TY - JOUR T1 - The Human Factor in Open Source JF - Open Source Business Resource Y1 - 2009 A1 - Cat Allman AB - It is easy to focus on the purely technical side of engineering: design, coding, documentation, licensing issues, and the release process. The interpersonal aspects of engineering also have a vital part to play. An important and frequently overlooked part of the successful free/libre and open source enterprise are the soft skills of communication, administration, and relationship building. Google uses, creates and supports open source software both as the raw material of code, and as a development model. My work in the Open Source Programs Office at Google as one member of a three person Outreach team is almost entirely about the mechanics of building good relations between the F/LOSS community at large and Google. This article describes our day-to-day tasks which are variously focused on student programs, external communications, event management, and financial administration. PB - Talent First Network CY - Ottawa UR - http://timreview.ca/article/257 IS - June 2009 U1 - Google Cat Allman has been involved with the F/LOSS community since the mid 1980s, including marketing and sales roles at Mt Xinu, Sendmail, Inc, and the USENIX Association. She works as a systems administrator, IT manager, and media buyer. Her outreach role in the Open Source Programs Office at Google is like slipping into a warm bath of global F/LOSS goodness. ER -