Linux Foundation Europe Newsletter - February 2024

Welcome to the February 2024 LF Europe newsletter! 

This month has been brimming with exciting updates and activities across our projects and initiatives. In February, LF Europe actively participated in key events, including FOSDEM, the EU Open Source Policy Summit, and the Munich Cyber Security Conference (MCSC), reaffirming our commitment to shaping the future of open source technology and advancing cybersecurity strategies. 

Noteworthy highlights include the celebration of the OpenWallet Foundation's first anniversary, unveiling plans for an OpenWallet Stack aimed at assisting developers in building secure interoperable wallets. Additionally, Servo witnessed a flurry of activity, with insights shared at FOSDEM on embedding Servo in Rust projects and notable progress made in adding new features. 

Delve into our top picks for reading and watching, featuring an insightful interview with Gabriele Columbro on Open Source Friday by GitHub and a spotlight on cybersecurity efforts with Mirko Boehm. Read the new publication from LF Research on eBPF technology, and take the 2024 State of Search and Analytics Survey, seeking your valuable insights.

Don't miss out on training and certification opportunities, with special leap year discounts available until the end of February. Save up to 50% on Linux Foundation training courses and certification exams.

Looking ahead, mark your calendars for upcoming events like KubeCon + CloudNativeCon in Paris and RISC-V at Embedded World 2024 in Nuremberg. If you're planning an open source event in Europe, partner with Linux Foundation Europe to amplify your event's reach.

These are just a few of the exciting updates featured in this month's newsletter. For all the news, read on!

Table of Contents

• News & announcements
• Updates from Linux Foundation Europe projects
• Top picks for reading/watching
• New publications and surveys from LF Research
• Training & certification deals
• Upcoming events
• Partner with Linux Foundation Europe for your next open source event
• Say “Hi!” to the LF Europe Team 👋

News & announcements 🗞️

KubeCon + CloudNativeCon 2024 🇫🇷

KubeCon + CloudNativeCon is less than 3 weeks away. Register today to be at the epicenter of all things cloud native and Kubernetes - right in the heart of Paris! Join us at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles for what promises to be an exciting and enriching agenda and our most widely attended event yet! Register today

📌 Join us at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon for a BoF session titled "Stewarding Open Collaboration and Governance for a Trusted Digital World" with Mirko Boehm from Linux Foundation Europe & Dana Wang, Chief Architect at OpenSSF. Dive into discussions addressing the security and sustainability of the open source ecosystem, ensuring it meets the highest security standards as it becomes integrated into our daily lives. With the Cyber Resilience Act on the horizon, discover open collaborative frameworks and pathways to create trusted, secure, and compliant open source infrastructure globally. Don't miss out on this important conversation! Learn more.

Linux Foundation Europe Updates

During the bustling month of February,  Linux Foundation Europe was engaged in a myriad of events, discussions, and community interactions, including FOSDEM 2024, the EU Open Source Policy Summit 2024, and a workshop focused on key areas for digital autonomy within the realm of open source.

At FOSDEM, held in Brussels on February 3rd and 4th, the Linux Foundation Europe team was excited to join the fray, with a dedicated stand that contributed to the vibrant atmosphere. Attendees took in a variety of panel discussions, devrooms, and lightning talks featuring projects such as LF Energy, OpenSSF, TODO Group, SPDX, Automotive Grade Linux, and the Zephyr Project. More than anything, it was great to connect with so many people with a shared passion for open source. Once again, FOSDEM underscored the thriving spirit of cooperation within the European open source community.

Additionally, the EU Open Source Policy Summit 2024, hosted by OpenForum Europe on February 2nd, marked a significant milestone with its 10-year celebration. The summit brought together policymakers, business and government leaders, developers, and experts to explore the intersection of open source and digital policy. In his keynote, LF Europe GM Gabriele Columbro emphasized the imperative to move beyond mere adoption and foster markets and ecosystems that sustain open source projects in the long term.

