We participated in Software Freedom Day this year. It was good fun 🙂 My sister is in Southern Vales Linux Users Group (SVLUG) who hosted the event at Hallet Cove Baptist Church. Jessica and I demonstrated on our laptops what we use Linux for at Teen Challenge. Jess also played games 🙂 of course. I was able to help some people with their queries about Linux eg. Open Office questions but some I had to pass on to others such as getting a wireless modem working in Linux. I made some cds of all the issues of Tux Magazine and gave them away. There was plenty of info on what software freedom is and Ubuntu cds were given away too.

Lee Salvemini, who was one of the Lead Artists for the world’s first open movie “Elephants Dream”, came and talked to people about his movie and gave demos of how he uses Blender.

There are photos at the software freedom day website.

software freedom day, linux

This is a good Linux article in the Sydney Morning Herald titled ItShare SA Inc who provide recycled computers for people on low incomes.

I use Kubuntu the KDE version of Ubuntu at work and Ubuntu at home on my desktop and laptops.

Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Digital Divide

How come crocodile hunter Steve Irwin’s death, though terrible, gets five or more minutes in tonight’s news and Aussie author Colin Thiele’s gets about two minutes? Current affairs shows have tributes to Steve Irwin and there is a special tribute show coming up on Wednesday.

I hope there is more about Colin Thiele, in the media, and his achievements in the days to come.

Colin Thiele, Steve Irwin, crocodile hunter

This is an annonymous comment I received about The Boy From Oz-

Anonymous said…
How “colourful” could it have been? Still sounds to me like the typical “white autralia” creed. “

I think it was the life story of Peter Allen told in song. I don’t see how that’s got anything to do with ‘white australia’. What do others think?

white australia, The Boy From Oz, racism

I went with a friend to see The Boy From Oz on Saturday!!!! It was fantastic! Hugh Jackman is incredible. He had Peter Allen’s speaking voice down pat as well as his singing. The show was very funny and Hugh put in lots of local jokes and references. It was a very colourful and exciting show, full of action.

I was a bit annoyed that people pretty much ignored the request for no cameras and there were times when Hugh stopped the show to pose for photos too.

Colleen Hewitt was teriffic as Peter’s Mum. I loved her big solo number. Hugh received a standing ovation for “I Still Call Australia Home” and for the finale “I Go To Rio”.

I loved all the music, the orchestra and the backdrops (a data projector was used to project scenes onto a screen behind the orchestra in the middle of the stage) Sometimes it was hard to know where to look I missed some things happening on stage when I was looking at the screens, you need to see the show several times to see everything 🙂
The Boy From Oz website.

boy from oz, hugh jackman, stage shows

The Amazing Race is on hiatus because we’ve all got a virus. It started with Doug and then Jessica (I had to go to Victor Harbour and pick her up from her St John Cadets camp) and then me.

The race will start again when we’re all better.