Tony+Tran

**OSS from an Outsider's View: 11/23/2010**
As a new-comer to OSS, the experience can be a little overwhelming. Most things are not very well organized so there isn't a simple guiding trail for the learning process. Since I could not make it to the Hackfest, I'm guessing I missed out on some valuable exposure to hands-on OSS. Although there are things that I am not too fond of about OSS, there are still good things as well.  One thing I do not like about OSS is the lack of documentation. It is difficult to get a grasp and become familiar with the projects we have been exposed to. Once acclimated, Caribou is kind of simple and not very complex at all. When I first looked at Caribou, I had quite a different feeling. I guess this is one of the roadblocks to learning. The learning process is not as smooth as compared to something in the college curriculum.  The presentations from Mel helped with the learning of OSS. I thought it was great that we got to hear from someone whose actual career is working with OSS. Her attitude and the things she talked about kind of made OSS a friendly environment. She explained what her duties were and gave a general overview of how things "work" in OSS.  The OSS world seems like a practical area to get oneself into, but personally, I don't think I would want to work in that field just yet. I probably prefer something a little stricter with a more solid structure. 

Exploring OSS Communication: 9/13/2010
The IRC environment is quite different from a typical online chat. Everyone is appropriately behaved and respect seems to be a very well upheld standard. When the interaction is active participants chat about plans for future meetings/trips, ask questions, or answer questions. There are also long periods where there is absolutely no interaction at all. A handful of users are logged on but no one is active. Overall the IRC is a very useful tool, especially for a community that is so globally spread.

**Learning in an OSS Environment: 9/8/2010**
It's different…