Keynote - Mitchell Baker



Collaborative Development, the "Maker" Ethic and Internet Freedom

Open Source software and collaborative development practices produce great software. They also produce communities of people who make things. This "Maker" ethic is an important element in keeping the Internet open and free, across all devices, and all types of activities.In this talk Mitchell explores how open source software projects help build this maker ethic into the fabric of the Internet itself. This ranges from how we organize ourselves as projects, attract people, and pass on values. She'll also touch on Mozilla's new initiatives to build these ideas across all devices, and all types of activities.

About Mitchell Baker

As the leader of the Mozilla Project, Mitchell Baker is responsible for organizing and motivating a massive, worldwide collective of employees and volunteers who are breathing new life into the Internet with the Mozilla Firefox Web browser and other Mozilla products. Mitchell was born and raised in Berkeley, California, receiving her BA in Asian Studies from UC Berkeley and her JD from the Boalt Hall School of Law. Mitchell has been the general manager of the Mozilla project since 1999. She served as CEO of Mozilla until January 2008, when the organization's rapid growth encouraged her to split her responsibilities and add a CEO. Mitchell remains deeply engaged in developing product offerings that promote the mission of empowering individuals. She also guides the overall scope and direction of Mozilla's mission.
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