Open Source Summit + Embedded Linux Conference North America 2026

"FreeBSD is only for servers.” “FreeBSD is for hardcore engineers.” We have all heard the myths. In this talk, Deb shares what happened when she decided to run FreeBSD on a modern laptop. Learn more about her journey to getting this rock-solid operating system on her laptop, and how it is far more accessible than its reputation suggests.

Beyond version control, git is an incredibly powerful code exploration and debugging toolkit hiding in plain sight. In this talk, we'll look under the hood at how git stores, references, and tracks data, and then leverage those internals in practical, real-world workflows to navigate and debug code.

We'll walk through hands‑on examples using tools such as reflog, blame, log -S/-G, pathspecs, grep, and bisect to answer questions developers face every day: Where did this behavior come from? Why is this code like this? and When did this bug appear?

We'll also discuss best practices for maintaining clean, informative git history; because well-crafted commits make these tools dramatically more effective. Whether you're new to git's advanced commands or already comfortable with the plumbing layer, you'll leave with actionable techniques to understand codebases faster and get more value from the tool you already use every day.

In this session, two jaded cybersecurity architects will present a taxonomy of personae who passively or actively get in the way of good security, explain why it's all definitely your fault and express frustration that the Golden Age of Cybersecurity[tm] is always eluding their grasp. With examples and humour/humor (if they can agree on a spelling), your hosts will encourage you to do better next time and point out all the obvious (to them) things you've been doing wrong all these years. And why open source would fix all of them. Almost.

This session demystifies the GPL by exploring the "architecture of intent"—the deliberate design choices made by kernel maintainers that define the legal boundaries between open source code licensed under the GPL and closed source code that may interface with the Linux kernel while maintaining its own licensing. As a lawyer with a deep interest in open source software and expertise in OSS licensing and compliance, I will bridge the gap between code and copyright. My goal is to provide developers with a practical framework for navigating GPL compliance as it pertains to Linux.

This talk is designed specifically for a technical audience. It is not a dry legal lecture. Instead, it is a practical, developer-focused guide that uses code, architecture, and real-world examples to illuminate complex legal concepts. We will walk through three common scenarios where proprietary software interfaces with the Linux kernel, analyzing each from both a technical and legal perspective.

Attendees will leave with the ability to identify high-risk integration patterns and make more informed development decisions.

Many hear the word "Argo" and immediately think "GitOps" with the ability to sync what's in a git repo with what's in a live Kubernetes environment. However, "Argo CD" is just one of several tools within the Argo ecosystem.

These other tools include:
- Rollouts - Move web traffic from an old to a new version of adeployment
- Workflows - Perform work in multiple steps, or as a DAG
- Events - Perform a variety of triggers based on a variety of potential events

These tools have a lot of use and can automate otherwise mundane tasks and lessen the risks associated with change.

Each will get given an overview of how they work and how they can be useful in isolation. Then we will combine them to solve different tasks. Examples will range from practical to silly, keeping healthy parts "educational" and "entertaining".