At his talk at Linux.conf.au in Brisbane last week, Mark Pesce talked about trust and openness.

If you can’t examine the source code, how can you really trust it?  This is an issue beyond maintainability, beyond the right to fork; this is the essential element that will prevent paranoia.  ‘Transparency is the new objectivity’, and unless any particular program is completely transparent, it is inherently suspect." @mpesce http://blog.futurestreetconsulting.com/

I agree wholehartedly that openness creates transparency and transparency creates trust. But trust is a complex thing. I'd like to tease this point a bit about how it relates to online services and open code.

Last year I spoke at the Linux Conf Public Sector Miniconf via Skpe. This was a pretty unsatisfactory way of speaking. Reflecting on it as I flew to Brisbane to speak in person at this years conference, I considered that they could have gotten bored with me, turned the video off and gone for a beer and I would have still continued along with my talk oblivious to my oblivion.

Of course they didn't switch me off, and it must have been as difficult for the audience as a conference experience as well. I was even recognised by someone from last year's talk.

This year I spoke in person. It was my first actual Linux Conference experience and it was well worth the trip.

Dear Blogosphere,

I am sorry that I have not been around much lately. It is not that I have not thought of you. In fact, I think of you often. But my life has many priorities and I have not been able to give you the attention you deserve.

I know that you could get by perfectly well without me. But I do miss you.