Introduction
FOSDEM 2023 (Free and Open Source Software Developers' European Meeting) is an annual event that takes place in Brussels, Belgium. The conference brings together a diverse range of open-source enthusiasts, developers, and community members from around the world to exchange ideas, share knowledge, and collaborate on the latest open-source technologies and projects. FOSDEM offers a wide range of sessions, talks, and workshops that cover a variety of topics, including programming, system administration, and security. With a strong focus on community building and collaboration, FOSDEM is a must-attend event for anyone interested in the open-source world.
Preparation
Preparing for the FOSDEM conference involved researching the conference schedule and speakers, and booking travel and accommodation. Since this was my fourth time there I knew what to expect and there were no surprises. This year I joined the event with two friends. We started the conference on Friday with a few beers :) .
Selecting which talks to attend at the FOSDEM conference can be a challenging task, as there are often a large number of interesting sessions and workshops to choose from. With a wide variety of topics covering everything from programming and system administration to security and community building, it can be difficult to decide which sessions will provide the most value. It's important to consider one's professional interests and goals when selecting talks, but it's also helpful to step outside of one's comfort zone and attend sessions that cover new and unfamiliar topics.
My Schedule
This year I decided to attend only two Dev rooms the one focused on Go and the one focused on PostgreSQL. Go talks were on Saturday and PostgreSQL talks on Sunday.
Saturday
I learned something from all of the talks and if you have the time, watch all of them. But if I had to suggest only 2 then my picks are The State of Go, Our Mad Journey of Building a Vector Database in Go.
Sunday
If you have the time to watch only one talk I recommend the "Don't Do This" talk. If you have the time to watch one more then watch Claire's talk.
Networking
It was good that I attended the conference with two friends. I haven't seen one of them in person since 2019. This was one of the highlights for me . Additionally, I met randomly an old colleague with whom we are in contact now and then. This was great.
Finally, I had the chance to chat with the author of Watermill and had the opportunity to ask advice for on work-related problems from PostgreSQL hackers.
Summary
In conclusion, the FOSDEM conference was a rich and rewarding experience that offered insights into the latest developments in the open-source world. Attending the conference provided the opportunity to connect with a diverse community of like-minded individuals, exchange ideas, and learn from experts in the field. The conference schedule was packed with informative sessions and workshops, and it was challenging to choose which talks to attend due to the variety of interesting topics. Nevertheless, the highlights of the conference provided new perspectives, fresh ideas, and valuable insights that will stay with me for a long time. I highly recommend FOSDEM to anyone interested in the open-source community and technology.
Tips
Be Selective: With so many high-quality sessions and workshops to choose from, it's important to prioritize and select the talks that align with your professional interests and goals
Be open-minded: FOSDEM provides a great opportunity to learn from others and exchange ideas, so be open-minded and willing to engage in discussions and debates with others.
Try Belgium Beer: You should try a few of the Tripel Beers from Belgium
