[FSF India] LINK: GNU/Linux meeting in Goa, Oct 27

[Frederick Noronha]

******************************************************
OCT 2001 LINUX MEETING AT PANJIM * HIGHLIGHTS
******************************************************

                                                      PANJIM, Oct 27:

You thought GNU/Linux was difficult? Four-year-old Greyno Menezes doesn't. At
the ILUG-Goa meeting at Panjim last Saturday, the young lad demonstrated how
he boots-up the PC, logs on, launches PC games and plays them.

He can also launch an office-software and type in his first-name in an
appropriate large font for all to see!

Some other highlights that emerged at the meeting last weekend:

* Arvind Yadav gave an update of the progress made in arranging the GNU/Linux
course over six Sundays, now scheduled to be held from Jan 6, 2002. Course
material is geting ready (on transparencies), the CSI lab is also getting
refurbished.

Some PCs were giving a RAM problem. But now the older PCs can boot from
floppies, and be run remote. The setup was done to Telnet into the main
machine. Images are to be burnt onto the boot-rom. 

* There was a longish discussion on setting up the much-delayed ILUG-Goa
website. Current position is that Seby (@ Ribandar) has volunteered to
coordinate the same, while Arvind Clements and FN are to hand in content. 

A draft of links on the proposed home-page is also being circulated.

Prof Guru R. Bhat (GRB) proposed using an exciting PHPnuke/Postnuke option,
particularly suitable for news and community websites. This would enable
members to send email updates, to add content to speedily to the site. This
will be explained and experimented with at the next meeting on Nov 24. Prof
GRB kindly ready for the same. 

Animesh Nerulkar has promised -- at a later stage -- to put up useful tips
from the ILUG mailing list onto the website.

* Plans for a training programme for Mapusa hardware vendors, wanting to
familiarise themselves with GNU/Linux installation was discussed. GRB, Dr
Seth and Arvind volunteered. A week's notice would be okay to organise such
a program, they said. The vendors would have to organise venue and LCD
projector. Mario, kindly take action.

* Harish, from Goa but now in Bangalore, introduced himself and work on the
Linux Documentation (Indianisation) project. This was followed by a lengthy
discussion, with useful insights by Prof G R Bhat, on the complexities
involved in Indian language solutions in computing.

* Some members questioned whether the key need was to have documentation in
Indian languages, or the ability of GNU/Linux to enable computing in Indian
languages. "What's important is being able to write a letter to my father in
Devanagiri (and anyone being able to open it on any computer)," said Arvind.

* On the potential of expansion of GNU/Linux in Goa, it was felt that if a
group could be launched at PCC in Verna, it would help popularise it among
engineering students there. The help of Sharmad and Marilac is sought in
this regard. 

* It was also suggested that our colleagues at GEC could, if possible,
announce their meetings early. This would help additional publicity, and
also participation of general list members, if possible. Prof Easaw/Rayadu
can you help us on this please?

* Dr Seth is looking out for a copy of Cygwin tools, to help people with
Windows run X and get used to the same.  

* Some technical issues that came up during the meet:
	
	# Bijon Shaha mentioned problems with an Azza motherboard
  	  using an unknown chipset.
	# Mario Mascarenhas has been having persistent problems in
	  getting the networking done, and a having a stable setup.
  	  Dr Seth has kindly offered assistance. He uses 538TX cards
	  for networking. The PC is an AOpen.
	# Shankar mentioned the trouble his colleague was facing
 	  in getting GNU/Linux to boot.
	# Shankar also had a query about USB scanners, CD writers
	  and compatibality with notebooks on Linux. Guru Bhat's
	  offered suggestions on suitable hardware, and
	  referred him to the site linuxlaptops.com
	# Some members mentioned problems with monitors, particul-
	  arly in the Saligao area. High voltage between neutral
	  and earth could be causing the problem, it was felt.
	  Need for better earthings was suggested.
	
******************************************************
Compiled by FN <fred@bytesforall.org>
Please intimate errors, inaccuracies, ommissions.
******************************************************