Report of Software Freedom Day Hong Kong 2011

In software freedom day Hong Kong 2011, a stroked senior demonstrated how he types chinese characters with Stroke 5 input method, it shows how does free and open source software (F/OSS) help people to communicate with each others.

Stroke 5 input method is simplified input method of chinese, available on Linux platform. seniors told us that they doesn’t need to memories representation of 26 english keys in traditional chinese input methods. With only 5 keys (ie. NM,./) representing 5 type of stroke in chinese writing, seniors and children who know how to write a chinese character in correct stroke orders can input chinese words easily.

Stroke 5 project leader and social worker, Mr Kingman Leung said that the make of input reference table with 10,000+ chinese characters are completed by local seniors few years ago. With assistance of debian developers, stroke 5 is added to SCIM and some other input method engines. He would like to invite open source developers to port stroke 5 to other platforms, including android and meego.

Open Source 3D Printer – RepRap.

Mr Parker Leung is a D&T (Design & Technology) teacher from a local secondary school. He took a RepRap to SFDHK and share how a open source printer makes different possibilities, from creating a 3D printer to making chocolate.

2 tracks of free software talks

SFD Hong Kong team runs Software Freedom Day 2012 at 2 tracks in different rooms in City Univerisity of Hong Kong, which supports local LUG and F/OSS events over 10 years. Hong Kong team is formed by Hong Kong Linux User Group and Open Source Hong Kong.

Talks are hosted in a lecture theatre with over 100 seatings.

Unconference are hosted in another classrooms with 40 seatings. Mr Andy Li introduced haXe, and Mr Jimmy Wong started a group discussion of python programming and HKPUG.

Linux, Java and MeeGo

Dr. Haggen So, new chairman of Hong Kong Linux User Group talked on the topic of “Linux in 20 Years”, and we invited friends from other local user groups to join us at SFDHK.

Mr. Sunny Chan, leader of Hong Kong Java User Group talked “Open Source Java: The state of the union”, and Ms. Amanda Lam from Hong Kong MeeGo network shared the latest development of MeeGo platform.

Group discussions at BoF session

Full video playlist of SFDHK 2012 by @amandahoic
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL048D777727401782&feature=plcp