Furthermore, LF Europe played an integral role in the workshop on Open Source Key Areas for Digital Autonomy. In this workshop, LF Europe contributed expertise and perspectives to critical discussions surrounding cybersecurity, automotive design transformation, and other pertinent topics. Mirko Boehm represented LF Europe on a panel discussing "Open Source for the Software Defined Vehicle," which was moderated by Astor Nummelin Carlberg of OFE and featured industry experts Sara Gallian, Kristof Almasy, Detlef Zerfowski, and Angelo Corsaro. Organized by three Directorate-Generals from the European Commission, the workshop explored essential areas for open source, including cybersecurity, automotive design transformation, challenges in European public services implementation, and the development of data spaces.

Elevating cyber security to new heights

Mirko Boehm from the Linux Foundation Europe recently participated in the prestigious Munich Cyber Security Conference (MCSC), a gathering of top-level managers and executives from both the private and public sectors.

The MCSC serves as a paramount platform for these decision-makers to engage in meaningful discussions and share innovative solutions addressing the complex challenges in information and cyber security. The event, held at the Chamber of Commerce Munich (IHK), provided a unique space for exploring effective strategies and agile management concepts crucial for navigating the ever-evolving threat landscape.

With a focus on the role and responsibility of leaders, MCSC not only addressed current security issues but also delved into the future evolution of cyber security policies. Mirko Boehm's participation underscored the Linux Foundation Europe's commitment to staying at the forefront of cybersecurity advancements.

OFE Lounge 2024: Standardisation and Open Source in the Age of Software Regulation

At the OFE Lounge 2024 webinar series, Mirko Boehm of the Linux Foundation Europe contributed to discussions on the impact of new EU regulations on software development. Mirko, alongside industry experts, shared insights into the role of open source in standardization, emphasizing the need for collaboration in navigating regulatory challenges.

OSPOlogyLive Apeldoorn

In a vibrant session of OSPOlogyLive Europe held in Apeldoorn, Mirko Boehm from Linux Foundation Europe played a key role in the "CRA and OSPOs in the Public Sector Panel Discussion." The event, hosted by the OSPO at the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration and co-organised with Linux Foundation Europe, InnerSource Commons Foundation, Foundation for Public Code, LF Energy, OpenChain, SPDX, CHAOSS, TODO Group and OpenSSF, brought together experts to explore Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs) operations and management.

Mirko shared valuable insights alongside esteemed panelists, including Dirk-Willem van Gulik, Cheuk Ting Ho, Boris Hoytema, Jonas van den Bogaard, and Hugo Heitmeijer. Together, they delved into the critical intersection of the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and OSPOs in the public sector.

Throughout the month, LF Europe remained committed to fostering community connections, strengthening relationships, and advancing the principles of open source across diverse sectors.

RISC-V Summit, Europe 2024

RISC-V Summit Europe takes place in Munich on the 24th to 28th of June, showcasing the future of innovation on RISC-V in Europe. The event will connect the European ecosystem, from industry and government, to research, academia and support. The call for papers is now open and a range of sponsorship packages are available. We hope to see you there!

Join various LF projects at  Embedded World 2024, Nuremberg, Germany, April 9 to 11, 2024

Discover what awaits you at #ew24! The embedded systems landscape is vast, encompassing hardware, software, services, and tools. The embedded world Exhibition & Conference serves as the annual gathering point for the entire embedded community in Nuremberg, offering a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in this dynamic industry. Last year, the event boasted a total of 952 exhibitors, with 354 from Germany and 598 international participants. Visitor numbers reached 26,636, with 15,802 from Germany and 10,384 from international locations.

At this year's Embedded World, participants can learn about various collaborative open source projects under the Linux Foundation umbrella. Projects such as Automotive Grade Linux (AGL), RISC-V, and the Zephyr Project will be showcased, highlighting their respective impact on embedded innovation.

TODO Group

Announcing the 2024 OSPO Survey Call for Sponsors. 

Launch of the 2024 call for sponsors to any and all organizations interested in supporting this study, including generating  a statistically significant survey sample, and maximizing the impact of this research.

OSFF London - Call for Proposals (CFP) Now Open

We invite you to share your insights and expertise at the Open Source in Finance Forum (OSFF) London, set to take place on June 26th, 2024, in London, UK. The Call for Proposals / Speakers (CFP) is officially open, and we are looking for speakers who can contribute to a rich discussion on topics critical to the future of finance and open source technology. Submit your talk before March 17th!

