Matthew Revell

Today is the fourth anniversary of LugRadio’s first episode!

Listening back to that first show, it’s interesting that one of the first things we talk about is GPL v3. Four years on, that particular discussion continues

When we recorded that first show, we had no idea what LugRadio would become. Actually, listening to that first show, it was clearly touch and go

So, congratulations to the current LugRadio team, howdy to my fellow former LugRadio presenters and thanks to everyone who listens to the show and comes to the events. See you at LugRadio Live UK later this year.

The world’s foremost Linux and free software podcast is one notch higher in the quality stakes this week. In a neatly circular reversal of roles, I stood in for Adam Sweet on this week’s LugRadio.

It was good to be back in the studio with the blokes and was my first show with new boy Chris Proctor.

The second episode of The Wolverhampton Politics Show is tonight at 7pm on 101.8 FM in Wolverhampton and streamed at wcrfm.com!

More at the Wolverhampton Politics site.

The Wolverhampton Politics Show starts tonight at 7pm. Here’s how you can listen:

• In Wolverhampton: 101.8 FM
• Elsewhere: Live stream at wcrfm.com (tested on Ubuntu and Windows)
• Podcast: subscribe at www.wolverhamptonpolitics.co.uk

Joining me in the studio for this first show are Labour activist and blogger, Political Penguin, and Conservative candidate for Wolverhampton South West, Paul Uppal.

You can join in:

• Phone: 01902 57 22 57
• Text: 60300, start message with “WCR POLITICS”
• Email: show@wolverhamptonpolitics.co.uk

It’d be great if a couple of people could phone in, as I’ve no idea how many listeners the show will actually get

Starting on Friday 27th July I’ll be presenting a new weekly show on WCR FM.

From 7pm to 8pm I’ll cover what’s going on in Wolverhampton politics and also look at the wider political scene from a Wolverhampton perspective. Each week I’ll have a couple of studio guests, interviews, debate and reports from around the city.

I’m going to take a fairly broad view of what counts as politics; it’s not going to be party political yawn-inducing tribalism. Of course, politicians will be on there: Wolverhampton South West MP Rob Marris is a guest on 7th September, for example.

I think Wolverhampton deserves a show that scrutinises the city’s politicians, that has an open debate about different ways of doing things and that represents the broad sweep of opinion and life in the city.

Some names familiar to readers of this website will pop up, too: Jono will be on to talk about free software and Stuart will be talking about digital rights.

If you’re in Wolverhampton, you can get WCR FM on 101.8 FM. Alternatively, you can listen to a live stream from the WCR FM website and I’ll be making the show available as a podcast from www.wolverhamptonpolitics.co.uk

So remember: 7pm - 8pm UK time on 27th July! There’ll be a phone-in each week too - 01902 57 22 57

Here it is again, the greatest free software event that has ever graced the face of WORLD Earth (as Ted Jesus Christ God likes to refer to our planet).

LugRadio Live is happening this weekend at the Light House Media Centre, Fryer Street, Wolverhampton; but you didn’t need me to tell you that.

This weekend will be a little strange for me. Having left LugRadio as a full time presenter, I was only involved in the early stages of planning for this LRL. Also, not being on stage during the intro or LugRadio Live and Unleashed will be very odd.
If you’re going to LRL, come find me and say hello. This year, I won’t be insanely busy

Last night we recorded my last LugRadio as a full-time member of the team.

The past three years have been amazing. What started as a silly idea at a Wolves LUG meeting has brought me many new friends, taken me to strange and exotic places - well, Limerick - and helped shape my career.

I love LugRadio and love spending time with the other gents. However, a couple of months ago it became obvious that I don’t have time for everything I want to do. I also realised that so as long as I’m doing LugRadio, I don’t have as much motivation to try new things because I’m already doing something pretty cool.

Last night was very sad and, because it hadn’t sunk in that it was my last show, I couldn’t quite express how I felt. LugRadio has been about friendship, learning and a having a lot of fun. It’s changed me for the better. I will miss being so closely involved but, in the light of morning, I think it’s right to have stepped down.

So, thanks to Ade, Aq and Jono for being good mates and for making LugRadio such an enjoyable experience. Thanks to all the listeners for your emails, your crazy community action and for being one of the nicest and funniest bunch of people around.

