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About SLUG

Although SLUG is a Linux Users Group, most of what we talk about is the free and open source software (FOSS) available for Linux, not the kernel itself. Indeed, much of this software runs on other platforms, such as proprietary UNIX systems (HP-UX, AIX, etc.), the BSDs, OpenSolaris, Mac OS X and Windows. There are lots of questions about integration on our mailing list - it's a one of the great benefits of Open Source and Free Software.

Linux Australia maintains an introduction to Linux, free software and open source. It outlines the main concepts and explains how to get started.

 

Linux

Linux (also known as GNU/Linux) is a UNIX-like operating system. Its origins date back to the foundation of the GNU Project in 1983, and the kernel known as Linux was created by Linus Torvalds in 1991. The operating system and its software is now developed openly by a team of programmers around the world.

It has gained a huge amount of interest because it is a secure, reliable, high-quality and low-cost alternative to other systems, and is freely available to research, modify and redistribute under the terms of the GNU General Public License (see the GPL FAQ for easier to digest information).

However, Linux is not a complete operating environment by itself - it is just the 'kernel', a crucial piece of software that allows applications and hardware to communicate and work together. Much of the value of Linux comes from free software and open source (FOSS) programs...

 

Free Software

The ideals behind the Free Software movement were conceived by Richard Stallman in the early 80s, as a response to the increasingly proprietary nature of the software industry. According to the Free Software philosophy, it is a matter of liberty, not price: "Free" as in "free speech", not as in "free beer".

Free Software provides users with the following freedoms:

  1. freedom to run the program, for any purpose
  2. freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs,
  3. freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbour,
  4. freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits.

Open Source

Open Source is essentially a softer term for Free Software, without the moral or political "baggage", as explained by the Open Source Initiative:

"The Open Source Initiative is a marketing program for free software. It's a pitch for "free software" on solid pragmatic grounds rather than ideological tub-thumping. The [...] substance has not changed, the [...] attitude and symbolism have."

The annotated Open Source Definition is similar to the Free Software philosophy, but describes its goals in terms of the efficiency, quality and practicalities of Open Source, rather than the freedoms of Free Software.

People who are attracted to Open Source on pragmatic terms often find that the ideals and freedoms of Free Software are its greatest advantage. In this light, Open Source and Free Software are two sides of the same coin.

 

What's happening?

See SLUG's events listing for forthcoming events. Many SLUG activities are organised by the seven-person SLUG committee.

 

Special Interest Groups

Special Interest Groups meet occasionally (usually monthly). If you would like to start a SLUG special interest group about a particular topic or for a particular group of people, the SLUG Committee can help you get started.

 

SLUGAMuSIG

The SLUG Audio/Music SIG meets once a month at Macquarie University.

All interested in music/ audio and Linux are invited. All levels of interest are welcomed. For more details see the SLUGAMuSIG mailing list.

 

SLUG Debian SIG (DebSIG)

The SLUG Debian SIG (DebSIG) is for users, developers and wannabe developers of the Debian GNU/Linux distribution. It meets on the third Wednesday of the month, at Cohi Bar.

 

SLUG IRC channel

#slug on Freenode. This network can be accessed via the server available at irc.slug.org.au.

 

Related organisations

Various local technical groups focus on topics related to Linux.

  • Linux Australia (LA) is an umbrella organisation for the Australian FOSS community. Among other things, it arranges the popular linux.conf.au conferences.
  • Open Source Industry Australia (OSIA) is the national industry body for Open Source within Australia. It exists to further the cause of FOSS in Australia and to help its members to improve their business success in this growing sector of the global Information and Communications Technology (ICT) market.
  • 2600 Australia focus on computer security and related topics, which inevitably involves in-depth discussion about Unix derivatives (including Linux) and networking. They run monthly seminars in Sydney.
  • The Australian Unix Users Group runs the Australian Open Source Symposia and annual conferences about Unix, open systems and (increasingly :) open source software.
  • Sydney OpenSolaris Users Group.
  • BSD Users Group, Sydney brings together local users of BSD-flavoured systems.
  • Linux Users Group at Macquarie for students at Macquarie University.
  • SAGE-AU, the System Administrators Guild of Australia, which hosts the Open Source Developer's Agreement.
  • UNSW Compsoc for students at the University of New South Wales, runs codefests and other Linux events, often in conjunction with SLUG.
  • UTS Progsoc for students at the University of Technology Sydney.