Saturday, October 29, 2011

Pre-Halloween Craze at Informatics -Fairview Campus

While some students are having their pre-halloween parties, break and vacation, the students at Informatics- Fairview Campus took real effort and time before their break to attend a three-hour Talknology on Linux, F/OSS and KahelOS with 8layer's Deng Silorio and Meric Mara.

Deng, Meric, the Teachers and Informatics students had so much fun that three-hours is not enough to discuss and share the beauty and philosophy of the technology.

The students were attentive, the speakers enjoyed the discussion and the teachers gained a perspective on how students can be more with the trends and technologies that abound each day.

Friday, October 21, 2011

ANC Future Perfect: Software Freedom Day

Open Source is Now, it's not the Future. Perfect! Mabuhay ang Team sfd.ph!

Friday, October 14, 2011

Featured Short Movie: Internet Story [Video]

Internet Story from Adam Butcher on Vimeo.

R.I.P dmr



It’s hard to pick out words to pertain to great minds, great people, incomparable talent and genius. Simply, IT world will miss you a great deal Sir, Dennis Ritchie.

Another really sad news for the IT world is that Steve Job’s hero, the Co-Author and Co-Developer of the C Language and Unix has also passed away.

Our hats off and salute to Sir Denis Macalistair Ritchie http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Ritchie, the father of C Language (which runs our computers).

Thursday, October 06, 2011

Happy World Teachers' Day!

Happy are those who use and benefit from F/OSS

It is not about the technology. Technology is just a tool and yes, the technology is not the end but a means.... F/OSS success is magnified by hard work, passion and dedication. In our case it is about learning, sharing, nurturing and building, for others to build upon and be made available for use... to encourage critical thinking and innovation...to be self-reliant... to foster nationalism, identity and economic viability.

Definitely, using and learning F/OSS is not a step back rather opening oneself, an organization and the country to fossibilities that only we can contain or restrain and while proprietary software has a pricey tag, the gift of knowing the end of utilizing F/OSS, is priceless.

Saturday, October 01, 2011

Fresh.Fruitful.Fun.

Fresh
What Linux managed to imprint and instill in the minds and hearts of Linux users then and now is the concept of “new and fresh” even after 20 years. Yes, it’s the 20th year of Linux and there is nothing left to do but be grateful and celebrate how this noble yet magnanimous spark that led to that “big bang of sorts” of innovations and wonders.

Fresh ideas and innovation manifested by a handful thousands of distros contributed and developed by the community all around the world that even Linus Torvalds himself would have never imagined on his own.

At our 8OHQ, the Celebration of the Linux Day- 20th Year gave way also to the launching of the KahelOS LiveCD Edition fresh from the KahelOS Lab and the introduction of the new KahelOS mascot, the Tarsier.

Apart from Meric and Jasper’s sharing of this Filipino Distro, there were also presentations on linux updates, linux development and on mobile as well. The Linux timelines and package management concepts were likewise discussed.

Fruitful
It was a rainy but fruitful afternoon for some IT students of WCST and PUP as linux experts and pratitioners provided them with useful and meaningful insights to arm them not only in while they are still students but when they graduate and stand before the real world.

Fun
Fun games and fun singing time awaited the student attendees while Linux day and KahelOS button pins have been distributed while sharing snacks and laughter too. With these kinds of event, it is fun to meet new people and friends too… to add to your FB roster of acquaintances. :-)


Special Thanks and Credits

West Capitol School of Technology for hosting and supporting this year’s Linux Event with 8layer and KahelOS team.

Our appreciation and thanks to Mr. Daniel Escasa, Mr. Lawrz Libo-on, Mr.Macoy Mejia, Mr. James Milo, Mr.Bheng Avila,Mr. Aleck Rivera and to Ms. Katrine Decano, one of our recent OJT’s who shared what she acquired at 8layer.

KahelOS Community and Team 8liens for the Food and Freebies and sharing their time and skills for the success of the event.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Fresh.Fruitful.Fun.

Linux Day 2011

Fresh
What Linux managed to imprint and instill in the minds and hearts of Linux users then and now is the concept of “new and fresh” even after 20 years. Yes, it’s the 20th year of Linux and there is nothing left to do but be grateful and celebrate how this noble yet magnanimous spark that led to that “big bang of sorts” of innovations and wonders.

Fresh ideas and innovation manifested by a handful thousands of distros contributed and developed by the community all around the world that even Linus Torvalds himself would have never imagined on his own.

