Hi friends.

If you have been following the discussion that has been going on lately on this Yahoo! Group about a possible Linux Workshop, you would know that there has been suggestions for the formation of a Chandigarh Linux User Group. You might ask what this Yahoo! Group is, if not a Linux User Group. Well, by a Linux User Group, we mean an organization in the Real World in addition to the Virtual World. Let me elaborate myself in this regard.

For anyone starting with Linux (or wanting to start with Linux), one of the first problem is acquiring the CDs / DVDs of a good Linux Distribution. Agreed that magazine like Linux For You do a good job providing Linux CDs, but its not every month that they carry a distribution one would like to start with. Moreover, it would be nice to have someone explain the nitty gritty of Linux to you. It would be nice to have someone to ask your questions, to help you overcome the obstacles that you might run into while adopting Linux.

Though an online community like this is a good option to cater to the above, it's reach and effectiveness is not what you would call up to the mark. So what we need is a Real Linux User Group. One that can meet at regular intervals (monthly?), one where you can discuss the latest developments in the world of Linux, one where you can share Linux Distributions with others, one where you can get help in adopting Linux for SOHO use, and finally one where we can get people acquainted with Linux.

So I would like you all to consider the proposal to form a Chandigarh Linux User Group. The immediate requirement of this group will be:

1. The most important requirement is members. What is a community without members? I would like all of those who are interested to get in touch with me (via this Yahoo! Group, emailing me @ jain.nipun@..., or calling me @ 9888469076). Once we have sufficient members to start a LUG (I think a minimum of, say 10), we can officially call it Chandigarh Linux User Group.

2. Participation. Having members is not enough for an active community. Having active members is. Those of you who would be joining in, need to set aside some time per month to attend the meetings of the LUG if you can, so that other members have some incentive to show up and share something. Its not nice showing up to an empty meeting, is it?

3. A place to meet. No, we don't need a fancy restaurant or a conference room to have a meeting. Any place sufficient to hold the attending members would do. A few computers would be nice, but it is not a necessity as those of us with Laptops can bring those along so that we can have some practical lessons in Linux.

A few things that I would like to mention before hand is that this LUG will NOT have any commercial motive. You won't need to pay anything to join, attend meetings or get Linux media (other than the cost of blank media). There is no restrictions on membership. Anyone and everyone can become a member. And there is no compulsion to attend the meeting.

The immediate plan of activity for the Linux User Group will be:

1. Get as many people as possible to join in. A mailing list will be set up to keep members in touch. But we need members for that. So apart from requesting you yourself to join in, I would like you to pass on this mail to anyone who you think would be remotely interested in Linux.

2. Get the first meeting of the LUG in place. Once we get sufficient members to join in, the only natural thing to do would be to have a meeting, to get to know each other, and to formally announce the formation of the Chandigarh Linux User Group. This would be a curtain raiser of sorts.

3. Arrange a Linux Workshop. One might ask why do we need to arrange a Linux Workshop if we can impart knowledge in the LUG's meetings itself? Well, keeping the expectations realistic, those who would be joining in the LUG, would definitely be having some first hand experience with Linux. Some might be advanced users of Linux. There is no point introducing Linux to us, when most of us would already be into Linux. The main objective of the workshop would be to publicize Linux, maybe distribute Linux CDs, show a Live Install, and basically get people started in Linux. Another objective would be to get visibility to the Chandigarh Linux User Group.

4. For the above to be accomplished, we need some advanced user of Linux to volunteer to participate in the workshop from the Organiser's point of view. Prof. Anil of DAV has kindly offered to provide Labs in his college for the same. All we need now is people to attend the workshop and a few to give it in the firstplace. We already have some people willing to help in this workshop.

Well, the above has been a long email. I hope the time that I spent in writing this email and you in reading and forwarding it won't go to waste. It's high time now that Chandigarh, hopefully the future IT hub of India, gets started with Linux.

Please reply back with your feedback and forward this email to your friends.

Regards,

Nipun Jain
jain.nipun@...
9888469076
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