About Me
This blog takes its name from a quirky inspiration: a 2015 Dilbert cartoon where even General Custer’s horse knows trouble is ahead. For reasons I still don’t fully understand, this has always resonated with me. The domain name, on the other hand, stems from a practical choice—it’s an alias I’ve often used in places like restaurants. I enjoy it because it feels simple, yet somehow just as perplexing as “Exelbierd.”
Professionally, I wear multiple hats:
- Product Manager specializing in open-source communities and upstream Linux.
- American expat living in Brno, Czech Republic.
- Enthusiast of international taxation and technology “glue code.”
Currently, I work at Microsoft, focusing on Linux distributions like Fedora and Debian. My career blends strategic leadership with a passion for open-source collaboration.
For code contributions, check out my GitHub. Talks I’ve given are collected on my talks page, and more professional details are on LinkedIn.
Fun Facts
- Nickname: I go by “bex” (always lowercase). Most “bexes” I meet are short for Becky—not Brian!
- Text Quirks: I use two spaces after periods and hard-wrap text. Also, my tabs are set to 4 spaces instead of 8. Consider this your fair warning.
- Favorite Hobbies: Artisanal bread hunting, long-form journalism, and tinkering with tech and home automation projects.
Bios and Headshots
Bios are hard to write and terrible to have to come up with on short notice. I keep a few here for use.
Short Bio
Brian “bex” Exelbierd is a product manager at Microsoft, balancing investments in community Linux distributions with their independent growth and Azure goals. He brings a career of open-source leadership, strategy, and advocacy to his work. Discover more at www.winglemeyer.org.
Medium Bio
Brian “bex” Exelbierd is a seasoned product manager at Microsoft, specializing in open-source strategy and community collaboration. He directs investments in Linux distributions like Fedora and Debian, ensuring alignment with Azure’s priorities while supporting their independent growth. A strong advocate for open source, Brian’s career highlights include shaping Red Hat’s policies for Fedora and CentOS, as well as fostering productive interactions between communities and corporate goals. Beyond his professional achievements, Brian co-founded Electric Pliers, an entrepreneurial venture, and contributes to Japan Culture Exchange, honing cross-cultural leadership skills. His approach emphasizes strategy, pragmatism, and fostering meaningful collaboration. Learn more about his work at www.winglemeyer.org.
Long Bio
Brian “bex” Exelbierd is a product manager at Microsoft, where he leads investments in community Linux distributions like Fedora and Debian. Balancing Azure’s strategic priorities with the independent goals of these open-source projects, he ensures Microsoft’s contributions are impactful and community-aligned. A recognized leader in open-source strategy, Brian’s expertise stems from a career dedicated to bridging corporate goals with open-source values.
Previously, Brian shaped open-source policy at Red Hat, where he spearheaded initiatives for Fedora and CentOS, driving programs that streamlined corporate-community interactions while maintaining community independence. His strategic insights and pragmatic leadership have made lasting impacts on the communities he supports.
Outside his corporate roles, Brian co-founded Electric Pliers, a venture focused on solving real-world problems through technology, and serves as a principal at Japan Culture Exchange, where he applies his expertise in cross-cultural collaboration and business strategy.
Brian’s approach to leadership is grounded in clarity, collaboration, and fostering innovative solutions. Connect with his work and thoughts at www.winglemeyer.org.
Quirky Bio
Brian “bex” Exelbierd is a spreadsheet aficionado who’s happiest debating the finer points of international taxation over a perfectly brewed coffee or beer. An American expat in Brno, Czech Republic, he balances life as a Linux strategist, tech tinkerer, and dad on a quest for the city’s best artisanal bread. When not decoding business complexities, he dives into long-form journalism, crafts “glue code” projects, or connects with friends. Discover his musings and curiosities at www.winglemeyer.org.
Short Quirky Bio
Spreadsheet nerd, Linux strategist, and dad exploring life in Brno, CZ. Fan of coffee, beer, artisanal bread hunts, and long-form journalism. Sharing musings & tech tinkering. 🌍 www.winglemeyer.org
Headshots
My sister-in-law, who is a great photographer, agreed to risk her reputation and take a new headshot for me. I remain a terrible model, so be kind. Here is me, circa July 2022.
Full Size Image: 
Encrypted Communications
While I previously used GPG for secure communications, I no longer find it practical for most purposes. Email encryption with GPG has significant usability and reliability issues, as highlighted in articles like The PGP Problem. Instead, I recommend using modern tools such as Signal for secure messaging. If you have questions about secure communications, feel free to reach out.
About This Site
This website is hosted on Cloudflare Pages from my bexelbie.github.io repository.
The site is authored in a combination of HTML and Markdown which is built by Jekyll.
The theme is Minimal Mistakes.
Comments are rarely enabled. I encourage responses to my writing through your blog or social media. In a few situations I’ve enabled comments because they make sense for that particular article. When enabled, comments are powered by Staticman.