linux community gathers for annual spring fun
April 17, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
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Categories: Castle, Friends, Marketing, Puter Stuff, Travel
Every April, a growing number of people from all walks of life gather in Bellingham, WA to share in the experience that is LinuxFest Northwest.
Attendees, sponsors, lecturers and exhibitors come from all over the Greater Northwest, including neighboring states and Vancouver, BC. For many enthusiasts of computers, software and technology, this is an event unlike any others.
Every year since it’s inception LinuxFest Northwest has been the diligent and hard work of a core group of the Bellingham Linux Users Group (BLUG) who shake the branches of our community and organize the nuts that fall out. Together with the Bellingham Technical College a strong supporter, providing the facility, and access to it’s many resources along with other neighboring and contributing computer users groups, the annual event comes together.
This is what makes LinuxFest unique. Everyone involved is a volunteer and everything is accomplished by pulling together. It’s not as glossy and shiny as MacWorld, nor expensive. The event is put on at no charge to the public. (And there’s better swag than at MacWorld.)
Anyone from any walk of life, any age, is more than welcome. You can learn about Linux and open source software, speak to industry leaders, authors, local businesses, and the guy across town who built something really cool in his garage. It’s all about sharing what you know and having a whole lot of fun.
Having attended and presented at previous fests, I’ve had a chance to meet and speak with some highly intelligent and creative people. Some of them famous in the technical arena, some not. My first time attending I was expecting boring lectures and presentations about how buying some corporate software would make me a happier person in life. Or a few dozen 30-somethings having crawled out of their basement wandering about.
Instead I met and talked to all kinds of interesting people. I remember sitting on a couch talking to a plain clothed police officer from the city of Blaine. We randomly started up a conversation about recovering files from a “perps” computer. Having some experience using several tools to recover files, but by no means an expert, I believe I pointed him in the right direction. The number of women and children attending was also surprising. This wasn’t an event just for the geeks.
It’s a free social event with a simple goal of sharing what we know about a piece of free software called Linux and the concept of open source. You may not be aware of it, but these things have and continue to reshape everything in your life. From your Tivo, to the the technology companies in your mutual fund. You may not be a “geek” or even know how to send an email let alone understand what “open source” means, and that’s okay. Come anyways, get involved in your community. A little knowledge can go along way and be fun.
- LinuxFest Northwest 2008 is a two day free event. April 26th - April 27th.
- Directions to the Bellingham Technical College.
- List of LinuxFest exhibitors.
- List of LinuxFest presentors.
- Official Website with more information including lodging.
Comments»
Yeah.. cool.. Northwest LinuxFest rocks!
Enter the world famous raffle, and (possibly) win a rack mounted server, t-shirts, or other cool prizes !
Castle might even show up wearing something other than his jammies.
LinuxFest is one of the best things about Bellingham! I can’t wait.
@Jed - now that warmer weather should be hear, I may cut some of my jammies into shorts. Still jammies tho.