Allison Randal

For a several years, the OpenStack packaging work has relied on the heroic work of one person (thanks zigo!). In the past few months, we've been expanding the effort out to a broader team, leading to a DebCamp sprint last week where we made good progress on some key goals like: - moving general Python dependencies for OpenStack into the Debian Python Modules Team, - moving OpenStack packaging work back to Alioth git repositories, to be more welcoming to broader Debian contributions, - laying the groundwork for packaging the Pike release of OpenStack (currently in RC, heading for release at the end of the month) This BoF is a chance to chat a bit about our thoughts on what lies ahead, welcome feedback, and welcome anyone who might be interested in joining our growing band of DebStackers.

A friendly introduction to free software, open source, and Debian, with an opportunity for the audience to ask questions.

Other people: Bdale Garbee Neil McGovern Bernelle Verster Steve McIntyre John Sullivan

"And if it comes back to being all alone at the starting gate, so be it. We hadn't wanted this fuss, these extras. We were calm under an appearance of turmoil, and so we remain even today, an unwanted inspiration to those who come immediately after as well as those who came before, lots of them, stretching back into times of discussion. I told you so, we can handle it, hand on the stick shift headed into the billboard labeled Tomorrow, the adventures of new music, melismas shrouding the past and the passing days."

-- John Ashbery, “Episode” from Planisphere

The legal structures of free software projects go through phases of popularity reminiscent of fashion trends. The early days of free software were decentralized and individualistic, partially inspired by the "free culture" movements of the '60s. Over time, centralization and incorporated non-profit organizations grew popular, parallel with a period of time where FLOSS was struggling for recognition as a viable alternative to proprietary solutions. As FLOSS crested that wave, and won the recognition of the business world, people began to recognize an over-proliferation of special-purpose foundations, and the conservancies (foundations that host multiple independent projects) came to the fore. In the past year we've seen a movement back toward decentralized individualism, questioning the need of any formal legal structures. The fact of the matter is that free software and international law work just fine for a whole gamut of legal structures, from the lone individual hacker to the largest of incorporated entities. It's a free choice for each project. The important thing is for every project to think through their legal strategy. Not just the "What?" (-license? -contribution policy? -legal documentation?) but "Why?" (-pick option X over option Y? -are we doing this? -do we care?) and "How?" (-can we make this work for us? -will this affect our users and developers?).

tba