At our 8OHQ, the Celebration of the Linux Day- 20th Year gave way also to the launching of the KahelOS LiveCD Edition fresh from the KahelOS Lab and the introduction of the new KahelOS mascot, the Tarsier.

Apart from Meric and Jasper’s sharing of this Filipino Distro, there were also presentations on linux updates, linux development and on mobile as well. The Linux timelines and package management concepts were likewise discussed.

Fruitful
It was a rainy but fruitful afternoon for some IT students of WCST and PUP as linux experts and pratitioners provided them with useful and meaningful insights to arm them not only in while they are still students but when they graduate and stand before the real world.

Fun
Fun games and fun singing time awaited the student attendees while Linux day and KahelOS button pins have been distributed while sharing snacks and laughter too. With these kinds of event, it is fun to meet new people and friends too… to add to your FB roster of acquaintances. :-)




Special Thanks and Credits

West Capitol School of Technology for hosting and supporting this year’s Linux Event with 8layer and KahelOS team.

Our appreciation and thanks to Mr. Daniel Escasa, Mr. Lawrz Libo-on, Mr.Macoy Mejia, Mr. James Milo, Mr.Bheng Avila,Mr. Aleck Rivera and to Ms. Katrine Decano, one of our recent OJT’s who shared what she acquired at 8layer.

KahelOS Community and Team 8liens for the Food and Freebies and sharing their time and skills for the success of the event.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Software Freedom Day, (www.sfd.ph) goes Future Perfect at ANC

Tonight at ANC's Future Perfect, Our Ms. Deng Silorio and POSNet President Lawrence Libo-on joined TJ Manotoc to feature and discuss the upcoming Software Freedom Day which will be held on September 17, 2011 at St. Paul University Philippines, Tuguegarao, Cagayan.

Deng and Lawrz was accompanied by Meric and Lariz to document the fact in behalf of the sfd.ph team. This stint is truly a mark that the collaborative efforts of the Team SFD.PH exposes our advocacy to be heard, to be seen and to be shared in more venues and media.

Lawrz was able to expound the impact of Open Source and the implications as well of Open Source as concrete manifestations in the tech gadgets and computer applications that we use day by day. He also encouraged students and IT Practitioners to take a look at Open Source, reinvent and share with the community. Thus, having a wider perspective of technology.

Deng in turn was able to plug KahelOS which is an Open Source innovation,free for all to use. But more importantly she did emphasize the reason why we do celebrate Software Freedom Day; 1. As an advocacy to spread the benefit of free open source software as an alternative to commercial ones. 2. A venue for F/OSS Enthusiasts and Practitioners to give back to the community 3. To instill and imbibe innovation and nationalism.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Ready for the Linux Day 20th year Celebration?

Ready for the Linux Day 20th year Celebration? Yes, we are! For the peek at the final program, Check this out! See you guys!




Thursday, July 21, 2011

VIDEO: Celebrate Software Freedom Day Song



The Celebrate Software Freedom Day Song is a collaborative effort of the authors who are members of SFD.PH . The team has celebrated and initiated events since 2008 in the Philippines and this year this song is dedicated to all F/OSS lovers and advocates of the world. Feel free to share and dance with the beat as we celebrate the benefits, beauty and goodness of this technology.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE SOFTWARE FREEDOM DAY CELEBRATION (sfd.ph)

As we approach the date for the celebration of the Software Freedom Day, there are a few things we would like to share and announce.

1. Due to the fact that 8layer Team has already enjoined other pious and staunch advocates, the event entry will now be registered as SFD.PH Team at http://www.softwarefreedomday.org. This is a result and manifestation of our steady goal on awareness and proliferation of the F/OSS principles and philosophy in the Country. YES, the SFD Movement in the Philippines is getting bigger and formidable.

2. This year’s SFD.PH with the theme, “Smarter Communities Choose to be FREE” will be hosted and held at St. Paul University Philippines, Tuguegarao, Cagayan and is projected to draw 2000 students, IT practitioners, representative of government offices and companies in the Region.

3. SFD.PH Team has composed and recently released the Celebrate Software Freedom Day Song. Share the beat, http://labs.cre8tivetech.com/software-freedom-day-song/music-and-lyrics/

4. And finally, the winners of last year’s SFD Best Event are….. drum roll please…. PROTEGE QV, Cameroon, Africa, Software Freedom Day Melbourne and SPCF CITE Team Philippines.

