. Mi-a mai dat o sansa. In mod cert o sa fiu mai atent la speedometer. Macar pentru o vreme…

Daca eram undeva pe la Adjud alta ar fi fost povestea…
—

V-ati prins, se intampla in Canada. Asta pentru ca multa lume ma intraba cum e aici, iar eu urmaresc Cronica Carcotasilor… O sa revin si cu negativele cand apuc. Una pe scurt: ma supara o sinuzita si ma tot duc de 3 luni la doctor fara prea mari rezultate. Asa ca doctorul meu m-a programat la specialist. M-au sunat ieri de la cabinet, am intalnire cu specialistul peste trei luni. Buna nu? Sanatosi sa fim, ca in rest le ducem pe toate ;)

Old One

New one

A few days ago, I met Zak for a beer, as we do usually to catch up with each other. Coincidentally, we realized that 4 years ago, almost the same day – in a night of December 2005, the idea of organizing a FLOSS event in Romania was born. How the time fly!

Many things happened in the meantime. The good – eLiberatica run three editions and reached 400 participants this year. High profile Open Source and Free Software activists, developers and enthusiasts came to Romania and presented their ideas, shared stories and expertise, made new friends, learned about our culture. The Romanian FLOSS community members gain something; they met each other in person, they shared ideas, they learned new things; new events and communities were developed. Although the Romanian FLOSS community is not united as I dreamt when I started, still, eLiberatica did something: it made it clear that Romanians are having a FLOSS community. It put it on the FLOSS World Map. It also attracted the government and media attention and most of all, the Romanian public attention; and the FLOSS international community attention to Romania. Many Romanians who had no idea about what Open Source and Free Software means, now learned.

Is this something? I don’t know, you judge, and the time will tell. There is still a lot to do, but it is a start.

eLiberatica 4^th edition

Back these days: people are asking me what’s next, and especially about eLiberatica 4^th edition. I can come now with a clear answer:

eLiberatica 2010 – unfortunately no…
eLiberatica 2011 – YES!

There are important factors making a 2010 edition hard to develop: on my side – I have to spend more time with my family, and to focus on my actual job. Zak is in a similar situation. Both of us spent many-many days and nights preparing and managing the previous three editions and volunteering for the community; now we should turn back to our families, they need us. The times are harsh too; there is a lot of political uncertainty and economical turmoil in Romania these days. We hope this will change in good in the next year…

Therefore, although Romi (Agora CEO – our partners we had in the first 3 editions) made me the offer to collaborate again in organizing eLiberatica, I had to say no this time.
Both Zak and I decided to go again together and prepare a big one – but only in 2011.

On the other hand, Romi mentioned to me that Agora would like to organize a local Open Source event in the spring of 2010, which I think is fain. Anyway, please note, this event is not going to be supported by Zak, and me, nor will be eLiberatica. On the other hand, I’m glad to see eLiberatica is not the single FLOSS event taking place in Romania now. A few are on the track and I hope we share our part in generating it.

I will be always supporting the FLOSS movement in Romania and, generally speaking – ROMANIA. Although Canada is now my country, and I love it and respect it, I’ll never forget where I came from. So if is anything I can help there, and is in my power, you let me know.

Related to eLiberatica 4^th edition – I’ll continue to keep communication up; I’m open to any suggestions, so please stay in touch with me. I updated my blog, I’ll tune it up even more, and I’ll start to rearrange the eLiberatica websites, unifying it in a single one and preparing it for 2011. I estimate we will start to work for organizing the next edition probably the summer of 2010. In 2011, we wish to have the best FLOSS event ever in Romania.

A New Year

These being said, I wish all of you Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!
It was an honor and a pleasure to be with you in all these 4 years, and I hope to be again together soon.