I previously blogged about the "maddog Brazilian Multi-media Challenge" that is going to be at Campus Party in Sao Paulo Brazil on January 19th to 25th but I decided to update that blog entry with news about the prizes that will be offered, which I think might be interesting to people even if they are not going to Campus Party.

While looking around for more Free Software for Multi-media work, I found yet another compilation from a group called 64Studio. It seemed comprehensive, and had some good reviews around it. While investigating that distribution I found a link to the Trinity Audio Group and the Indamixx portable studio. The Indamixx uses the Free Software of the 64Studio group and a piece of hardware made by Samsung to make a commercial, hand-held recording and mixing studio.

To make a long story shorter, I decided to make the Samsung-based hand-held unit the first prize, and the laptop Indamixx unit the second prize for the "maddog Brazilian Multi-media Challenge".

As if to validate the choice of prizes, as Trinity and I were arranging the shipping of the units, it was announced by Remix Magazine that Remix had chosen the Indamixx as the "Most Innovative Product" in their 2009 Annual Technology Awards. As Ronald Stewart, the Creative Director of Trinity Audio Group said, "this is a big win for the Linux community!"

I agree with Ronald. This is a prime example of Free Software being used to create a superior distribution which, with some additional integration, business solutions and support applied, turns into a great product for musicians and others interested in creating web media to use.

While the Indamixx uses Free Software (which can sometimes be had for gratis), the hardware and the support services offered in the prize did not come for free, and I would like to thank HostNet for providing the funding to make these prizes possible.

maddog