I am pleased to announce that HP accepted my application for participation in this year's Enhanced Early Retirement program. After 26.5 years, my last day at HP will be 31 August 2012.

This isn't because I have a problem with HP, quite the contrary! I feel immensely privileged to have worked on so many interesting things with so many smart people for so long. And there are many exciting things happening right now, including high profile projects like Odyssey and Moonshot expanding both ends of the server scaling continuum with Linux, and the immense commitment to and investment in Open Source represented by the use of Open Stack and Ubuntu LTS in building HP Cloud. The temptation to stay and continue to help guide HP's Open Source engagement was strong. I'm certainly under no pressure to leave... in fact, I think I managed to shock my management with my decision to retire!

But I'm very excited about "taking a break" from full-time employment for a while to focus more time on things that matter a lot to me. My son and I have a number of projects we'd like to work on together as he enters high school. The side business I started two years ago with Keith Packard to design, build, and sell avionics solutions for high power model rockets is growing and could use more attention. I'm in the midst of designing the processor board for another amateur radio satellite. And of course, I'm looking forward to putting more "quality time" towards Free Software projects like FreedomBox and Debian!

Since they do not depend on my employment status, I do not expect any immediate changes in the various roles I play outside of HP. I will continue to serve on the board of the Linux Foundation representing individual affiliates, on the board of the FreedomBox Foundation, as Chairman of the Debian Technical Committee, and as President of Software in the Public Interest. And while I hope to travel less than I have in recent years, I look forward to continuing to speak and otherwise participate in key Free Software conferences around the world from time to time.

After I retire, the primary point of contact with HP on Open Source matters will be the Director of HP's Open Source Program Office, Phil Robb. But if there are open issues regarding HP and Open Source that I can help with over the next month, feel free to contact me and I'll see what I can do to help.