THANK YOU!
[UPDATE] The IndieGoGo campaign has come to an end, and thanks to generosity of 134 lovely people, we raised $6,731!
That’s enough for me to be able to focus on this project for the year, pay for plenty of materials required, and I don’t have to spend as much time working on other jobs. I’ll send out the Copyleft Cookies recipe and an update email in the next couple of days, and the other perks will follow in the next couple of weeks.
Thank you so much to all who helped out, your support really is greatly appreciated – if you like you can see who these wonderful supporters were.
Starting 1st of August 2012, I plan to ‘live’ Open Source for one year.
I plan to use myself as a subject in an experiment to canvas the range of open source ideas and products, search out and discuss ways around traditional copyright licensing, and see how the ideas of free software, libre hardware and copyleft can affect different areas of everyday life.
In every aspect of my life, from the clothes I wear to the film equipment and appliances I use, I will be looking for and switching to open source alternatives, in hardware, software and services.
Confused? Here's how I explained it to my mum.
![Ah, Final Cut Pro. You've been good to me. Ah, Final Cut Pro. You've been good to me.]()
I'll have to kiss Final Cut Pro goodbye, for a start.
I will be documenting my projects, challenges and interviews in regular writing and videos on a website, gathering opinions and suggestions from experts in the field and from my readers. There will be at least one video per week and plenty of writing, photos and other activities.
I’m starting this project for the following reasons.
1. to tell the world about open source, to explain the idea, its use, its history and its potential.
2. to contribute to open source projects myself, despite not being a hacker or developer.
3. to be involved in making and learning about how products and tools are made.
4. to present a portrait of Berlin’s open source, DIY, political and self-organised scene.
5. to test-drive the open source philosophy, to see how far the idea will stretch.
![3D printing! the great plasticky frontier 3D printing! the great plasticky frontier]()
-I’ll be actively avoiding companies and industries which rely on a very closed-source model (eg food from copyrighted seed strains).
-I’ll be looking at how open source affects education, and using open, collaborative learning methods to learn how to code, how to solder, and how to speak Turkish.
-In some aspects of my life, (eg. air travel) no open source option will be apparent. In this case I will research and try to outline why not – what barriers there may be in that industry/service to a viable open source option, and what possibilities there may be for the future.
-Richard Stallman would also point out that there are also issues with the name and philosophy of 'open source' which need to be discussed: How Open Source misses the point.
Ve Haf Vays Off Maeking You Perky.
To show just how much I appreciate every little bit of help you can give, I've organised a few choice perks for your perusal:
![Sharing is delicious]()
-Copyleft Cookies!
Cooking recipes are open source - whether you contribute $1, $5, or $1000, everybody will receive a recipe for delicious Copyleft Cookies. Or if sharing isn't your thing, you can rotate them and eat them all yourself.![keep your grubby freeloading mitts off my cookies.]()
Keep your grubby, freeloading mitts off my copyright cookies.
-Thank You!
For everybody who contributes $10 or more, you'll get a tip of the hat, a sly wink, a kiss blown on the wind, a humble bow, and a thank you on the website - your name immortalised amongst other kind, generous souls in the unforgetting eternal archives of the web.
- The 2013 Open Source Calendar (Swimsuit Edition)
12 delightful hand-drawn illustrations of your favourite Open Source Heroes and Heroines, from both software and hardware worlds. Drawn by the very talented
Judith Carnaby, these drawings will be appearing regularly over the course of the next 5 weeks, as you suggest, vote and troll your way to a rough consensus of favourites. Who's your Miss September then? Lawrence Lessig? Limor Fried? Yochai Benkler? Let me know in the comments section!
Here's Linus Torvalds to get you in the mood...
- Sam's Last Bike Tour!
I work as a tour guide 3 days a week. It's a fun job, but there's no time for tours around this project. So I'll be inviting my supporters who are in or near Berlin to come along on my final bike tour, specially formulated for the occasion. It'll take place sometime at the end of August / start of September, the date is flexible so nobody misses out. We'll cover EVERYTHING: Cold War, Prussia, Kreuzberg history, gentrification, urban development, architecture, squatting, community gardens, open source, I might even answer questions about Hitler's ball(s?).
- Original Artwork
Once the arguments have died down and some clear winners emerge, the rest of the 12 Open Source Heroes will wear their speedos of glory in the ultimate Open Source Hall of Fame, the aforementioned OS Calendar (Swimsuit Edition).