Details of the announcement are found at this link.
http://www.softwarefreedomday.org/en/component/content/article/38-sfistories/145-sfd-2010-best-event-winners

Though our sfdph2010 event is not among the Top 3 Best Events, we are very proud that our last year’s celebration at University of Baguio, Baguio City, Philippines is still among the Highly Commended Entries together with other teams. Special congratulations to CPU for a job well done too.
For those of you who wish to view our sfdph2010 report, read on. http://sfd.ph/report/

Our HUGE and warm congratulations goes to our SFDPH2009 host school, SPCF for bagging SFD Best Event for 2010. http://pdfcast.org/pdf/software-freedom-day-post-event-report-spcf-cite-team-philippines. You nailed it guys!

To recall, the 8layer-initiated SFD2009 Celebration was introduced to SPCF for the school and the community in Angeles, Pampanga which won the TOP 3 Best Events in 2009. Last year, they managed to successfully hold a festive, cheerful and meaningful event on their own and we are so proud of this achievement. Our gypsy style, paid-off. “Like gypsies, our team moves from one venue to another, adopting a new community to be aware of the beauty and utility of Free Software, and after the solidarity F/OSS is then adapted. ” http://sfd.ph/about/

Hence, the reason and rationale for bringing the SFD Celebration (to foster F/OSS Culture and Collaboration) to other schools/communities that either has little or no knowledge of F/OSS is to enjoin the community (students, faculty, organizations and companies) to take advantage of the free software and its benefits and in return share what they have learned and experienced during the event (bring forth).

We hope that the University of Baguio and their community and so on will also continue what we have ignited so that the SFD and F/OSS spirit will be kept ablazed.

Our sincere and heartfelt thanks to the magnanimous men and women of the F/OSS Advocacy for getting out of their comfort zone and sharing what they know and do best for free. You know who you are. :-) Generally, we would like to impart how grateful we are that international counterparts and f/oss communities appreciate and recognize our efforts. Also, we wish to boldly express our profound happiness on how F/OSS and its advocacy all over the Philippines has grown and benefitted communities through sheer passion and dedication, openness, determination and belief that this technology and the value that comes with it can make students and individuals smarter, schools and organizations more productive and efficient and incur more savings.

Imagine, if our government officials, government institutions and other influential institutions like media, telco and enteprises capitalize on F/OSS benefits? Our thoughts only: unimaginable developments and savings of billions of pesos from proprietary licenses!

See you all on September 17, 2011 at St. Paul University Philippines, Tugegarao, Cagayan with SFD.PH Team for sfdph2011.

Check us out and join us on Facebook: sfdph2011 and Follow us on twitter #sfdph2011. For more info, visit us at http://www.sfd.ph

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Celebrate Software Freedom Day Song

Composed by:Erwin Galang,Meric Mara and Deng Silorio
Arranged by: Erwin Galang

Let’s go out and celebrate
It’s the Software Freedom Day
(Chill out/ Cheer out)Yell out and participate
It’s the Software Freedom Day

Let everyone know there’s a software for(that’s) free
Free to use for you and me
Free to run and study
Modify, make copies
Save more money
It’s the Software Freedom Day

Let’s go out and celebrate
It’s the Software Freedom Day
(Chill out/ Cheer out) Yell out and participate
It’s the Software Freedom Day

Throughout the whole world
Sharing is a plenty
Hackers are smiling, knowledge a’flowing
Dance to the beat and feel the heat
Free and Open Software is Here to Stay.

Software Freedom Day
aha (2x)
Software Freedom Day.

Download/Play the song:
(mp3 format) Celebrate Software Freedom Day Song
(ogg format) Celebrate Software Freedom Day Song

Composing the Celebrate Software Freedom Day Song

June 16, 2011

The Celebrate Software Freedom Day Song, a collaborative and creative result, was totally unexpected.

It was actually a whole rehearsal day for Dekada and Rizal Uno (for an event in August) at the Galang's residence in Antipolo City. Meric and Deng came late at around 10pm when some of the band members were already having their dinner and then after t'was time to jam with the band.

Right before the jamming started, Erwin played an already laid out tune and made us listen to his fast ska arrangement, it was his new project. Then Deng said, "Can we just have that for SFD?" He in turn said "why not?, if it fits".

Deng asked Erwin to play the whole tune (originally in Key of F) one more time but in a slower tempo. Then bit by bit a single melodic pattern was being hummed in deng's mind to fit the already arranged harmony. Deng asked for Meric's help to form and mold the concept of the song. It should not be too wordy, simple, yet it should embody/capture the theme and thought of F/OSS and essence of celebrating Software Freedom Day.

