Penguin Days Strengthen Technology Use

March, 2005
By Jessica Roake Tech News Staff Writer

Proving that they aren't mutually exclusive, the worlds of technology and nonprofits happily come together for Penguin Days, "working to make the world a better place one computer chip at a time." Tech News will cover the upcoming NYC gathering, to be held Saturday, May 7, 2005 at United Way of New York City. The NYC Penguin Day is made possible through modest participant fees and underwriting support from United Way of New York City, IBM and others. At this day-long event, open source developers will work with nonprofit staffs to explore and demystify free and open source software for social change.

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Event:   Penguin Day - New York City       Registration:   http://newyork.penguinday.org       When:   Saturday, May 7, 2005 9AM to 5:30PM       Where:   United Way of New York City Two Park Avenue, 2nd Floor New York, NY 10016 (Between 32nd and 33rd streets) (Subway: #6 to 33rd Street Station)       Suggested Donation:   $75 for organizations with annual budgets over $100,000 $60 for individuals and organizations with annual budgets under $100,000       Refreshments:   Breakfast and lunch with refreshments will be provided.

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Nonprofits are often discouraged by intimidating and expensive technology solutions. Penguin Days provide opportunities for dialogue around free and open source software, an alternative that often meets specific needs, is customizable, and scalable across organizations who want to develop tools jointly through collaboration with others to conserve resources. Applications and tools distributed under an open source license, can be freely distributed and adapted to address specific needs of an organization, from fundraising to campaign volunteer management. Penguin Days work to bridge the common technology language gap by explaining open source software in plain English. Software developers share flexible, cost-effective open source solutions to help participating organizations achieve both their technology goals and larger missions. Nonprofit tech staffs receive the tools they need to confidently communicate their technology needs and become an active partner in their organization's open source development. Through Penguin Days' energetic discussions and hands-on sessions, participants are able to discover the full breadth of open source options available to the nonprofit sector today.

The popular 'speed geek' exercise gives participants a chance to experience a broad range of tools in a short period of time, pairing them with presenters who subject them to rapid-fire presentations of software applications. In a fashion not unlike speed-dating, listeners can quickly decide whether each tool is something they'd like to learn more about later.

Infused with a sense of fun (the popular 'speed geek' exercise matches nonprofit participants with a programmer, who then subjects them to a rapid-fire presentation of software applications), Penguin Days strengthen technology user networks, and allow committed developers to come out from behind their computers to join active communities and movements. Penguin Days provide nonprofits with the expertise they need while offering programmers a chance to parlay their technological understanding into affecting positive social change. As organizers say, "There's a growing group of programmers interested in making their skills and technical knowledge available for a cause." Collaborative projects are often discussed, presenting programmers and organizations with the opportunity to coordinate their efforts in meaningful partnerships.

Started in Philadelphia in March 2004 by a working group of nonprofit technology organizations, worldwide Penguin Days have successfully brought together open source developers and nonprofit tech staffs in London, Portland, and Toronto. Upcoming Penguin Days will take place in Chicago (March 26th, 2005), the Bay Area (April 12, 2005), and New York City (May 7, 2005). For more information and to register for Penguin Days, please visit: www.penguinday.org.