Why hold an event like this?

What if you didn't have to pay around $600 for an office productivity suite, or that you didn't have to pay around $800 for a fully functional and reliable operating system? What if to get into 3D modeling you didn't have to fork out around $6000 for professional grade software? What if you didn't have to go through the worry of managing licenses or resorting to piracy to experiment and try new things?

Guess what. You don't have to. FSFA Logo

Open source software isn't just about getting free stuff though. It's about the freedom to change and utilise the software you use as you see fit.

Open source projects are developed by diverse communities ranging from casual enthusiasts to paid employees of companies that utilise the project that they work on in their business operations, who all believe in the philosophy that if they all share what what they create, the community can make it better.

Between the flexibility to modify your applications and the low uptake cost of open source software, open source applications are very viable options for everyone, ranging from students to hobbyists through to teachers and professionals.

Raised awareness of open source software means more people who understand that they have a choice as well as more people who can contribute back to the open source applications they use.