Important personal experience

Most people has some kind of relation to religion. No matter if you are christian or atheist, Muslim or Hindu. Most people has some considerations about religion.

I'm not religious in particular. I consider my self as christian because I follow the basic conducts that was given to my by my parents. So the Christianity is somehow inside me.

About one year ago I has an experience that was very close to a religious experience. I couldn't help thinking: Lord.

It was in the late summer and I had spend a week with my wife and two sons in a cottage on the west coast of Denmark. Very close to the ocean. Close enough to actually hear the waves on the beach in the evening.

Around midnight we saw a spectacular light outside and we looked up in the sky and we saw that the sky was covered with light. Northern Light.

When I was a boy I have seen something similar, but only a few waves floating over the sky. This night it was completely dark and at the same time ...light. The sky was completely covered with this carpet of waves. The waves came from a center point. All waves came from this point and moved out towards the horizon. The whole way around. Spooky, but also very calming and peaceful.

I was standing outside the cottage for about 10 minutes before it disappeared. I didn't have time to get a camera. Today, I would like to have had a picture from that night now, but I just didn't have time. (This picture is just a picture from the Internet. )

As I wrote: I'm not religious. But I am very happy that I have had this beautiful experiance.

Conference - boring

I'm participating in a conference (Lotus Notes). Early morning - tired.



Hwo cares about LDAP sync and simular subjects ?

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Could you pass me the salt .... Thank you !

Why is it so difficult to contribute to open source projects ?

Well, I know that thousands of people around the world is doing an effort every day. But it's not enough. The programs are beeng used by millions. Why doesn't everybody contribute ?

The answer is: They don't know !

• They don't know why !
• They don't know when !
• They don't know how !
• They just don't know !

What ????

Imagine that you are in a restaurant with your wife. The guest at the next table asks you politely: "Could you pass me the salt, please ?". Would you hesitate to pass it to him ? No, I don't think so. And when you pass the salt; he will say "Thank you".

To pass him the salt didn't cost you anything and the response "Thank you" didn't cost him anything. We learned to behave like this as children and we try to teach our children to do the same.

Why ? - Because it works !

So, what has this to do with open source software ?

• The cost !
• The price !
• The good deed for the day !

If we teach our children that they can pay back when they get something for free, they will automatically give a small contribution when they use open source software. Not only by typing their credit card number. Well, that will be okay, but actually it would be better if we gave them some easy opportunities to contribute:

• Create a CD and give it as a present to somebody
• Use 1 hour as a translator
• Write a small manual (or check another authors manual for misspellings)
• Put a OSS logo on you website
• Write your name on the 'supporters wall' (references)
• What ever ...
  

It should cost anything else than some private time. A commercial enterprise could 'donate' some hours in a project.

All we need is to find out some easy ways to contribute. And learn the children why, when and how.

Let's make a 'thank-you' campaign !

Creative ...

My family and I are taking part of a group or network for families with handicaped children. Our youngest son Alexander has a small handicap.
I just made a logo for the group. Thanks to Inkscape and openclipart.org.