For 12 keen supporters there is also the opportunity to acquire an original drawing, signed by Judith. Who wouldn't want to gaze longingly at Richard Stallman in a skimpy swimsuit for the rest of their days?
-Use of your product for a month
If you're a company with a great open source product - Linux distro, NLE, personal audio player, whatever, I'll provide publicity for it by trying it out as my primary solution for a month. I will announce the test at the start of the month, provide 3 weekly updates about my progress, and review it at the end. I'll approach each product with an open mind and spend sufficient time with it to provide a balanced review.
Note: THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT. My project is about transparency, and if your product is rubbish, I'll still tell people it's rubbish, but will also provide constructive criticism so you can improve it.
If you're interested in this perk please ensure that your product is licensed under one of the
Open Source Initiative's approved licenses or the Free Software Foundation's
GPL, Non-GPL, or
other approved licenses. I will always be transparent when I am using a product not just of my own accord but as per the agreement of this perk.
- Go on, tell me your problems.
This project is not just about solving my problems! This perk will give YOU an opportunity to have an itch scratched, a wish granted, a problem solved.
I (with a team of dedicated experts) will be taking on an issue in your daily life as a featured project, trying to develop an Open Source solution to help you out.
You'll be involved in the planning, development and discussion either here in Europe or remotely from overseas.
Where's the money going to go?
Production Costs:
Personnel: I need a producer to help me organise this mammoth project - somebody to schedule meetings and interviews, organise workshops, help plan projects, book crew & equipment, deal with the finances, and smile and nod at me patronisingly when I come up with foolish ideas.
Other production costs: Travel, transport, communication etc.
Website costs: Design and development, site and video hosting.
Video Costs:
Camera+Sound
In some situations I can shoot video, or record sound, but most of the time, I need a camera operator and sound recordist to ensure great audio and video quality. I'll be shooting at least 1, sometimes 2 or 3 days per week, and they don't work for free.
Music: the krauty little number you can hear on the pitch video was written and recorded by Martin Keane. He did it for free, 'cause he's a nice guy. But he will need to be paid for future commisions.
Occasional extra crew requirements:
Art direction, Lighting, Animation.
Equipment needed:
More rig equipment (dolly, monopod, follow focus), sound equipment (clip mics) and a basic lighting setup will be required. The aim is to try to make and use Open Source video equipment. Even so, materials for projects like this can be expensive.
I see $20,000 as a good start. If I don't reach this goal then the project will still go ahead, but with a more limited scope, simply because more of the responsibility will fall on my shoulders.
Why a Year of Open Source?
This project is really an accumulation of all of my interests - For years I have been fascinated by Open Source, but I've never really known how best to get involved.
I have a background in music videos and documentary, and am fascinated by Berlin's modern history (and current state) of activism, self-organising and the avant-garde high-tech scene. But I've never been able to find a frame within which to tell theses stories as a documentary.
I'm interested in the opportunities presented to the filmmaking community by the internet - on all fronts - funding, distribution and format.
A subject like Open Source is not suited to a 90-minute documentary made for festivals or television. By the time the film is edited, it's out of date. A 'release early, release often' working style is not just ideal for software development, but also for storytelling in a world evolving so rapidly. Through telling stories and making videos I want to entertain, to educate, and to inspire, and Open Source seems ideal for such a purpose.
Other Ways You Can Help
Please send the video on to friends, post it on facebook, twitter and other social media.
Is anyone you know interested in Open Source? Or should they be? Let them know!
In addition, there are SO many ways you can help throughout the project - suggesting projects or open source solutions to problems
sending in links to interesting OS developments
If you're in Berlin or nearby, I need huge amounts of help from producers, hackers, enthusiasts, makers, designers, dreamers, engineers, scientists and artists. I need help with specific projects and the year in general. I need advice and know-how, I want to organise workshops and interviews. I'll be keeping a running update of all activity on the blog at
www.yearofopensource.net throughout the crowdfunding campaign, subscribe if you would like to stay informed!
I've started an
FAQ to explain a little bit more about the ins and outs of how my project will work, how I'll be dealing with issues like my computer hardware, and some of the issues around copyleft / permissive licensing / free software etc.
Please read it!
you can also email me directly: sam at yearofopensource.net
-también son comentarios en español bienvenidos
-natürlich könnt ihr mir auch gerne auf Deutsch schreiben.