So yes, as previously reported, Software Freedom Day was held on Saturday.
I attended the Wellington event which was a combination Barcamp, Hackfest and Installfest.

My Gallery contains some pics but here's a breakdown of my experiences:

The Gnu comes out to play!

- Setup kicked off around 10am. I managed to make it around 1130 and it was about then that the majority of the crew began to show up. I was assisting the Wellington Linux Users Group with their Installfest event. (An Installfest, for those who've been under a rock for a while, is an opportunity to have some of the more experienced amongst us assist people with the installation of their chosen OS; usually a Linux distribution in our case.)

The Installfest was driven by Jethro Carr, a local Linux hacker and an assett to WellyLUG; well done to him for his efforts! There were also contributions from many WellyLUG regulars - who got to sit down with guests and assist them with their more complex Linux problems. Internet access at the 'fest was via Cafenet (via tokens kindly sponsored by Citylink) or, when Cafenet had a glitch, via Jethro's GSM Vodem. Ouch...$$$

Ian Beardslee - a WellyLUG regular - considers a wireless 'bug'.

Elsewhere, there were two major events - the Hackfest and of course, the Barcamp.

The Barcamp evolved as an alternative to the Foocamp - this i'm told is something that was originated as 'Friends of O'Reilly' - something arranged by Nat Torkington as a gathering - an 'UNconference' - of IT type people for a bit of a round table or 'hui'. The Barcamp was what people elsewhere did when they realised that not everyone could attend foocamp. ;-)

Now Barcamp's - as 'UNconferences' are very casual, open and level-playing-field style meetings where instead of death-by-powerpoint, there's a bit of a scrummage to get ideas for discussion topics down on paper and then a series of meetings - small and large - are timetabled and actioned at short notice. Participants get to actively discuss matters interesting them with the other attendees - and there's no hierarchy, no slideshows... just free spirited discussion amongst passionate people. It works pretty well.

Timetables at the blank stage. Pre-postit-note.

The Finished Product, written up for clarity once everyone has had a chance to shuffle their ideas around to fit the timeframes offered.

So simultaneously to the Barcamp - with participants from all walks of the local IT scene - the Installfest, and also a Hackfest, are going on.

The Hackfest is simply an opportunity to tinker. (Again, Hacking here being simply 'creating code', not doing anything necessarily disruptive.). The Hackfest and the Installfest were essentially colocated, though I do feel the Installfest needed more solitary attention....

With the event officially kicking off at 1200 and finishing at 1800 - and with prize draws throughout the day and hoards of freebies offered, (including unlimited coffee... a site to behold when made available to hacker types!) - this free event was excellent value. I could've handled a good few hours (they had the venue til 10, but I had a curfew of sorts...)

Thoroughly enjoyed it, and looking forward to the next one. If you get the opportunity to attend one of these, you should take it. All credit to those who made the Wellington event go off - Nat Torkington was our Facilitator and 'MC' for the event and does the job very well, though he was quick to point out that he didn't do most of the organisational legwork. So without knowing/remembering the relevant names, biggie ups to all the helpers, staff, sponsors and volunteers.