Linux.conf.au 2010 kicks off in New Zealand

For the second time in its 11 year history, Linux Australia’s annual Linux technical conference – Linux.conf.au, or simply “LCA” – has headed across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand.

The conference is in windy Wellington this week. See the Web site (http://www.lca2010.org.nz) for more details.

LCA is one of the little treasures of the Australian technology calendar. It’s not a big-budget IT conference like CeBit or Tech.Ed, but it consistently attracts the biggest names in Linux and open source from all around the world.

Linus Torvalds himself is known to attend – and was in Hobart for the first time last year – and multinational software companies like Google use LCA as a hunting ground for fresh talent.

Even if you’re not into Linux, I recommend getting along to a LCA to experience a well-organised community conference. Every year there is an open day (usually the last Saturday) where the public can attend free of charge and meet the organizers and community members.

I’ve had the pleasure of attending most LCAs since the first one in Sydney in 2001. [Note: the first Australian Linux conference was dubbed CALU (Conference of Australian Linux Users) and held in Melbourne in 1999. The modern Linux.conf.au format started in Sydney in 2001]

Unfortunately a combination of bad planning and work commitments has kept me away from this year’s event, but I intend to write some articles remotely.

You can also catch Computerworld’s coverage by following the linux.conf.au tag.

Best of luck to the Kiwis this year, I hope all goes well. I hope they announce where LCA 2011 will be held at the end of the event.