Very well-written! I did a couple of spelling and punctuation fixes, and changed the date and number format to match AP style. -Michelle On Thu, 2002-08-08 at 13:53, der.hans wrote: > moin, moin, > > below is the Computer Buyer article as it now stands. I need to send it in, > but please critique it for me. I want a good article to help support what > we're doing. Feel free to rip it to shreds if have problems with it. > > Please also feel free to give me quotes I can use for the article. I will > probably have to shorten it a lot from where it currently stands, but I'm > gonna try to get as much covered as they'll allow and as makes sense. > > I'll fix references when I get it ready to submit to CB. > > ciao, > > der.hans > > ### > Welcome to the InstallFest > > What is an InstallFest? > > An InstallFest is a gathering where volunteers offer expert technical > assistance in installing Free Software, usually GNU/Linux, to the > public, all free of charge. The Phoenix Linux Users Group ( PLUG > [1] ) put on a six hour InstallFest at Scottsdale Community College on Saturday, September 28, 2002. > > Before the InstallFest, event organizer William Lindley, a computer > consultant, said, "This is what the Free Software community is all about - > helping each other." > > After the InstallFest, Jim Wejroch, steering committee member of PLUG, wrote, > "Does the word 'success' ring a bell?" in describing the InstallFest. With > 39 GNU/Linux installs and 150 to 200 people in attendance PLUG was very > happy with the event. > > In addition to the software installs there were several presentations and > lots of giveaways from the InstallFest's commercial sponsors. Presentation > topics covered GNU/Linux and Free Software, the Linux Termninal Server > Project ( LTSP ) and Open Source On the Educational Desktop. > > There was even homemade cheesecake from a presenter's grandma. > > The Arizona Open Technology Organization ( AZOTO ), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Free Software and Open Standards in Arizona, helped sponsor > the InstallFest, as did Tucson-based non-profit Open Source Education > Foundation ( OSEF ), which helps schools adopt Open Source for their > technology needs. > > Both groups provided presenters, people to help with the install and support > in organizing the InstallFest. OSEF has since finished the process of > earning 501(c)(3) Tax Exempt Charitable status. > > Lycoris, a commercial Linux distribution, flew people in from northern > California to help with the installs. Red Hat, the most well-known > commercial Linux distribution, brought people from their Global Professional > Services organization in from Flagstaff. > > There were volunteers helping install various GNU/Linux distributions > including members from the Debian community. Debian is a community-based > distribution built by volunteers. > > > What is the LTSP? > > The Linux Termninal Server Project is an innovative, cost-effective solution > to traditional desktop problems. It has been garnering much interest in > Phoenix. The LTSP allows using older, inexpensive hardware as lightning-quick desktops. > > The LTSP desktops reduce maintenance costs by centralizing software > maintenance and having fewer hardware requirements, such as not needing hard > drives. > > Matt Alexander, system administrator for Tempe-based NewVision, has said > that after his boss asked for an alternative desktop solution, Matt was able > to save NewVision over $20,000 and provide a more stable environment for his > 60 co-workers by switching to Free Software. > > Matt gave a well-received presentation and demo of LTSP. He will > be giving a presentation again as well as helping people install the LTSP at > the upcoming InstallFest2. > > > What is Free Software? > > The idea behind Free Software is that people using software need certain > freedoms that are not necessarily guaranteed by copyright law. > > First, they need to be able to use the software for whatever purpose > they choose. Next they need the freedom to study the program and make > changes. Third, people need the freedom to let others use the software and > finally people need the freedom to pass on the changes they've made to the > software. > > Software licenses such as the GNU General Public License ( GPL ) extend > further freedoms to those who use the software, while most commercial > software licenses actually restrict the freedoms guaranteed by copyright > law. > > While it is true that most people won't be interested in changing the source > code, it is important that those who want to can. Removing the source code > and the freedom to change it is similar to closing all hardware stores > and not allowing people to fix things around the house or work on their > cars. Actually, it's worse. If one person fixes something in a program > everyone can benefit from that fix, whereas changing your lightbulb only > affects the area around that one lightbulb. > > The Open Source movement is similar to the Free Software movement, but with > less emphasis on the four freedoms of Free Software. Both movements actually > draw from the same community and rely on the same model of community > involvement. > > > InstallFest2 > > Due to the success of the July InstallFest and many requests for another > one, PLUG has scheduled InstallFest2 at Glendale Community College on > Saturday, September 28, 2002. The second InstallFest will have some new presentations, > including OpenOffice, the BSA, Free Software Licenses, and Information > Rights. > > Something PLUG is adding to the second InstallFest is help for installing > Free Software on Microsoft operating systems. Free Software that runs on > Microsoft includes things like OpenOffice, an office suite, Mozilla, a > web browser and email client, the GIMP, a graphics manipulation program, > Apache, the world's most popular web server, MySQL, a database, and popular > development languages such as PHP, Perl, and Python. > > One of the advantages of the Free Software email and web software is that > they were designed to not have the security holes allowing viruses that have > plagued the software that comes with the Microsoft operating systems. > > There are also rumors that there will be more cheesecake at InstallFest2 :). > > PLUG will be giving away CDs with demo versions of GNU/Linux that run from > the CDROM without the need to repartition the hard drive. > > See the PLUG home page or write InstallFest@PLUG.phoenix.az.us for more > information about attending the InstallFest and what to bring. > > An InstallFest is a prime example of community involvement. Come join the > Freedom Festival... > > > [1] http://PLUG.phoenix.az.us/ > http://www.AZOTO.org/ > http://www.OSEF.org/ > http://www.Lycoris.com/ > http://www.RedHat.com/ > http://www.Debian.org/ > > -- > # https://www.LuftHans.com/ > # "... the social skills of a cow on acid." - der.hans > > ________________________________________________ > See http://PLUG.phoenix.az.us/navigator-mail.shtml if your mail doesn't post to the list quickly and you use Netscape to write mail. > > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss