Meeting Preview April 2009
Program Preview:
Drew Kwashnak & Jim Ritterbusch—Linux on the Desktop

by Rob Limbaugh

In 1991 a college student started a revolution he never intended. He never foresaw his hobby would one day cause the leader of the biggest software company to wake up in sweats! We’re talking, of course, about Linus Torvalds and his pet project “Linux.”

Right now, you're probably saying to yourself, “Oh, no! I don't know how to type on the command line!” We will show you that Linux isn't just a command line anymore! The days of learning complex and arcane commands and symbols are over! Linux of today includes powerful, capable desktops and applications to do everything you need without having to see that smug, taunting, blinking cursor.

In fact, Linux has a variety of fully featured graphical user interface environments. Some of these are nearly indistinguishable from that product that you buy from the Pacific Northwest. But who cares about eye candy if it's all just fluff? We are going to show you a sample of applications that will certainly surprise the uninitiated, and please the rest of you.

These applications cross a variety of functional areas–an office suite for personal or business use; a financial management package suitable for a home or small business; photograph collection management and collaboration, and detailed image editing; music collection playlist editing and playing; music composition; video playing; WYSIWYG web page editing; network utilities; an integrated software development environment; a scientific astronomy planetarium; and more.

“Whoa!” you exclaim. “You can do all of that on Linux?” Yes you can! All of that and much, much more! During the April General Meeting DACS’s own Jim Ritterbusch, member at large, and Drew Kwashnak, Linux SIG Leader, will give us a guided tour of the Linux desktop and a small sampling of the thousands (yes, thousands!) of free applications available for Linux, and we're not talking solitaire here either!

They will demonstrate a variety of applications including an office suite, digital photography manager, image editor web authoring software, music library manager and player and much, much more! Best of all, these applications are "free". Free as in "Free Speech" as well as "Free Beer"! Some are even cross-platform so you can run them on whatever systems you are running today.

So, think about the applications you use every day and come find out how the “other side” does it!

There will be CDs available for anybody interested to try before you buy with no obligation to install. These are full versions of the Linux operating system and applications, not trialware or demo versions. You can feel free to take, copy and pass out to your heart’s content without worrying about licenses!

Have you been looking to take the Linux plunge? Looking at one of those netbooks that doesn’t run Windows? Not really sure what the hype is all about? Look no further—this meeting is for you! Let Jim and Drew share their experience and plain-English explanations of what Linux is all about!

DACS meetings are held at the Danbury Hospital auditorium. (Click here for directions.) Activities begin at 6:30 p.m. with registration and casual networking. The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. with annual members meeting and other regular features. The main presentation begins approximately at 8:00 p.m. The meeting is scheduled to adjourn at 9:30 p.m.

DACS General Meetings are free and open to the public. Members and prior attendees are encouraged to extend invitations to anyone interested in this topic.

Danbury Area Computer Society (DACS) is a registered nonprofit and has been serving the region since 1990. Members receive an award-winning newsletter, members-only workshops and events, and access to volunteer phone support.