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Upon opening the app, just type something in the input field at the bottom and hit enter. It will “speak” the text you typed in. At this time, if it runs across a word that isn’t recognized or if it’s a potty-mouth word, it will tell you in the upper right hand corner that the word isn’t recognized.

But to those of us looking at this from the outside, what we see is a magnificent irony of good code being produced in what can arguably be described as a toxic environment. That in and of itself is a remarkable achievement, but I would argue that the same work — if not better work — can be done in a realm that fostered more cooperation instead of sniping.

A while back I was fitted for a tinfoil hat by some because I had the audacity to suggest that it would be a shrewd business move by the now-Linux-loving Microsoft to buy Canonical because a.) Canonical had technology that Microsoft would want and need to advance in mobile (like the Ubuntu Phone technology, which blows Microsoft’s out of the water currently), and b.) by this time, Mark Shuttleworth is beyond tired of flushing millions after millions down the toilet (though, as a half-billionaire, he still has several decades of current spending before his bank account resembles, well, mine), and who can blame him?

Actually, it’s something of a miracle that the event is still good-to-go. IT-oLogy, the organization behind ATO, is headquartered in Columbia, S.C., which was subject to massive flooding last week in the wake of hurricane Joaquin. In fact, the organizations headquarters are located only blocks away from the Congaree River, the source of much flooding.

Keeping in rhythm with using names from Toy Story characters, Raspbian Jessie was released this past week for Raspberry Pi users. This latest release marks many improvements and updates that Raspberry Pi users have been longing for. After using and experimenting with Raspbian Jessie for the past week, I have to say that I’m very pleased with the update.

This seems to fit with news from early September, when reports began to surface on Twitter, Reddit and Facebook that Oracle was giving the ax to Java evangelists. The fact that these layoffs were coming less than two months before Oracle’s JavaOne conference in San Francisco was considered quite disturbing by the Java community.

BunsenLabs Linux, a successor to CrunchBang GNU/Linux formed by a group of the CrunchBang’s admins and other adherents when CrunchBang lead developer Philip Newborough decided to move on, is in the starting blocks with its first release candidate now available online.

Several posts on Saturday morning, mostly on social media, report that Bassel Khartabil Safadi has been moved from Adra Prison in Damascus, Syria, and may have been transferred to the civil court of the military police area in Qaboun, Syria.

While all the speakers and keynotes are not yet chosen, one of the speakers already tapped for the show is FOSS raconteur Bryan Lunduke, who will bring his annual “Linux Sucks” talk to the first-of-the-year Linux/FOSS event in 2016. Lunduke’s talk, oft given at SCALE and LinuxFest Northwest and other events, will be given in a venue that can fit his popularity, for starters, as well as being professionally filmed this time around.

What we do know is that the two companies have agreed to work together on a host of patent issues, which is a surprising turn around. Even more surprising is that Redmond has agreed with Google to work against non-practicing entities (NPEs) or trolls, companies that seek to license patents without making products of their own. In the past, Microsoft has joined forces with Apple and others to form trolling companies.

It wasn’t long ago that gamers avoided Linux like the plague, citing the lack of games as their main reason. When I was growing up, there were next to no major games to play on Linux and it seemed no developers cared to try. However, with the help of companies like Valve, 2K, and Aspyr Media, that’s quickly changing. More and more games are becoming available, with even some being Linux exclusives, including a launch on Steam of Don’t be a Patchman this past July.

When we first introduce Linux to a new user, whether child or adult, we take our time with the introductory stuff. The file system itself is a sticking point with many new Linux users. The ever-present “My Documents” isn’t to be found. Instead, they have their “Home” folder. Now, that’s easy enough to explain. In fact, we show them just how much easier their file system is for them under Linux.

For the non-enterprise FOSS user, it may seem from a quick glance that ATO has little to offer, but that’s not the case. Buried between all the technically focused talks for devs and sysadmins is a plethora of great workshops for those who’s interest in FOSS doesn’t necessarily include writing code or keeping a server or two operating. In other words, it’s not just about designing GUIs or methods for optimizing databases for intensive cloud use.

“Many Free and Open Source tools are fantastic tools but have a lack of easily accessible materials to help get people started with them,” the campaign site says. “We plan to try to help correct this by primarily producing video content that users will be able to use to help get them started in using these tools. The videos will be released under a Creative Commons license to allow the community to use them widely.”

Microsoft has gone and built a Linux distro. Well, maybe it’s not a distro but some sort of Azure switch to use in the cloud. But anyway, Microsoft want’s you — meaning you open sourcers who never do anything but throw brickbats at the fine folks in Redmond — to know that it’s built on Linux. So there. Microsoft does love Linux, as if there was ever any doubt.

Without Ritchie, there is no Jobs, to say nothing of there not being a lot of things we have today. Would someone else have invented them? Perhaps, but that’s going off-topic for now. Ritchie made the foundation and, for better or worse in your opinion, Jobs built on it. And thoughtful people know this.

Since the meeting I have fielded many Linux-related questions from parents that are members of the Raspberry Pi meetup, who were curious and wanting to know how they themselves could learn more about Linux. This curiosity was born from seeing their children playing with and using their Raspberry Pis and wanting to be a part of that experience.

No one knew about Linux because Linux is free, as in cost. Why would anyone spend huge money to advertise a product when there would be no meaningful financial return on that investment? Ubuntu was, at least in my eyes; a glorious sunrise that would awaken the world to the legitimate presence of Linux. No more of this “one percent market share” baloney. Ubuntu would be the face and the unimaginably huge base for users who would propel Linux to mainstream awareness. Oh, what a glorious day that was, October 20th, 2004.

Recently in China, once considered something of a safe haven for piraters, a two year joint effort by Chinese police and the U.S. FBI led to 25 arrests and the seizure of $500 million in counterfeit Microsoft and Symantec software products, which included over 290,000 counterfeit discs and fake certificates of authenticity. The incident reportedly led to the bringing down of two criminal organizations that were responsible for distributing up to $2 billion in pirated software.

Mark your calendars for Oct. 3. The Free Software Foundation — you know, the guys and gals who continue to tirelessly advocate for “free-as-in-freedom-and-beer” technology — is gearing up for its 30th birthday party. The party will feature an address by FSF founder and president Richard Stallman. You can learn more about the event on the celebration page and the RSVP form is open. If you so desire to use a hashtag on social media (though the FSF has this caveat about social media), knock yourself out with #FSF30.