hey

im organising an event (see below) in NYC which will be working with
gimp and other free softwares used in design to get them into a text
book (replacing adobe cs4)...if anyone is in NYC please come! (let me
know if u can else just turn up)


FLOSSify 1 : Digital Foundations

For a long time educational courses have been cheap marketing for
proprietary software companies. Can a student really afford all those
expensive softwares required by the courses? No. Ever hear of a software
company kicking up a fuss because students are using 'unofficial'
versions? Well, it does happen but not often. And why not? Because
proprietary software companies know, as the universities know, that once
the students leave their training they will be indoctrinated with those
tools and simply slipstream into being paid up proprietary software
citizens. Simply put, unlicensed software used in education is tolerated
because it is cheap marketing.

This is how tools become 'industry standards'.

FLOSS Manuals is fighting this flow by converting textbooks that use
proprietary software to using free software in their examples.

We call this process "FLOSSify". We convert the book from closed
software to Free Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) hence we 'FLOSSify'
the book.

Our first text book is the wonderful Digital Foundations book produced
by Michael Mandiberg and Xtine Burrough
(http://digital-foundations.net/). Its a text book designed to teach
software by teaching design. The current toolset it uses is the Adobe
Creative Suite and we will convert these examples entirely to using free
software.

Not only have the authors given the kind permission to go ahead with
this, they originated the idea and approached FLOSS Manuals to be
involved. We are very happy to get behind this initiative and work with
the authors to create a fantastic text book promoting the use of Free
and Open Source Software within design courses. 

FLOSSIFY 1 : Digital Foundations will focus on a fun 3 day event at
Eyebeam, NYC. Anyone is welcome to attend and some food and beer will be
provided. Come and meet some of your old geek friends, make some new,
and help make a step towards unshackling education from proprietary
software. 

FLOSSIFY 1 : Digital Foundations
Eyebeam, New York City 
Feb 6-8
starts 10ish
finishes when we are done
fast connection, a table, some chairs, and beer and food provided
contact a...@flossmanuals.net for more info

-- 
Adam Hyde
Founder FLOSS Manuals
http://www.flossmanuals.net

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