Dutch KDEPIM Meeting Kicks Off
Today you will find 20 hackers on the lawn amongst the flowers and the peacocks, enjoying the Dutch sun. Annahoeve plays host to the fourth KDEPIM meeting which is situated in Achtmaal, Netherlands. You can read the press release below.
Today a group of KDE programmers have gathered in the little village of Achtmaal, Netherlands in the Annahoeve to work on the PIM applications in KDE over the next few days. This is quite a special meeting for the developers who normally only meet by email or on IRC.
KDE is the leading Linux desktop, with over 600 applications, translated into 88 languages and created by some 1100 developers, translators and artists. The KDE PIM project works on Kontact, an application suite for KDE that helps you to organize your e-mail, addresses, todo's, appointments and other personal information. It also includes programmes to keep your mobile phone and PDA in-sync with your desktop data.
The expectations of the meeting are high. Cornelius Schumacher, one of the programmers who created Kontact, announced that he would like to discuss the roadmap to KDE 4. Such discussions are far more efficient when all involved are located in the same room. Will Stephenson, programmer of instant messenging client Kopete, announced he will be working on a Skype frontend in Kopete. Better syncing of mobile devices, more instant-messaging integration and input from usability experts is also on the agenda.
What really is stunning is the amount of support from commercial companies to make this meeting possible. Not only was Trolltech very generous, but also the NLNet foundation, the Dutch Unix Users Group NLUUG and several smaller Dutch companies like Mensys, i2rs and Kovoks.
All work and no play makes KDE PIM programmers dull boys and girls, so the weekend will also have its share of "play". There will be a sponsor session, a chance to meet developers from related projects and a social event. The NLUUG and Holland Open conferences which fall before and after the meeting will receive their share of attention as well.
The meeting ends on sunday evening when the KDE PIM programmers will disperse across western Europe again, while anticipating the next KDE PIM meeting.