Episode: 501
Title: HPR0501: Klaatu interviews Rikki Kite of Linux Pro Magazine
Source: https://hub.hackerpublicradio.org/ccdn.php?filename=/eps/hpr0501/hpr0501.mp3
Transcribed: 2025-10-07 21:50:59

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Hi everyone, my name is Hyde Rowan, this is Quattu. I'm at the Ohio Linux Fest. I'm with
Ricky Kite. Ricky Kite, who are you? I'm the associate publisher of Linux Pro Magazine
and it means to use your magazine out of more Kansas. Very cool. So Linux Pro Magazine
has been around forever. I mean, it's been a big one, right? Yes, we are about to work
on our 109th issues. So we're going on 10 years. We have a German sister publication
that's been around for about 15 years. And now, did that merged with another magazine
recently or something? Is that correct or am I thinking of a different magazine?
No, Linux Magazine that was based here in North America ceased print publication about a
year ago and we bought their print assets. So any subscribers to their magazine
received our magazine when they ceased publication. They're still available as a web only publication though.
And there's still a lot of confusion about our name. We're Linux Pro in North America,
anywhere outside of North America people call us Linux Magazine.
So what, I mean, when you say you're the associate publisher, is that what you said?
Yeah. What does that entail? Like, what is your job? What is your function?
Do you actually choose what goes into the magazine or what do you do?
I was a managing editor in the past. We have an editor in chief, Jocosod.
He selects what is going to go into the magazine. I'm kind of a journalist, I guess.
I look, when I go to events, I look for authors, advertisers, readers.
I try to let people know about our magazine and that we are out of Lawrence Kansas.
People think we're out of England. We sell in England and we're called Linux Magazine.
But if you buy it in England, it was actually edited in Lawrence Kansas.
So yeah, I do a little bit of everything. I'm doing a little bit of speaking at events.
I have a blog that highlights women in our field and I cover a little bit of what's going on with girls and children.
Technology in schools. My focus is women in open source on my blog.
There is a diversity in open source thing going on what tomorrow here at Ohio Linux Festival.
I don't know what to expect tomorrow. It's the first one they've had.
But I've been to some women in open source events in the past.
I'm interested in diversity in general. I think it will be interesting.
I like the take that they have on it.
I do think if you appeal to women, you are increasing diversity because whatever is turning off women is probably turning off other people.
But I do like the way that Ohio Linux Fest organizers have decided to rebrand it and broaden.
You know, to try to be even more inclusive.
So I'm looking forward to it. I'm excited about what will see what happens.
Well, who does Linux Pro Magazine appeal to, for instance?
Well, a range of people and I was really surprised.
It's nice that we have a lot of women on staff.
Our former CEO was a woman actually and our sale people, all the editors in our office,
with exception of our editor and chief, our women.
And so I think that naturally would help hopefully appeal to women.
You know, that maybe we will see things a little differently than if it was run just by men.
Yes.
But I was at Linux Fest Northwest earlier this year.
And I had a girl that was probably only around 12 or so.
Come up to the booth and start talking to me about how much she liked the magazine.
And now a lot of the articles were way too advanced for her.
But she still had really analyzed the art and illustrations.
You know, because we do try to appeal to a range of people.
Not just what you would be considered, you know, a more traditional masculine art or whatever, you know.
So as actual readers though, they tend to be more advanced readers.
You know, the number one reason somebody would cancel our magazine's description is it's too technical for them.
And although we're starting to see them go, we are trying to be a little more technical, you know, for professionals.
Yeah, I mean, like, for instance, Linux Format Magazine out of England, it's a fun magazine.
And they do have lots of very informative articles.
But like, if you need to know cool new things that you can get your box to do, it seems like Linux Pro
is kind of the one that you're going to go to, I think.
Well, I hope so.
I mean, I hear nothing but good things about Linux Format also.
But it is different.
All the magazines are different.
There are some people who get, you know, more than one.
And you're totally allowed to do that.
You could get every magazine that you like.
And we encourage people to support from publishing, you know.
But they are all different and think that there are good things about all the magazines.
But, you know, we always knew that we were trying to be very practical and care towards people who are using Linux
and open source professionally.
And, you know, we include the DVD in every issue.
Yeah.
So that people can test out, you know, different flavors in some of our lives.
And, you know, we'll do a collection of the small distros or something that's bigger and more popular.
And they're all different.
Definitely.
That's why I like to hand them out at events and some people can at least try and, you know, see.
And then we did the trial offer to where people can get three issues for only $10 and they can check it out, you know.
No, is that trial offer available on, like, via the website or is that, like, an event that's available?
Yeah.
If you sign up at the event, I usually have the first issue with me that you can start with.
Oh, okay.
If you sign up online, they'll just send you the first issue in the mail.
Cool.
Yeah, I mean, it's well, it is a well worth it magazine.
I get it every month and I love the articles in there.
It takes me a while to get through it because they're just so populated with information that you kind of want to go home and, like,
try it all out when you, you know, when you're finished the article.
It's one of those, really.
It's actually one of the only, I think, three printed magazines that I regularly purchase, I mean, monthly.
The other's being, like, other Linux magazines.
How, you mentioned, like, supporting printed publishing.
