A couple of weeks ago Martin Eisenbarth and Helen Varley Jamieson were in Vienna for the Libre Graphics Meeting, to present UpStage and the new DownStage project under the title “Re-Imagining UpStage.”

Click here to view a recording of the presentation.

The LGM is an annual gathering of developers and users of open source graphics software, providing networking and promotional opportunities and for many projects a physical get-together of remote teams, creating a good community feeling. UpStage is at the edge of “graphics” applications, but it’s the second time the project has been presented at the LGM and there are also other interconnecting networks, so plenty of familiar and welcoming faces.

Martin and Helen were joined in the presentation by Jenny Pickett, presenting remotely from France on behalf of APO33, and Miljana Peric who collaborated with Helen and Jenny in a 5-minute “lightning performance” after the presentation to demonstrate UpStage. The following day Martin and Helen gave a workshop session.

Outcomes from the LGM include Martin connecting with Tosoa Bacca, a developer from Madagascar, who is interested in working on the new user interface for DownStage; and Elisa Godoy de Castro Guerra from FLOSS Manuals Francophone has offered – in fact begun – to translate the UpStage User Manual into French. Two potentially very exciting developments! The trip was also a chance for Helen and Martin to talk in more depth about the functionality and structure of DownStage, possible funding avenues, and related issues.

Now it’s back to the keyboard, to the work that needs to be done to make it all happen: coding, funding applications, making small steps forward as life allows, enriched and inspired from the experience of the LGM.