FrOSCon 2024
Free software and open source were the topics of the 19th FrOSCon, which takes place every late summer at Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences.
19th Free & Open Source Conference
This year’s FrOSCon program was again very extensive, so we will focus on a few personal highlights here.
Genialer Überblick von den #KI Anfängen bis zu aktuellen #LLM #ChatGPT #AI Modellen @froscon #FrOSCon https://t.co/zJrnUTV0EZ pic.twitter.com/TwNWsPUzPl
— Thomas Fabula (@TFConsult) August 17, 2024
Exhibition booths
German-speaking user association TeX
German LaTeX Association: DANTE e.V.
The purpose of this non-profit association is to support TEX users throughout the German-speaking world.
“We support you in the selection and installation of TEX / LATEX, help you solve user and developer problems, provide you with information about TEX and LATEX and distribute TEX software. In addition, DANTE e.V. promotes developments in the field of TEX, LATEX, ConTEX t, LuaTEX, Metafont, BibTEX / BibLATEX, fonts both personally and financially at national and international level.”
LibreOffice
#LibreOffice: Cool to meet you there @froscon #free #opensource #conference #FOSS #OSS https://t.co/kcolMsJjKs pic.twitter.com/rpgWbF1mzt
— Thomas Fabula (@TFConsult) August 17, 2024
Free Software Foundation Europe
The Free Software Foundation Europe (fsfe) is a non-profit organization that supports people in the self-determined use of technology.
“Software is deeply embedded in all aspects of our lives. These rights strengthen other fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the right to privacy.”
WordPress Devroom
Advantages of e-learning and learning management systems (LMS): Analysis of learning types and practical applications with WordPress: Bettina Krams
Impressions
Stephan Luckow
Objectives of the presentation
- Highlighting the current challenges and threats to FLOSS projects
- Discuss the need for financial support for FLOSS projects
- Promote collaboration and strategic alliances within the FLOSS community
- Call for political action and the creation of better framework conditions for FLOSS
Michael Christen
We do not remain on a superficial level but go into complete detail while remaining generally understandable.”
Nowadays, large language models (LLM) are very widespread and are increasingly used in everyday practice. But without an understanding of how they work and the accuracy of the results, they cannot be used in a meaningful way. This is especially true for the validation of the output of these large language models.
The presentation elegantly covered the underlying neural networks both mathematically and in a graphically appealing and easy to understand form. The development from the first AI models to the current technology (GenAI, LLM, etc.) was explained step by step in an easily digestible way. All the important milestones that have led to the fact that we now have AI in the form of open source language models were explained very clearly.
To summarize, the presentation gave an excellent insight into how LLMs and AI chatbots work. For all interested participants, especially the open source developers, the language models became clear and understandable and they can integrate them into their own software projects.
www.instagram.com/p/C-04Pv_oG_A
Slides & GitHub
GitHub repository: github.com/orbiter
Besten Dank Michael nochmals für die inspirierenden Diskussionen auf der #FrOSCon @froscon und die Vortrags-Folien … keep on the excellent work 🚀 https://t.co/ojwUwuaVGg
— Thomas Fabula (@TFConsult) August 18, 2024
Further information
Conclusion
A particular highlight was Michael Christen‘s presentation on large language models and their development over the past decades up to the present day in the form of open source language models.
In addition, Stephan Luckow’s keynote was very inspiring to get actively involved in the open source scene and to keep asking oneself where one can actively support and help shape the FLOSS community.
In any case, the importance of the associations and local clubs that regularly take part in FrOSCon should be mentioned, for example DANTE, FSFE, LibreOffice, WordPress, et al. (and the others too, of course).
The networking at the evening buffet offered plenty of space and opportunity to meet old as well as open source colleagues, especially the Pythonista from the German Python Software Association (PySV) and the regional user groups (e.g. PyCologne).
Retrospective