Linux Demo Day flyer

Unix, Linux and LUGs

Like many Unixes, Linux is based on the POSIX standard. In fact, like many Unixes Linux implements a higher subset of the standard. So why is Linux so popular? Its popularity was fueled mostly by the fact that a generation of hackers brought it to life and they brought it onto the single most important invention (or innovation if you like) of the last millenium: the Internet. The media who scavenge on the Windows vs. Linux debates intensifies its popularity. All this attention is justifiable. Linux is the work of not a single company or corporation but of many learned individuals. It is the work of a higher spiritual force and it is threatening the existence of large corporations.

Linux is a threat to the operating system market for many reasons. Firstly, because it is completely free right down to the source code. It is exactly what the programmers claim it to be. That is, it is stable and fully multitasking and runs smoothly on low configuration hardware.

Invariably, educational institutes from high schools to universities are rapidly adopting Linux as a teaching tool in the computer science fields. From there immerged yet another generation of Linux (or Unix) literate professionals. Linux User Groups were formed as part of a movement to educate, learn and share and to support and welcome other Linux users. Today, almost every major city in every country has a LUG. LUGs are now supported worldwide. Businesses invest in them and schools and universities support them.

Linux in the Maldives

Although the history of Linux in Maldives is lost in time it is quite clear that the operating system has earned a considerable following here. It is thought that Linux was introduced somewhere in 1993 and was experimented with by young programmers of the time. During the years that followed graduates from universities returning home had hands-on experience with Linux but it still remained that Linux would live in the Maldives underground for the next few years.

Maldives has a LUG

In 1998, Linux was still new to most and was feared for its complexity and steep learning curve. At the end of this year two founding members of the now MLUG, talked about the formation of a users group in Maldives. All they needed was support from other Linux users and not until the beginning of 1999 would they meet up with them to discuss and prepare the charter of the MLUG.

Today, MLUG stands to teach and learn from one another about the free operating system. It will hold that Linux stand to be a symbol of teamwork and of sharing. MLUG will advocate Linux as a guardian of free software.

Demo day credits

MLUG would like to thank the following individuals for their efforts to make this day a reality. In ASCII order:

Ashraf

Chakey

Ismail Faiz

Julisha Ibrahim

Linus Torvalds

Mohamed Rushwan

Musharaf

Nattey

Shiyaz Rasheed

Simon Shareef

Soba Rasheed

Sofwath Mohamed

Suja

Zunaid

Joining MLUG

If you are interested in joining MLUG please go here and register:

mlug@untitled.org.mv

www.untitled.org.mv/mlug/