Updates from Linux Foundation Europe projects 🚀

OpenWallet Foundation:

OWF celebrated its first anniversary with over 60 members, 20 governments, and 10 projects (now 11, as Bifold was just approved by the TAC 🥳). Join in the celebration and discover plans for an OpenWallet Stack aimed at assisting developers in constructing secure interoperable wallets.

RISE:

There's a lot of exciting activity happening within the RISE Project! First, an announcement has been made regarding their new software development optimization guide for RISC-V, meticulously crafted by the RISE project. This comprehensive guide delves into methods for optimizing software development tailored specifically for RISC-V architecture. Hosted on GitHub, it remains readily updatable for continuous improvements. Additionally, RISE has recently initiated six RFPs via their RFP process, allocating funds towards crucial developments within the RISC-V software ecosystem.

Throughout the year, RISE will be actively participating in various events. Their primary focus centers around the RISC-V Summit events, commencing with RISC-V Summit Europe in June in Munich, followed by RISC-V Summit China during the summer, and RISC-V Summit North America in autumn. In April, RISE will partake in the Open Hardware and Software microconference at Open Source Summit North America in Seattle, presenting insights into RISE and its ongoing endeavors. RISC-V International will also feature at Embedded World, DAC, WSEASE, alongside other events, where RISE members will be actively engaged. Be sure to catch RISE at one of these events, and don't hesitate to reach out directly or connect with them on LinkedIn for any inquiries.

Servo:

February was buzzing with activity for Servo! At FOSDEM, Rakhi Sharma from the Servo team shared insights on "How to embed Servo in Rust projects” in the Rust devroom. The event also showcased the first glimpses of Tauri apps powered by Servo. Servo had a notable presence at the Linux Foundation Europe stand.

Additionally, significant progress has been made in adding new features to Servo. In terms of CSS support, the team has continued their work on adding support for tables and introduced font fallback support, along with initial support for features such as "text-transformation," <div align="...">, and <center> for both inline and block layouts. This advancement positions Servo's new layout engine to surpass the legacy one across the entire CSS web platform tests. Additionally, efforts have been directed towards adding initial Gamepad API support, with a work-in-progress implementation for the Resize Observer also underway.

Top picks for reading/watching

🎙️Open source Friday with Gabriele Columbro

We're excited to share highlights from a recent interview on Open Source Friday, where Gabriele Columbro, the General Manager of Linux Foundation Europe & Executive Director of FINOS, engaged in a conversation with Andrea Griffiths, Senior Product Manager at GitHub.

Gabriele delved into the transformative power of open source software and its profound impact on the tech landscape. This insightful discussion, hosted by GitHub, sheds light on the significance of contributions from individuals, companies, and maintainers to the thriving world of open source. Curious about the ethos of Open Source Friday? It's a movement encouraging everyone to dedicate a few hours every Friday to contribute to the open source software that forms the backbone of our daily tech experiences. Gabriele's perspective adds a unique and valuable layer to the narrative, emphasizing the importance of businesses giving back to the software they rely on. Explore the full interview here.

💥 A Spotlight on Security Efforts at the Linux Foundation: Blog by Ashwin Ramaswami. Our communities are making strikes in advancing the security of open source software, and 2023 moved the needle even further in the right direction. This blog highlights four LF project community efforts to shore up software security in the hope that these initiatives encourage and inspire you to get involved in making 2024 software’s most secure year yet! Read the blog

💥 Watch the keynote address from the EU Open Source Policy Summit by the General Manager of Linux Foundation Europe & Executive Director of FINOS. Dive into the discussion on the transformative power of open governance in the open source ecosystem, and its role in driving innovation and addressing global challenges. Learn how open source can democratize technology and shift market dynamics, while also evolving policymakers' vision beyond mere adoption. Discover why global collaboration in open source initiatives is crucial for maximizing impact and solving global challenges. Watch now.

💥 Missed our panel discussion on "Meet the OSS Stewards - Foundations' New Role"? Catch up now on the insightful conversation about the responsibilities and impacts for Foundations classified as OSS Stewards under the Cyber Resilience Act. Explore the broader implications for OSS projects and collaborative efforts, and learn strategies to foster a responsible OSS ecosystem engaging with government entities. Dive into the discussion and maximize your understanding of the evolving landscape of open source software stewardship. Watch now.

