Want to go to the O'Reilly Open Source Convention 2005 for free? Go submit a proposal to give a talk. The conference runs from 01 Aug 2005 to 05 Aug 2005. Here is part of the CFP announcement:

Complete details are available on the OSCON web site, but we're particularly interested in exploring how software development is moving to another level, and how developers and businesses are adjusting to new business models and architectures. We're looking for sessions, tutorials, and workshops proposals that appeal to developers, systems and network administrators, and their managers in the following areas:

• All aspects of building applications, services, and systems that use the new capabilities of the open source platform
• Burning issues for Java, Mozilla, web apps, and beyond
• The commoditization of software: who and/or what can show us the money?
• Network-enabled collaboration
• Software customizability, including software as a service
• Law, licensing, politics, and how best to navigate other troubled waters

Specific topics and tracks at OSCON 2005 include: Linux and other open source operating systems, Java, PHP, Python, Perl, Databases (including MySQL and PostgreSQL), Apache, XML, Applications, Ruby, and Security.

OSCON has always been a favorite conference of mine. I hope to see you there.