Lee Schlesinger: No one nowadays objects to FOSS

Being in Linux community often means reading a lot of text. This can be forums, help or articles on Linux- and FOSS-related topics. Inevitably, some people first need to write the texts, and then to prepare them for you. Editing texts is not the easiest thing, you can imagine. DarkDuck very much appreciates the editors who help make this blog more readable.

Have you ever spoke with an editor? Here is a chance for you to learn something about one of them.

Let me introduce you Lee Schlesinger!

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DarkDuck: Hello, Lee! Could you please introduce yourself?

Lee Schlesinger

Lee Schlesinger: I'm Lee Schlesinger, currently managing editor for the Spiceworks Community. Spiceworks provides a free downloadable help desk and network inventory application, and hosts a community for IT pros to discuss both work and off-topic issues. Though we have a pretty popular Linux group in the community, many of the community members, who we call SpiceHeads, work in Microsoft-centric shops.

DD: What is your link with Linux and FOSS? Have you worked for any Linux-oriented companies or projects?

LS: I first tried Linux in a Windows virtual machine in about 2000, but I didn't make it my primary operating system until I went to work for VA Linux in 2003. That was back when the company ran not only Linux.com but also Slashdot, SourceForge, and ThinkGeek. From 2003 to 2009 I was the executive editor for Linux.com and Newsforge.com, and after that I edited the SourceForge blog for several months. After I left the company I managed OpenLogic's Wazi site.

DD: Was working for Wazi an interesting experience for you?

LS: Wazi was fun to edit. Our goal was to provide interesting content about open source software to attract readers to parent company OpenLogic, which would try to gain them as customers. It was a popular destination for several years, until a new marketing director came on board and decided that it wasn't providing enough of a benefit for the company.

DD: Does it mean OpenLogic lost an interest in Linux?

LS: I can't really speak for OpenLogic, but I would say no. They were bought by a company called Rogue Wave, and that probably had a lot to do with the decision.

DD: How do you find the current position of FOSS market for corporates? Will it die or will it bloom?

LS: I think it's always a question of finding the right tool for the job. If that tool is FOSS, great. I don't think anyone nowadays objects to FOSS on principle. If it happens to be proprietary software, so be it.

DD: What is the OS you currently use? What is the DE? Is it different between home and office environments?

LS: At the moment my home computer is dead and 1,500 miles away, so I'm living with a work laptop that runs Windows 7. I've had several distros running in VMs on the laptop at various times. The last distro I ran regularly was Kubuntu.

DD: What are your favourite applications and tools apart from OS and DE themselves?

LS: As an editorial pro, the most common tools I use are email (Thunderbird by preference), a browser (Chrome and Firefox), and an editing application. My favorite editor is a Windows app called NoteTab, which I can run under Linux thanks to Wine. I also run Feedly, a web-based RSS aggregator that also has a mobile client.

DD: Do you read the blog Linux notes from DarkDuck? What would you like to see here? What should be improved?

LS: I just added you to my RSS feed reader. I'm always on the lookout for news, features, trends, and technical content, both so I can keep up with what's going on in the world and to feature in the Spiceworks Community.

DD: Putting the Linux and computers aside, what do you do in your free time?

LS: This past year has been a little odd. I moved to Austin, Texas, to take this job, but my family stayed behind so that one of my children could finish high school. That meant I've had a lot of free time and no one to do things with. I volunteer at the local children's museum and I do a lot of reading - mostly science fiction and fantasy, but really any good fiction. I'm always looking for recommendations for good books.

DD: I think being in Linux community, you know who Dedoimedo is. Have you tried his books? He wrote several. You can get them here, here and here.

LS: Sorry, no, I haven't.

DD: Being an editor and being an author are different things. You are definitely the former. Have you ever been in the shoes of the latter? Have you written any books or articles yourself?

LS: Yes, I've done both, but I prefer editing. You can read a couple of publications from last year here and here, and I post short piece almost daily in the Spiceworks Community.

DD: Thanks for your time, Lee. I wish you all the best in your role and your projects! Hope to keep in touch.

LS: Likewise! It was great hearing from you!