Keeping the dribd-engine oiled

Oleg
loleg

  • ⚙️ Developer
  • 🛡️ Coach
279

Software engineer, open data activist in the global Open Knowledge network, who works on Internet platforms, and runs tech events - including digital sustainability conferences and hackathon series. Also a blogger and wannabe media artist who has been involved in a wide range of impactful projects. Maintainer of Dribdat. Welcome to my online home! ❤

I grew up in Calgary, Canada: the historic home of hackathons. Going to programming/mathematics contests, Science Fairs, and IT conferences from an early age, I got a lot of practice at prototyping solutions and presenting them, and at some point became an organizer of such events. From 2001-2005 I studied math, engineering and communications systems in Québec and Lausanne.

After working for several years in the UK and Silicon Valley, in 2011, I came back to help to start the first hackathons dedicated to open data in Switzerland with Hannes Gassert and Jeremy Stucki - a year later joining as board member of the association Opendata.ch - Swiss chapter of Open Knowledge. I was an active member until 2024, and continue to be supportive of the Swiss and global community.

Journal B was one of my main projects while working at Apps with love, who profiled me at one of our first hackathons: the 2013 Finance Hackdays in Bern. In another article (archived here) from 2015, I'm interviewed as "Mr. Hackathon". By this time a large number of events were already running around the country, documented on the old MAKE open data wiki. During the event described in the blog, Dribdat was started with some seed support and resources from Swisscom. Read more about Dribdat in the Origin story and Project history.

This side-interest has become my full time preoccupation/obsession in the past few years. Being part of the VersusVirus and TogetherVsVirus teams made me think at a larger scale about the impacts of our work. I started the Hack:Org:X series and HackIntegration platform, among other initiatives to connect with academics and practitioners on a global level, with people who are challenged, disadvantaged, discriminated at the local level. You can find me "trööting" about my progress in this at hachyderm.io

A long time supporter of the demoscene, I have always been inspired by "new media" or digital art. This is why I help run the Demonights, Graffathon and other projects with Echtzeit association. Since 2020, I have also been supporting the Data Design + Art group at HSLU, connecting young artists to issues and opportunities in our transitioning, ever-evolving information society. I often fill the late hours of hackathons with some of the motivation, energy, and provocation of the digital underground. You can find my posts and 8-bit-artworks at graphics.social

