Since LUG does not appear anywhere in the LUAU or HOSEF name, it is hard
to realize that we have a LUG any closer than our friends on the Big
Island, Bilug. I have heard people wonder that before, and have even
heard talk of starting a LUG on Oahu.
As best we understand, the first Hawaii, or at least Oahu, LUG was
called LUAU. This mailing list is its legacy. Vince has made a request
for more information on its history, but, as understood and documented
on the HOSEF site, LUAU was started by Ed Orcutt. Rob Green found this
http://web.archive.org/web/19970125100645/http://www.eosys.com/luau/
and the likes of Dusty and Jimen can be found back in those days.
While not going on the record, we have been told by a source that at
some point money had some adverse effect on the group, and the list and
LUG died.
Luau was revived by Warren Togami. He not only invigorated the list but
also began hosting at Mid-Pac the first installfests that I am aware of.
It became clear, though, that with projects like Fedora taking
importance that the LUG and list could not rest in the hands of any one
person. The responsibility is too great.
We found a solution, on this list, with the creation of HOSEF, The
Hawaii Open Source Education Foundation. Incorporated in Hawaii with a
mission to promote and sustain the use of OSS in the state of Hawaii,
HOSEF received 501(c)(3) status. With a membership that elects
Directors at Large who govern the resources and staff, when it exists,
we have been able to put participative, Democratic governance behind our
LUG.
The charitable status enabled our Bandwidth Shepard, Brian Chee, to host
this list and other sponsored projects at the UH. That is how we are
here. It is time to get busier, though, and HOSEF is trying to help.
Most LUG's have workshops, they have events, and they take on projects,
of sorts. HOSEF has taken on this role, and with an installation of 30
more thin-client computers at Enchanted Lakes Elementary this Friday, we
will surpass 200 installed Linux computers in Oahu. This has taken so
much of our focus on our mailing list, hosef-managers, that we have
forgotten to talk to LUAU, the choir, about it. More regrettably, we
have dropped the social ball of organizing events that help to develop
our OSS economy.
For now on, via LUAU, we will again be more actively promoting our
activities. Please get involved. Make suggestions. Take ownership.
LUAU is *your* LUG.
Keep an eye on the following LUG events in the coming months that appear
on our calendar:
Workshops at McKinley - Installfest, Support, Networking, Fun
HOSEF Talk-Shop - Wednesday informal gatherings at rotating venues
Classes - For a fee and for Free, Saturday is the day to learn
BILUG Events - It is time for HOSEF to start listing those too
Seminars and Conferences - Keep an eye out, and get ready to innovate
--scott
