OxLUG Linux Day

PRESS RELEASE:
9th April 2001, Oxford.

Oxford at forefront of National Linux Day - for home users and business!
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Few serious home computer users or professionals in the IT industry will
be unaware of Linux, the revolutionary operating system used on all manner
of equipment from supercomputers to handhelds, and which provides a
powerful alternative to the traditional operating systems -- Microsoft
Windows and MacOS -- currently found on the majority of home computers.
Microsoft has already named Linux as its biggest threat in the future,
implying that Linux promises to shake up this key market in an
unprecedented way, as well as in the IT industry where its use as an
Internet and workgroup server, for example, is proven.

For nearly every task typically performed on a home computer, Linux has an
equivalent, from checking email and preparing documents to managing
finances and playing games. Even better, the vast majority of such
programs can be obtained, like Linux itself, at little or no cost. That's
because Linux is free, so anyone with a Linux CD may make a copy and give
it to anyone else, and everyone is free to alter Linux in any way they
want. This also means that there is no one standard version of the
Linux OS. Instead there are a wide variety of "distributions" compiled
by everyone from major companies, such as RedHat and Mandrakesoft, to
dedicated teams of volunteers the world over.

In response to the many users who would like to install Linux on their
computer, but don't know how to go about it or which distribution to
choose, the UK Linux community has come together to make Sunday, 29th
April 2001 "National Linux Install Day". Volunteers will run a number of
"Install Centres" all over the UK where anyone can bring their computer
and have some of the most experienced Linux users in the country help them
set up any one of a wide range of distributions on it.

The Oxfordshire Linux Users Group (http://www.oxlug.org/) is participating
in the National Linux Install Day, and is setting up an Install Centre in
Donnington that will be free and open to all. A range of distributions
will be available to install, and local volunteers will be available to
discuss the merits of each. The event is being sponsored by MandrakeSoft,
and there will be free CDs available to take away.

In addition to having a team of experienced users from the Oxfordshire
area to help anyone install or configure Linux on their own computer,
there will also be a number of events for those don't feel able or
inclined to take their own computers along. Home computer users may be
interested to see Linux running the latest applications and games, while
those in business will have the opportunity to talk to people with
experience of deploying Linux commercially. There will also be regular
talks throughout the day that should apply to a wide cross-section of
visitors.

The event will be run from approximately 10am to 6pm at:

22nd Oxford Scout HQ
Meadow Lane
Donnington
Oxford
OX4 4BJ.

There should be ample car parking nearby.

To help anticipate demand, OxLUG would be grateful if anyone wishing to
have Linux installed on their system could register for the event online
at http://www.oxlug.org/linuxday/register.html, or by contacting OxLUG
directly by email (events@oxlug.org) or phone (Dominic Hargreaves on
07976 569915). The same contacts should be used for any further enquiries.

About OxLUG:

The Oxfordshire Linux User Group was formed in January 1999 to provide a
focus for people in the Oxford area who use the Linux computer operating
system. In common with many similar groups worldwide, it has no membership
fee and no formal constitution.

OxLUG holds regular speaker meetings on a variety of subjects and offers
members the opportunity to assist each other with problems and to engage
in lively discussions by electronic mail.

Links:

http://www.oxlug.org/linuxday/                                                  
http://www.linuxday.org.uk/