Experience

Resume

Proxeus Association Responsible for the "exit to community" of this notable initiative to create a stable, well designed, multi-chain solution for document integrity based on a fully open source stack (LibreOffice, Go, Vue, Ethereum, etc). Organized tech collaborations and supported on research studies, developed use cases through workshops and hackathon challenges. Maintained the code base and release schedule.
Datalets Based in the Swiss capital, I provide services across the nation in software development, data engineering, consulting and hands-on development, specializing in data-first apps and websites, multi-cloud strategy, and open source community building.
Opendata.ch Helping to accelerate digital transparency at the grassroots through positions, projects and promotion. My responsibilities include representing the association nationally - running events, community building, supporting and promoting open data applications - and internationally, as local coordinator and ambassador to Open Knowledge.
cividi Launched on the wellspring of the SmartUse project, Cividi developed the ‘Gemeindescan’, a set of analytics enabling planning groups, municipalities and planners to obtain an "X-ray image" of their planning perimeter in a simple and cost-efficient way. We covered topics of land use, function, traffic and structure, asking questions like: "How can cities grow while still remaining worth living in?", with the help of the Migros Pioneer Fund. Through this we created open source digital tools to help make urban planning smarter, and involve the population in the process.
Versus Virus Likely the largest and possibly most diverse hackathon to have ever been run in Switzerland, this series of virtual events in response to the COVID-19 crisis brought together over 5'000 people to generate ideas of sustainable response across 13 domains of urgent social need. Working with Opendata.ch, national media and partners, I helped to design and set up the online platforms, facilitate data access, support the organizing team, and to document the ~300 resulting projects.
Centralway Working closely with the investment team on agile design and development of data mining and collaboration platforms while interacting with product teams to contribute expertise and assist in achieving cross-functional engineering goals.
Apps with love Responsible for project management, back to front-end development, customer relations across several projects, like the new online magazine Journal B, the Kornhaus libraries app, and the FANCAM panorama app. Consulting and technical evaluation for enterprise clients. Project estimation and management with a wide range of customers.
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Supported research staff at the Planning of Landscape and Urban Systems group, which devises science models together with environmental policy stakeholders making long-term decisions about the development of cities and countries. We built Web portals to enable remote collaboration, aggregate, analyse, map and visualize complex workflows and diverse data sources.
Cisco Systems
BEO Solutions AG
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
Open Knowledge Foundation Supporting multiple councils and projects with the leading network of hacktivists engaged for a Fair, Free and Open future. Discover and support our work at OKFN.org
Shad Valley Leadership & Entrepreneurship, University of Waterloo
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne Communication Systems
Université de Lausanne Mathematics
Université Laval Mathematics
Sustainability through Open Data: Examples from Switzerland Although the term “sustainability” can be traced back to as early as 1761 in forest management, it was unknown to most of the wider public two decades ago. Driven by publications of scientific evidence showing the potential impact of greenhouse gases on global climate change as well as the prediction of the end of the oil age, popular awareness of ecological challenges facing our planet has increased – today, the topic of sustainability has arrived in the main-stream (with all the downsides, such as hijacking of the term). While awareness alone is certainly not sufficient, it is a fundamental and necessary step towards the establishment of new models for economic, societal and ecologic development. In this paper we show how the Open Data movement can address some of the complex challenges that sustainable development needs to solve. Examples of software applications (“apps”) and data analyses and visualizations developed in grassroots projects at so-called “make.opendata.ch hackathons” in Switzerland will demonstrate how the Open Data movement can be part of the solution by bridging the realms of economy, ecology and society in sustainable development.
Data Engineering
Web Services
Startup Development
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Opendata.ch
Web Development
PHP
Shell Scripting
Russian
Open Source
Cisco Technologies
Social Networking
Perl
German
International Business Development
French
Mobile Applications
Software Development
Git
Cloud Computing
Apache
Networking
Distributed Systems
Web Standards
Architecture
XML
HTML 5
Linux
Subversion
IT Solutions
Web Applications
Web 2.0
Python
Unix
Enterprise Software
Java
MySQL
JavaScript
Tomcat
System Architecture
Hardware
Web Design
Agile Methodologies
Computer Graphics
Technical Leadership
REST
Internet Strategy
.NET
TCP/IP
Content Management
Liferay
Spring
Software Engineering
English Native Speaker
French Professional Working
German Professional Working
Russian Native Speaker
Florin Hasler I met Oleg in 2015 at an Opendata.ch hackathon (where else?) and he was instrumental in making my first hackathon a positive experience. This hasn't changed since I've been working for Opendata.ch for a couple of years now: You can always count on Oleg. Even in chaotic situations, with his years of experience, he can't be flustered. Oleg can get to the core of problems and come up with solutions quickly. Furthermore, Oleg is dedicated to missions aligned with his values and is bursting with ideas. Choose one and run with him!
Ulrike Wissen Hayek Oleg is very fast in understanding concepts that are new to him, such as Geographic Information Systems, and the requirements of researchers. He did a great job at our chair in programming interactive planning support platforms.
Brett Swaim Oleg did spectacular work when I was at Cisco Systems, I hope to work with him again in the future!
Sandy Chang Oleg is a very gifted engineer that brings his passion for writing great software where ever he goes. He is also a true team player and was always available to mentor others, provide creative input, and take on the most challenging tasks.
Dominique Kuster Oleg was a trustworthy and reliable partner in agile development projects.
Piotr Skoczylas Oleg is a very skillful person and he loves working with latest IT technologies. What is even more important than his knowledge is his open-minded personality and great character – working with him was a pleasure.
Dribdat Open source project tracking for collecting and showcasing projects at time-bound events known as hackathons, in a way that boosts open collaboration, civic engagement, and technical experimentation in a social setting. Through the experience of organising dozens events, dribdat was created to streamline efforts and share best practices with the wider community.
Journal B Design, development, launch of Bern's hippest new online 'zine
Download

Dribs

1 week ago

Hello world, I am your new Editor

2 weeks ago

v0.8.9 release of Dribdat: getting closer to EveryHack with every step!

