Open Source Software, due to its accessibility, is a wonderful tool for folks who want to get into technology & the field of STEM. In this talk, I go over what Open Source is, who's using it, how it ignited the MOOC & OpenCourseWare movement & how you can get started & jump right in for FREE! I also provide Open Source alternatives to popular software. Enjoy.

1. Open Source Software & the Power
of Free
Miguel Hernandez
(@Techivist)
Invisible2Invincible Conference
September 27, 2014

2. Who is this dude?
● Founder @OpenMindzGroup
● Founder @SoftwareLibreUn
● Founder @GLADrupal
● Producer of tech meetups, conference & hackathons
● Advisor to Startup Entrepreneurs & Non-Profits
● Contributor to many OpenSource projects- Drupal, Ubuntu,
Songbird, OpenOffice +more
● Writer- @LinuxJournal, @TechZulu & @Massively
● Writing 3 Books
● Serial Giver-Backer since '93

3. Dang, that's a LOT! How you find
the time?
● I run my software development & engineering
firm on a 50/50 model- 50% of my time
dedicated to clients & 50% of my time I donate
back to the community through various efforts
● One of the benefits is that I get to be real picky
about the projects I work on

4. My Story
● Born on a small ranch in Zacatecas, Mexico
● Emigrated to the U.S. When I was 1 ½
● Grew up in Watts & Compton & VERY proud of it!
● Attended USC- studied Business & Gerontology & did
Alzheimer's Research
● Self-taught in everything Tech
● Learned how to code in '90 with BASIC on the Commodore64
● Started building websites when the Internet came out in '94
● Worked in Tech since '97- Startups, large companies like
Ticketmaster & for Electrical Engineering firms

5. STEM jobs are in HIGH demand &
VERY well-paid
● By the year 2020, there will be 1.1 MILLION
unfilled jobs in STEM
● This provides a HUGE opportunity for you to
learn now & fill those jobs by then
● There's a wide variety of jobs in STEM
● The average Engineer makes $79,000/yr.
– Less if you're just starting
– More if you have a lot of experience

6. Top 10 Job Openings by 2020

7. What is Open Source Software?
● A belief that ALL software should be free &
accessible to ALL
● Doesn't discriminate
● People work on & contribute to open source
software all over the world every day
● You use it everyday, just don't know it
● Government & big businesses leverage it
● http://opensource.org/osd

8. Open Source = Access to STEM
● Available for FREE & legal to download
● The source code is included
● LOTS of options for you to pick your learning
path
● Available in almost every language of the
known world

9. The Linux Operating System
● There are 1000's of different “flavors” called distributions or
distros, for short
● The LiveCD allows you to “kick the tires”
● There are distros for kids, Forensic Scientists, Musicians,
Videographers, Photographers, Artists, etc. The list is endless
● It's all FREE & available for you to download right now
● Extremely familiar & completely customizable
● Distros for the Internet of Things & Robotics (Embedded
Systems)
● Www.DistroWatch.com

10. Example: Ubuntu Studio

11. Ubuntu Studio: Graphic Design

12. Ubuntu Studio: Audio Production

13. Ubuntu Software Center

14. 7 OpenSource Alternatives
● MS Office = OpenOffice or LibreOffice
● Photoshop = GIMP
● Illustrator = Inkscape
● Publisher = Scribus
● Fruity Loops, Cubase, AbletonLive = Audacity
● Unity = Unreal SDK, CRYEngine or Scratch
● Maya, Pixar's RenderMan, 3ds Max = Blender

15. Blender Project (Examples)
● SINTEL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HomAZcKm3Jo
● Gooseberry Teaser Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nCrSjtV0nU
● Caminandes Vol.1 Short Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCHy1nUdfu8
● Camninandes Vol.2 Short Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIKwTq3UVaE
● Tears of Steel Teaser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwHux5QZfC8

16. OpenSource Universities: MOOC

17. MOOC Examples
● Udacity
● Coursera
● EdX
● Udemy
● Khan Academy

18. OpenCourseWare
● Pre-cursor to MOOC's
● Specifically, course lessons published by
universities for free via the internet
● Started in 1999 at Univ. of Tubingen
(Germany)
● MIT OpenCourseWare launched in 2002
– This is what made OpenCourseWare &, later,
MOOC's take off in popularity

19. Now Go Out & Learn, Then EARN!
● You're all VERY smart & resourceful!
● You have many who support you & are here to
help you get to the next level, myself included.
● I don't want to hear “I can't do this” or “This is
too hard”
● I DO want to hear “I'd like to learn X, how do I
get there?”
● I have a business card for EVERY one of you.

20. Resources
● Www.DistroWatch.com
● Www.OSalt.com
● Www.opensource.org/osd
● http://ocw.mit.edu
● http://online.stanford.edu/openedx
● http://online.stanford.edu/courses
● http://www.extension.harvard.edu/open-learning-initiative

21. THANK YOU!!!
● Keep In Touch:
● @Techivist
● @SoftwareLibreUn
● @OpenMindzGroup
● http://migshouse.com/about
● http://www.linkedin.com/in/miguelhernandez3
● Slides: http://www.slideshare.net/migfoo