About Linux
Linux is an open-source GPLed (GNU General Public Licensed) OS. The Linux kernel was developed in 1991 by Linus Torvalds, a Finnish programmer, when he was a student as the University of Helsinki. Written from scratch by Linus, with the assistance from a loose-knit team of hackers from around the Internet, Linux aims towards POSIX compliance, and has all features of a modern, fully fledged UNIX : true multi-tasking, virtual memory, shared libraries, on-demand loading, copy-on-write executables, proper memory management and built-in TCP/IP networking.
Linux in India
In India, Linux first found it's home among the student and researcher communities in the different IITs, IIMs and IISces, as well as Engg. colleges, places like C-DAC and others. Apart from this elite group, the people who are primarily responsible for creating an awareness about Linux in India, are the people at PC Quest magazine . By distributing thousands of CDs with Linux distributions, information and utilities under their PCQ Linux Project , they have helped immensely in making India a part of the global Linux phenomenon.
Purpose and Funding of a LUG
The purpose of a Linux User Group (LUG) is to provide the Linux users, developers and enthusiasts an interface for interaction, as well as providing support -- by making Linux resources available and technical expertise -- within a particular area, city or country. A LUG is essesntially a voluntary, not-for-profit organization and is funded by it's members and sponsors. Unlike clubs and other groups, LUGs are mostly informal in nature with little or no hierarchy.
About ILUG-Calcutta
While almost all metropolises, and even cities like Kochi and Trivandrum have setup their own LUGs, in Calcutta such a support structure was badly needed. so some of us -- members of the all-India LUG (http://www.linux-india.org) decided to come together and form the ILUG-CAL (Calcutta). We are in the process of formalising the User Group. The LUG mailing list is already in place at : http://www.egroups.com/list/ilug-cal. So if you are an (home/office/corporate) user of Linux, hail from Calcutta and are interested in becoming a member of ILUG-CAL, or for that matter, simply want to know more about Linux before deciding to use it, please feel free to get in touch with us, or even better, subscribe to the ILUG-CAL mailing list.
Important Dates for ILUG-CAL
Lets LINUX !
Contact Persons in Calcutta
Indranil Das Gupta
Email : indradg@cal.vsnl.net.in
Phone : 442-4008 ( 8:00 a.m - 9:30 a.m. & 9:30 p.m - 2:00 a.m. )
Darshan Shah
Phone : 227-0121 ( 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. & 9:00 - 11:30 p.m. )
ILUG-CAL Mailing List