How is that going for you guys, I guess?
I mean, like, so is that a battle that magazines are fighting right now, then?
Well, yeah, and they have been, ever since I've been in publishing, I've been publishing around 12 years.
My first publishing job was actually at the admin magazine.
Okay.
And I also worked on Unix Review.com and the Pearl Journal and the Journal of Linux Technology, which is a...
Good gosh, you're a geek.
Well, I'm a publishing nerd, you know, but I've only ever done tech publishing.
Okay.
So, yeah, I'm nerdy and geeky.
So, in all of us, there are old school publishing people, you know.
I mean, nobody is a newbie at our company.
We all, a lot of us worked together at the admin magazine years ago.
Oh, cool.
Our editor and chief of the tech editor there.
And so, you will see a lot of coverage for the admin through our magazine.
We all have a soft pop.
And then, again, we also had really close relationships with the authors from the admin.
So, you'll see a lot of familiar names in there, but we have some more programming and a range of other articles.
Yeah.
So, how did you get into that field of tech stuff?
Is that you have a background in, like, technology?
You fell into it or what?
Right, yeah.
It's completely accidental.
I think that's why I have some sensitivity to how to get people into the tech field.
I come from a non-technical family.
I'm first generation college, you know.
Yeah.
I have an English degree.
And I knew I wanted to get into publishing because I always liked to write.
But once you edit for a while, it's really traumatic to write.
I think, you know, I've reanalyzed everything you know.
Yeah.
I enjoy editing now.
I like helping people make their writing better, you know.
And it's kind of like a puzzle or game taking what the author wants and making them happy with the final results by cleaning it up some, you know.
But I like to branching out into the publishing role just because it's been more challenging.
So, I would have, when I started off in this admin, I might not have envisioned myself saying this long,
but I've really enjoyed watching the way the market has changed.
I remember being in a meeting with this admin,
and the publisher talking about how he didn't know how long the magazine would be around,
because of Microsoft, and he didn't know how long the index would be around.
And then you see Linux start taking off.
Yeah.
And it was very exciting to see that change and all of a sudden we were doing very well,
because we were also covering Linux at the time, you know.
Yeah.
So, it's been kind of a ton of ride.
And that is kind of a cool perspective, actually.
Yeah.
So, you know, in this admin, after I left, these publications coincidentally,
I had nothing to do with them, you know.
But, and we were all sad to see it go, and so we really are aware of how hard it is to be in print.
Yeah.
And that was a great magazine, and I'm really proud to have worked on it everywhere I go.
People still are saddened it's gone, you know.
Yeah.
And I hope that people will fill that kind of attachment to the magazine to meet now.
Well, I mean, the cool thing about the Linux magazines is that you always get that disc with them, you know.
And there's always something really cool to try out on the disc.
So, it's kind of a real pleasure to go out to the bookstore or subscribe,
and you get it, and you get to open it up, and see what you get to learn about, and see what's on the DVD and stuff.
Right.
So, it's kind of, I think it's a more unique magazine experience, I think, than any other magazine that I've ever purchased.
Right.
Exactly.
Kind of like getting a gift in the mail every week.
Yeah.
It's been a really...
Yeah, exactly.
Kind of fun.
This might be too broad of a topic, but what would you say is, I guess, a major...
What is blocking, I guess, diversity in open source?
Well, I think accessibility.
Like, I was saying, I mean, technology wasn't something I was around growing up.
I mean, I got my first computer when I graduated from college.
Wow.
You know, and I really see that now, and that's why I'm interested in getting it in school, all school.
Yeah.
You know, because that's your diversity right there.
I mean, you have a family.
They don't have computers at home, or the parents don't know anything about technology.
Yeah.
What kind of a family does that kid going to have if they also don't have good technology?
That kid's going to go to college having not really access technology, and they're at a disadvantage already.
So, you're going to see that I think more in low-income, or, you know, I lived in Texas for a long time.
I would imagine a lot of those families where you have parents not speaking the English, or working all these jobs.
How are those kids going to have access to computers?
If they're lucky, there are a lot of groups and other sources that are trying to help that happen,
but if it's in all the schools, it's going to make a huge difference.
Yeah.
So, it is important to get...
Like, because I know there are, like you say, there are a lot of community projects
that are trying to get massive amounts of computers into all the school systems.
Right.
And even into areas, even to other countries like the OLPC and stuff like that, you know.
And so, you do think that's a valid and worthy cause.
Oh, definitely.
I mean, I have concerns about that project, but I also think that they have really inspired so many other projects.
I admire their efforts.
I know Ratchball is the way they originally started to different.
I see how they are really kind of evolving in their projects.
I mean, I'm really more focused on here right now because it's close by and I have a kid in school
and so I really need firsthand how far we are behind.
And there's no system for it in other countries, particularly with open-source.
You know, and when you can take an old computer that somebody else isn't going to keep,
and you can make it be a really wonderful computer for a family that doesn't have one.
Well, cool.
Thanks for talking to me, Ricky Kite.
And I will definitely be checking out all the future issues of Linux Pro.
What is the website for the magazine?
Linux Pro Magazine.com.
Great.
Cool.
Thanks a lot.
Thanks a lot.
Thanks a lot.
Thanks a lot.
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