DebSIG: Free Media, but not Free Beer (unfortunately)

At DebSIG this wednesday (James Squire Brewhouse, Sydney) we're discussing what Free Software can do for Free Media. I'll throw some ideas around for a little while and then we can have some fun:

Free Media lets people build on forms of expression -- to make music, movies, pictures and knitting patterns by sharing source material. It's natural that Free Software should support the production of Free Media. More so, we know the ins and outs of working together globally and we've built up tools and community structures to support that. It's an awesome new world. What can we do, as Free Software developers and distributors, to help Free Media flourish, and why does it matter?

Come along, chit-chat and get "ratfaced".

Also this week:

• Open Source Business Methods forum on Tuesday (let's happy Annodex that)
• Paul Fenwick and Perlmongers on Thursday (also at the JSBH)

Podcasting Free Music

Here's some recent follow-ups on Free Software and the Music Commons:

Flavio Oliveira got in touch and is keen to help add podcast support to RhythmBox, and help with the whole free software / free music mix. The free software desktop should be an awesome portal to free media, out of the box. Let's make it happen!

Over on linux-audio-user, John Mulholland is setting up opensourcemusic.info, a community site for musicians using Linux. He was at the recent musiccommons symposium in Brighton, and we've been chatting about bridging the gap:

I go to the newsagent and I see five magazines for open source, and five for making music on a computer, and not one that combines the two!

Shayne O'Connor (who happens to also live near Sydney :-) runs machinehasnoagenda, an awesome Free Media site. He's keen to host music made with Linux, if it's tagged properly:

Everyone on LAU should get themselves hip to tagging their music as CC-enabled, it should go without saying.

He also suggests a feed on CommonTunes. There's some great music on these sites, go listen.

Another awesome way to expose the Free Software community to Free Media is through news shows like LugRadio. Free shows can use free sound effects and play free tunes. James Purser is keen to do podcasts for Linux Australia and recently made a pilot [4.0MB Ogg Vorbis]. Check it out, I look forward to his suggested activities for DebSIG. He's looking for people in each state to help put shows together, so, SLUGgers and others, pipe up ;-)