ROSE Blog Interviews: Dru Lavigne
![Rikki Endsley Rikki Endsley](/var/linux_magazin/storage/images/online/blogs/rose-blog-rikki-s-open-source-exchange/275384-25-eng-US/ROSE-Blog-Rikki-s-Open-Source-Exchange.png)
ROSE Blog: Rikki's Open Source Exchange
Dru Lavigne was the first person to volunteer her interview when I started this series. I thought I better pull her interview out of the comments section to make sure it's not overlooked. Dru is active in BSD and FreeBSD certification, training, and marketing, in addition to editing the Open Source Business Resource.
Q: Who are you?
A: Dru Lavigne (http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/unix/bsd)
Q:What do you currently do in open source? What do you love about it?
A: Chair the BSD Certification Group which maintains certifications for assessing BSD sysadmin skills. Assist the marketing team of the FreeBSD Project and the FreeBSD Foundation. Write and speak about open source, BSD, training, documentation, and gender in technology issues. Manage the Open Source Business Resource (http://www.osbr.ca). And I've just started my third book on BSD. I love learning new things, sharing them with others, and watching people grow.
Q: You're speaking to a group of women from other fields who are considering switching careers. Why should they consider moving into an open source-related career? What should they know about the open source environment to prepare them for the transition from a different field?
A: Open source provides a low entry barrier where you can ramp up your technical and communication skills, access mentors, build your reputation – all valuable things you can add to your resume. Know that every community is different, some are easier to get along with then others, and its okay to shop around until you find the community that works best for you.
Q: You're speaking to a group of high school students (male and female). Why should they consider exploring career options in open source?
A: Where else can you get the above for free? Becoming an active member of an open source community will give you an edge over your classmates and help open future career doors. Breaking into any career is all about who you know and who knows you.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
![Learn More](https://www.linux-magazine.com/var/linux_magazin/storage/images/media/linux-magazine-eng-us/images/misc/learn-more/834592-1-eng-US/Learn-More_medium.png)
News
-
Debian 12.6 Released with Plenty of Bug Fixes and Updates
The sixth update to Debian "Bookworm" is all about security mitigations and making adjustments for some "serious problems."
-
Canonical Offers 12-Year LTS for Open Source Docker Images
Canonical is expanding its LTS offering to reach beyond the DEB packages with a new distro-less Docker image.
-
Plasma Desktop 6.1 Released with Several Enhancements
If you're a fan of Plasma Desktop, you should be excited about this new point release.
-
SUSE Offers CentOS 7 Support with Liberty Linux Lite
SUSE's Liberty Linux support offering now includes CentOS 7, which means businesses won't be forced to migrate those servers for some time.
-
Ubuntu's App Center Finally Supports Local Installs Again
If you regularly download .deb files and would prefer a GUI method of installing, Ubuntu has your back.
-
AlmaLinux Now Supports Raspberry Pi 5
If you're looking to create with the Raspberry Pi 5 and want to use AlmaLinux as your OS, you're in luck because it's now possible.
-
Kubuntu Focus Releases New Iterations of Ir14 and Ir16 Laptops
If you're a fan of the Kubuntu Focus laptops or have been waiting for the right time to purchase one, that time might be now.
-
NixOS 24.05 Is Ready for Prime Time
The latest release of NixOS (Uakari) has arrived and offers its usual reproducible, declarative, and reliable goodness.
-
Linux Lite 7.0 Officially Released
Based on Ubuntu 24.04 and kernel 6.8, Linux Lite version 7 now offers more options than ever.
-
KaOS Linux 2024.05 Adds Bcachfs Support and More
With updates all around, KaOS Linux now includes support for the bcachefs file system.