There was only one serious contender for my replacement. He has long been an unofficial member of the team, he’s a great bloke and he lives round the corner from Bacon: Adam Sweet. Adam’s going to bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to the show, which I think will help it get even better.

Of course, I’m not leaving LugRadio entirely. If one of the guys can’t make it, I’ll stand in and I’ll also be at LugRadio Live! These blokes are some of my best mates, so it’ll be difficult to keep me away entirely
Wow, it’s sort of over.

See Jono’s photos.

This year’s LugRadio Live is going to be the best yet. Everyone knows that
As usual, we have an exhibition space. This year we want the exhibition to be about doing things. So, hardware hacking, video production, ancient games consoles ready to play, crocheting penguins.

We already have some cool ideas lined up. My favourite so far is a green screen vox-pop stand, where people can record their thoughts about the event, complete with comedy background.

So, if you’ve got something cool you want to do in the LRL exhibition space, email show@lugradio.org. If you wanna run a standard exhibition stand, send us the details too!

The LugRadio Live 2007 venue is booked and we’re now organising everything to make it’s the best yet!

The details:

• Dates: 7 and 8 July 2007.
• Venue: Light House Media Centre, Chubb Building, Fryer Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1HT.
• Purpose: social gathering of the open source community, with talks, exhibition, BoFs and beer.

We’re organising speakers, exhibitors and all that right now. If you want to speak or exhibit at LugRadio Live, email show AT lugradio DOT org. Tell us:

• Your name and email address.
• Talk title or exhibition stand purpose.
• Short abstract of your talk or description of how LRL visitors will benefit from your stand.
• Type of talk - main stage or lightning - or type of stand - commercial or community (we want to maintain a balance).

We’re looking for talks and exhibitors that people will still remember in a year’s time. That doesn’t mean you have to demo eye candy whilst doing back-flips - although we’d love to have you back Mirco.

The venue this year is by far and away the best yet. Housed in the original home of Chubb lockmakers, The Light House Media Centre features two cinemas, a cafe, a bar and a massive glass-roofed atrium. There’s also a public art gallery, which you’ll be able to enjoy between talks. Importantly, it is right next to the train station.

So, clear that weekend in your diary. We’ll announce the official hotels very soon!

I’m coming to the end of a three year stint of 120 mile daily commutes.

Three to four hours in the car, each day, has made me something of a breakfast and drive-time radio dependent. Although I have great respect for the role that Radio 4’s Today plays in UK society, I quickly grow bored of its almost exclusive devotion to events in Westminster and Washington.

Radio 5 is a good alternative, with Nicky Campbell’s insistent reminders to guests that there is a world outside London. However, Radio 5 is obsessed with sport and sport is neither news nor interesting.

A couple of years back, I discovered that Ireland’s state broadcaster, RTE, uses 252 long wave for RTE 1. Morning Ireland is great; I’m not sure if it’s thanks to the slight exoticism of stories of traffic jams in places I’ve barely heard of, or that the Irish government seems far more interested in domestic affairs and so RTE has something to report other than the Middle East.

Also on AM is Virgin Radio, the station that has always thought of itself as having the stature of a national broadcaster but, despite having a national licence, has never broken free of local radio cheese. When Christian O’Connell and his team joined earlier this year, Virgin’s breakfast show became worth listening to. However, the frequency with which Virgin repeats the same dreary songs means I’m soon reaching for the scan button.

That was when I found a Slavic-sounding chap reading business news stories, on 1323 MHz. Each news story was structured a little like a joke: the newsreader set the scene (this or that Russian company had done something or other), then told us that someone had said something negative about the activity, and then at the very end we found out that someone else had said it was all okay. There were no interviews, no audio clips and each story was topped and tailed with ten seconds of what sounded like Emmerson, Lake and Palmer.

Turns out it was the Voice of Russia World Service. I found that out when the business news finished and a bloke with an odd of mix of Russian and “cool cat” accent introduced a jazz show.

On the way home, I tried to find it again but it was in German. The next day the signal too weak to listen to. Still, it was great to hear some people sitting in Moscow as I trundled through the Gloucestershire countryside.