🌐 Open Data Day Edition 🎉 👁️‍🗨️ Discussion

2 weeks ago

What is the requirement here exactly?

2 weeks ago

Added a challenge statement

1 month ago

🅰️ℹ️ Generated with GPT-4O-MINI

To move forward effectively, gather feedback from potential users within the open source community in Switzerland. Understanding their specific needs will help refine your template designs. Reach out through forums or social media, and consider hosting a short survey or focus group. This will provide valuable insights into what features are prioritized and any gaps in current offerings. Additionally, identify any existing legal documents that could serve as data points for your templates. Document these findings in your project update to clarify next steps and showcase your commitment to meeting community needs.

1 month ago

Another great portfolio, in PyScript: https://pyscript.com/@ambv/

1 month ago

2 months ago

  From the top of the mountain, you cannot see the mountain. ― Frank Herbert, Dune

2 months ago

🅰️ℹ️ Explore integrating AI-powered analytics to enhance user decision-making within your finance app. By implementing machine learning algorithms, you can provide personalized financial insights and real-time market analysis, allowing users to optimize their investment strategies and minimize risks. Consider incorporating a dashboard feature that aggregates user data, monitors performance, and offers tailored recommendations based on their financial goals. This will not only add significant value but also differentiate your solution in the competitive finance landscape, making it a go-to tool for both novice and experienced users.

4 months ago

🅰️ℹ️ Consider developing a user-friendly dashboard prototype that visually aggregates and categorizes ESG data and tools for listed companies. This dashboard could allow companies to compare their sustainability metrics against peers, highlighting best practices and areas for improvement. Additionally, integrate an interactive feature that enables investors to filter data by specific sustainability criteria, thus fostering transparency. Incorporating feedback loops from both companies and investors could further refine the tool’s efficacy. Aim for an intuitive design to enhance accessibility and drive engagement across different user profiles.

4 months ago

🅰️ℹ️ Enhance the project by integrating a feedback loop mechanism that allows users to input their experiences and suggestions during the API testing process. This feature could utilize sentiment analysis to categorize feedback and feed it back into the Generative AI model for continuous improvement. Collaborate with users to gather real-world insights, which can inform which test cases need enhancement and which features are most useful. This iterative approach not only strengthens the solution but also fosters user engagement and collaboration, ensuring your product evolves to meet actual developer needs effectively.

4 months ago

🅰️ℹ️ Consider integrating a machine learning model that predicts future financial trends based on historical data from annual reports. This predictive analytics feature could enhance the tool's value, allowing users to not only compare current metrics but also anticipate changes in the market landscape. Collaborate with your team to define the key variables influencing predictions, ensuring the model remains transparent and understandable for users. Present early findings as part of your pitch to demonstrate its potential impact on decision-making for business analysts and investors.

4 months ago

🅰️ℹ️ Consider integrating a real-time analysis tool that can provide instant feedback during client-RM calls. This tool could utilize machine learning algorithms to assess audio quality, detect deepfake characteristics, and highlight any discrepancies with the client's profile while the conversation is ongoing. Developing a visual interface that displays these insights to RMs could enhance their awareness and decision-making during calls. Additionally, implementing a feedback loop where the tool learns and improves from new audio samples over time will not only refine accuracy but also foster client trust in your technological advancements.

4 months ago

🅰️ℹ️ Explore integrating a feature that allows users to collaborate on a shared digital canvas. Implement tools where participants can visualize brainstorming sessions with interactive mind maps or storyboards, utilizing GPT-4o Mini to suggest connections and expand on ideas in real-time. This approach not only enhances creativity but also ensures every voice is heard, fostering inclusivity. Consider adding functionality for users to provide feedback on each other's contributions, promoting a supportive community atmosphere. Aim to create a prototype that exemplifies these interactions, showcasing the powerful synergy between LLMs and collaborative creativity.

4 months ago

See Interface to participatory democracy for ideas of how to link our platforms together.

5 months ago

It's great to see you standardizing on JSON-LD already - do you have thoughts about a Frictionless Data schema for events, perhaps linked to a technical forum for "Open Events Data", as we are doing in Switzerland?

5 months ago

Added the Hack the Shifts README 🫸🫷

5 months ago