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software: free as in speech

January 30th, 2010
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Having been a GNU/Linux user now for over three years, I have come to really appreciate this idea of “free software,” which until just recently I did not realize is not entirely the same thing as “open source” software. Many times it is very close to the same thing, but, fundamentally, there is a difference. [...]

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sneekylinux has made me famous

January 13th, 2010
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My friend Sneekylinux from across the Pond has made me famous. Well, not really, but he did interview me for his Linux podcast. Sneekylinux has been publishing videos demonstrating Linux distributions for some time now. I’ve been following him and have appreciated his style and know-how. He’s shifted gears recently to include interviews with Linux [...]

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teaching and learning out loud

July 28th, 2009
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This summer I’ve been experimenting with a new approach to teaching and learning online. I’ve officially (ok, secretly) broken from my institution’s BlackBoard learning management system in favor of an open-source, decentralized alternative. This summer   A screaming fossil?we are using a WordPress MU installation bolstered by the social networking component BuddyPress and further supplemented with [...]

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