💥 Explore the dynamic world of transatlantic open source collaboration with Mirko Boehm from Linux Foundation Europe, as he inspires NGI Sargasso's first open call innovators. Learn how Linux Foundation Europe serves as a neutral host for community-based projects, fostering global collaboration and empowering European voices in the open source landscape. Dive into the future of open source and its pivotal role in diverse industry sectors. Read now.

💥 Explore the latest developments in Europe's Cyber Resiliency Act as Joe Fay reports on the revisions that have tempered its impact on open source governance. Mirko Boehm from the Linux Foundation Europe shares insights, revealing that while the legislation is now less threatening, uncertainties remain. Discover the novel "open source software steward" role and the ongoing focus on standards development in this crucial arena. Read now.

New publications and surveys from LF Research 📊

The State of eBPF

The eBPF Foundation partnered with LF Research to explore the evolution of the technology and its impact on the open source ecosystem. This qualitative report describes the history of eBPF, how it transformed the Linux community, and how it's being used today. It highlights key use cases, challenges, and future opportunities for the technology. Download the report for a full analysis of this technology's history, impact, and future!

The 2024 State of Search and Analytics Survey

We need your help evaluating search and analytics tooling! LF Research and The OpenSearch Project are conducting a survey as part of a research project to better understand awareness and perceptions of products that support search, observability, and analytics. We would greatly benefit from your experience and opinions in this area! This survey should take 15 minutes of your time. After completing the survey, you will receive a 40% discount on most Linux Foundation training courses or certification exams in our catalog!

Training & certification deals🐧

Leverage leap year with large learning savings!

2024 is a leap year! Why not use the extra day to commit to leaping your career forward with new IT skills and verifiable certifications? Through the end of February, you can save up to 50%.

We recently launched our FINOS Financial Services Certified Open Source Developer (FSOSD) certification, offering professionals in the open source financial industry the opportunity to distinguish themselves. Earn your FSOSD certification today and showcase your expertise with a personalized digital badge. Learn more here. 

Interested in reading our Training newsletter? Subscribe here.

Upcoming events 🗓️

• AppDeveloperCon, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• ArgoCon, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• BackstageCon, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• Cilium + eBPF Day, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• Cloud Native AI Day, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• Cloud Native StartupFest, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• Cloud Native Wasm Day, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• Data on Kubernetes Day, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• Istio Day, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• KubeCon + CloudNativeCon, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19 - 22, 2024. Register
• Kubeflow Summit, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• Kubernetes on Edge Day, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• Multi-TenancyCon, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• Observability Day, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• OpenTofu Day, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• Overture Maps Foundation, Ghent, Belgium 🇧🇪: March 19- 21, 2024. Register
• Platform Engineering Day, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• ThanosCon, Paris, France 🇫🇷: March 19, 2024. Register
• RISC-V at Embedded World 2024, Nuremberg, Germany🇩🇪: April 9 - 11, 2024. Register
• Automotive Grade Linux at Embedded World 2024, Nuremberg, Germany🇩🇪: April 9 - 11, 2024. Register

Partner with Linux Foundation Europe for your next open source event

Planning an open source event in Europe? Let Linux Foundation Europe amplify your event's reach! To our members, we offer promotion on our social channels and newsletters, connecting you with a broad audience of open source enthusiasts. 

Reach out if you'd like a Linux Foundation Europe team member to speak at your local open source event. 

As an independent, trusted supporter, and vendor-neutral hub for open source projects in Europe, we accelerate collaborative efforts, connecting public and private sectors and individual contributors. 

Say “Hi!” to the LF Europe Team 👋

If you’d like to stay updated with what we’re up to at LF Europe, subscribe to our monthly newsletter and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn & Discord.

We are excited to invite you to join the newly launched Bluesky channel of the Linux Foundation Europe for open source initiatives. We aim to create a platform where open source enthusiasts and experts can come together to discuss, collaborate, and work towards advancing the open source movement. Please check this link to follow: https://bsky.app/profile/linuxfoundationeu.bsky.social

If you have ideas for new projects, please feel free to contact us at info@linuxfoundation.eu. We would be glad to explore how we can support your efforts. 

Finally, please also consider supporting LF Europe by participating (it’s free for existing Linux Foundation members, not for profit and public sector entities). 

On behalf of the LF Europe team, we look forward to hearing from you!