And over bottles of beer, the scribbling and mumbling lasted for about two hours. Deng asked Erwin to mum the brass section while fitting in the lyrics and melody to the tune. Alas, we think we have a song.

While rehearsing before the recording takes place, we transposed the tune to key of G to fit the singer's vocal range.

Take 1. Take 2. Take 3. And the vocal recording was done.

More beers and it was 3am but the group was still enthusiastically up and about to finish the song recording. So the final touch of percussion, bass and brass was to be laid out plus of course we had to think of how to end the song, a little more grand than the verses. Recording/ Mixing... and as we waited for Master Erwin to accomplish his final arrangement, it was already 6 in the morning.

We felt free. We felt elated. We felt good. And we hope this is something worth sharing and singing along for this year's Celebration of Software Freedom Day.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

8liens invade Nagsasa Cove, San Antonio Zambales.

This year we were able to squeeze in a little fun in the sun, company outing or 8liens get-away.

Island hopping, Hike and Trek on our way to the Falls, Acoustic Jamming OPM Songs only, Poker-pokeran, Bonfire at the beach while having our own flavor of pinoy henyo/charades…

Prior to our beachineering, we went to market and bought fresh squid, fish and veggies ready for sugbaan.

Games and more games… there’s Luksong baka, Bugok.

And the best part, no signal… no servers, no laptops, no mobile phones. And the bestest part, one year supply of profile pictures as per Sherida.. :-)

Feasting and Fun before the rainy season comes!

https://picasaweb.google.com/8layer.proj/2011CompanyOutingCaponesIslandZambales#

https://picasaweb.google.com/8layer.proj/2011CompanyOutingNagsasaCoveZambales#

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

The New Day for the New Face of Gnome!

Quick Planning and Prep while Gnome 3 is on brew mode...

The goal was to simply Celebrate the Release of Gnome 3 in Manila, concurrently with the rest of the Gnome Community and Supporters.
Sometime in March 2011, Allan Caeg of Gnome Asia and Lawrz Li-boon of POSNET, both dear friends of 8layer came by at our office in Kapitolyo to briefly discuss the preparations, invites and the event launch itself. The launch date, April 06, 2011.

8layer Technologies, Inc. as part of the large number of Open Source users worldwide and being a company benefitting and innovating with the aid of Open Source for six years, thought it was a good idea to host the Release Party in Manila. This is also our simple way to pay respect to great and ingenious innovations, honor the contributors and at the same time celebrate the perks and privileges of Open Source and Gnome.

Barely a month before the event, invites rolled and spread.
A day before the event, cocktail menu was decided.
A few hours before the event, gnome balloons, stickers and t-shirts came.
All is set!

A Brand New Day for the New face of GNOME!

Coming back from his India trip (Gnome Asia Summit) Allan Caeg, A Board Member of Philippine Open Source Network, Gnome Contributor, Android Enthusiast, UX Researcher, and Gnome.Asia Committee Member, was of course the resource speaker for the Gnome 3 Release Party.

“From scratch, we created a completely new, modern desktop designed for today’s users and technologies.” Allan said.

The innovative interface allows users to focus on tasks while minimizing distractions such as notifications, extra workspaces, and background windows. It will keep users “informed without being disrupted.” Allan also exalted.

Since our KahelOS distro did use Gnome as its Desktop Manager, 8layer's CTO, Meric Mara took the floor then gave a brief backgrounder of KahelOS itself. He provided tips and tricks on the installation of Gnome 3 on KahelOS and together with Allan they showed the works! Gnome 3 in KahelOS and Gnomeshell! The presentation wowed the audience. Jasper Tomas, the new developer/package maintainer for KahelOS also shared his experience on yaourt and his idea of a web based update notifier of all the available applications on the web. “I combined some Java, MySQL and Php programming to do the work” said Jasper.

Some witty and not-so-witty questions were responded too, here and there. Allan in return did some asking as well, then the quickest person with the right answer wins a Gnome 3 T-Shirt. The most difficult question was, who is the prettiest girl in the room? (LOL)

There was never a dull moment. Guests, friends and colleagues in the Open Source Community shared stories, experiences, laughs, food, drinks and more drinks while live music jammin' was happening. GNOME TIME till e-GNOME-AN TIME! Sadly,the fun-filled partee ended a few minutes after midnight.

Our warm congratulations for the successful release of Gnome 3 and thank you to all who celebrated with us!


For more information about Gnome 3, visit their website:

http://www.gnome.org
http://www.gnome3.org/

Curious about our Gnome 3 Release Party, (Pinoy Style)? Click here