February Newsletter

[Jim W]

PLUG-INS

The Electronic Newsletter of the Phoenix Linux User Group

Volume 1
Issue 3
February, 2000

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The Mail Lists
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The mail list move was scheduled to be effective February 1, 2000.  If you
are reading this, you have already updated your subscription data.  If
someone you know complains that they are no longer seeing discuss or any
other mailing lists, tell them how to get back in touch.  All the list links
seem to be updated on the PLUG mailing list web page.

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Meeting Info
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The February meeting schedule is as follows:

The Thursday Meeting

When: February 10, 2000
Where: Scottsdale Boys & Girl Club
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Topic: Databases

The Saturday Meeting

When: February 26, 2000
Where: Inficad
Time: 2:00 p.m.

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Plug News
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Seems that the little slips that we had to use to get more stuff from the
Linux Mall went over better than I expected.  I am sending those slips back
to Linux Mall because that is the way they want it if we want to get more
stuff from them.  This month, we will, of course, have more free stuff at
the Thursday meeting, but I think it will be from a combination of vendors -
maybe some RedHat stuff and some MandrakeSoft stuff or CheapBytes stuff or
S.u.S.E. stuff .  Guess you just have to show up to see what I decide to
bring for you.


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PLUG Projects
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PLUG has two development projects starting up. The first is what we're
terming the semi-automatic web site. We want to automate the building of the
PLUG web site on the back end, then have the static embodiment available
through the web server. Many pages are just plain static, but others change
to some extent. Examples are pages that list items such as the meeting page
and the mailing list page. On the build machine there could be a directory
with data files for each of the meetings. The build would parse these and
put in the information for meetings within a specific time frame, e.g. not
already past and within the next 6 months. One of the goals is to reduce the
load on the webmaster team. Another is to have a project where beginning
coders can get some experience working with others on a project.

The second project is www.LinuxJobs.org, which will be a fully dynamic
database based web site listing Linux jobs in the valley. The idea is to
build a GPLed engine for things here in Phoenix that can then be made
available for other locations. We want to promote the fact that Linux is
being used here in Phoenix as well as learn how to build a db web site.

If you're interested in working on either of these projects please join the
PLUG-devel mailing list and let us know.

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Three Battle Lines for Linux
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We all know that there is a battle going on for the web browsers.  If M$
wins, they will be able to dictate the specification of protocols for the
web, in spite of W3C.  We know their track record, so this is important to
all of us.  We should also be following the dirt trail being left by the
UCITA folks and the MMPA and the DVD-CCA slimers.  UCITA will make
closed-source software vendors the gods that they think they are.  The DeCSS
issue will do the same for the MMPA and DVD-CCA.  The RIAA will be close
behind.  These are real freedom fights.  Your freedoms and mine are at
stake.  If you havent been following these issues, here are some links to
start off.

RMS on UCITA http://linuxtoday.com/stories/15948.html
EFF on DeCSS
http://www.eff.org/IP/Video/DeCSS_prosecutions/Johansen_DeCSS_case/20000125_
eff_johansen_case_pressrel.html
Mozilla  http://www.mozilla.org/

I just cant pass up the opportunity to plug (pun intended) both the EFF
(www.eff.org) and the W3C (www.w3c.org).  Both organizations are working to
keep the Internet free.  They deserve our interest and support.

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The Addresses
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Me  farli@wiredglobal.com
PLUG  http://plug.phoenix.az.us