Greetings everyone! -- Throughout my SLIS program, I've been using a lot of free and very
cheap software to educate myself and to get tasks done at internships. I anticipate using a lot more free software throughout my career.  I'm excited about devoting some time to learning more about this important topic. Intellectual property is a topic of general interest at my house.  Not exactly sure why.  Just crazy I guess.  My husband can actually define the difference between copyright, trademark, and patent.  We've seen Laurence Lessig speak in person about creative commons.  Through the magic of youtube, you can also see the same talk (linked below: 1 hr 23 min).

Hi there from Modesto, CA!

My interest began with the philosophy of open source.  As I learned more about computers and computer history I was intrigued by the two models— on one hand you had Bill Gates going to IBM and telling them that the software was going to be licensed, not owned (thank you Anthony Michael Hall), and on the other hand you had Richard Stallman, refusing to sign nondisclosure agreements and copyright his work, the beginning of GPL.

Hi everyone!  I'm taking this course because I'm interested in learning more about the open movement.  I am hoping to work with children or young adults, and the open movement/platforms seem especially pertinent in making information available to young people and as a means to reach them.

I'm looking forward to becoming more comfortable with and more knowledgable about different typse of technology as well.

I've done a great deal of study of copyright and fair use, whic has led me into a huge interest in the open movement. I've used open source software for quite a while and advocate for open access to information / scholarship in general. I work in a university library, and today I talked with a professor who said that the Chancellor and Provost just don't see the value (impact value) of OA journals so he won't risk publishing there. I'm hoping that the academic world (i.e., tenure track) will begin to see the value of open access to information as well as the peer-reviewed excellence of many OA journals.

Although I am living in Saint Paul, Minnesota, I am a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. I am taking this SJSU course through the WISE (web-based Information Science Education) exchange program. This is my second SJSU course as I took Film and Media Collections this summer too. 

As a soon-to-be librarian, I have a keen interest in free and open access to information. The open movements we're exploring in this class are clearly related to this important aspect of the profession's values. As someone who has an interest in academic libraries in particular, I have heard and read many references to open access, especially with reference to digital repositories of faculty publications.

As someone who values education and recognizes how it improves life, I, of course, support a movement that works to increase access of information for everyone.  While I have heard the phrase "open movement", I have only a limited understanding of what it entails.  When I read this course description, I felt the content would improve my understanding of open topics and also increase my ability to advocate for the freedom of information that it affords.