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<title>Linux Installation Project Article Issue 17</title>
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<H4>
"Linux Gazette...<I>making Linux just a little more fun!</I>"
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<center>
<H2>Linux Installation Project</H2>
<H4>By Kendall G. Clark,
<a href="mailto:kclark@dal284.computek.net">kclark@dal284.computek.net</a></H4>
</center>
<P> <HR> <P>
<h1>Linux Installation Project</h1>
<p>
It all started with a simple question: `Why don't we install
Linux at all our meetings instead of at only some of them?'
The <a href="http://www.ntlug.org/">North Texas Linux Users
Group</a> had been in existence for only about five months,
and we wanted to make sure to spread the word in North Texas
about Linux. We wanted to educate the computing public in our
area about Linux, but we also wanted to let experienced
computer users know that Linux could handle anything they
threw at it.
<p>
After meeting at Texas Christian University for our first few
meetings, we signed a contract with the <a
href="http://www.dfwxchange.com/dfwx.nsf/?Open">DFWXchange</a> that enabled NTLUG
to meet at the <a href="http://www.infomartusa.com">Dallas
Infomart</a>. The DFWXchange is an umbrella organization that
allows Dallas-Fort Worth users groups to meet at the Infomart
for free, with all costs being absorbed by the many commercial
vendors who also meet at the Infomart during the Super Satuday
Sale. So every month between 3,000 and 5,000 computer users
from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex converge on the
Infomart---the premier meeting facility in the Southwest
devoted exclusively to computer and technology events and
organziations---to participate in users groups meetings and to
take advantage of some really good prices on computer-related
hardware. It's a big party.
<p>
It didn't take long for the NTLUG leadership to realize that
we had stumbled upon a great opportunity: we wanted to let
computer users in our area know about Linux, and we were now
meeting every month in a facility filled with thousands of
potential Linux converts. Our solution was to start the
<b>Linux Installation Project</b>, which we call the
<b>LIP</b>.
<p>
The goal of <b>LIP</b> is simply to install Linux on as many
computers as possible. Those of us who participate in this
project month-to-month have discovered that the very best way
to advocate the use of Linux is to make it easy and painless
for the unconverted to do just that: namely, run Linux on
their computer of choice. In other words, Linux is its own
best advocate. After a few weeks without a crash, most people
say goodbye to Windows 95 with zealous enthusiasm. We like to
think of <b>LIP</b> as an ongoing Linux Installation Festival
that allows us to convert computer users to Linux one at a
time.
<p>
The first step in establishing <b>LIP</b> as a well-run,
consistent endeavor was to find someone to lead the
effort. NTLUG is fortunate to have a technologically advanced
membership, and it was fairly easy to find someone to lead the
<b>LIP</b>; in fact, we found two such people: Mike Dunn and
Bill Petersen, both of whom are experienced Unix and Linux
Sysadmins. Under their guidance, and due to the generosity of
NTLUG members, NTLUG's <b>LIP</b> has solicited and organized
enough computer hardware to perform up to many simultaneous
installations of Linux by all the usual methods, although
we've found that cdrom installations are usually the most
trouble free.
<p>
The word has now spread in and around the Dallas-Fort Worth
Metroplex---from schools and universities to computer vendors
and other users groups---that NTLUG's <b>LIP</b> is the place
to go for a painless installation of Linux onto PCs, laptops,
servers, and even Alpha platforms. We have expanded our
efforts at the <b>LIP</b> booth to include Linux advocacy,
advertisement for Linux vendors who supply us with materials,
the sale of Linux CDs (thanks to Bradley Glonka at <a
href="http://www.lsl.com/">Linux Systems Labs</a>), and even
basic Linux system administration and maintenance. We also
spend a lot of time explaining to the uninitiated masses what
makes Linux <b><i>free</i></b> and what makes it so much fun.
<p>
While we have been happy with the results so far, the
<b>LIP</b> has more work to do. We want to expand our sales
efforts to include other kinds of Linux merchandise (the sales
of which go to support NTLUG and <b>LIP</b>), and we'd also
like to expand our hardware assets to enable more simultaneous
installations. Finally, we also want to develop our users
group assets to such an extent that we can go to other
DFW-area computer events and setup Linux installation and
advocacy booths. NTLUG's approach to the Linux Installation
Project can be summed up in the phrase: "Linux is free. Life
is good."
<p>
If you want to learn more about the North Texas Linux Users
Group or our Linux Installation Project, or if you're a Linux
Users Group and would like to talk about setting up your own
local version of <b>LIP</b>, please visit the <a
href="http://www.ntlug.org/">NTLUG</a> website or contact me
at <i><a
href="mailto:kclark@computek.net">kclark@computek.net</a></i>.
<p>
Finally, I would be guilty of ingratitude if I did not thank
the following people and organizations that have made the
<b>LIP</b> possible. Please forgive me if I've forgotten
anyone. It's just about impossible not to meet great people
when you work with Linux.
<ul>
<ul>
<b>NTLUG Members</b>
<li>Mike Dunn</li>
<li>Bill Petersen</li>
<li>Thomas Griffing</li>
<li>Bill Richards</li>
<li>Steve Brennan</li>
<li>Allen Prince</li>
<li>Pete Koren</li>
<li>Eric Chang</li>
<li>everyone else who made financial and hardware donations</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<b>Organizations</b>
<li><a href="http://www.lsl.com/">Linux Systems Labs</a>, especially Bradley Glonka</li>
<li><a href="http://www.redhat.com/">Red Hat Software</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.swt.com/">SouthWest Technology</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.dfwxchange.com/">DFWXchange</a>, especially Stuart Yarus, President.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<P> <hr> <P>
<center><H5>Copyright © 1997, Kendall G. Clark <BR>
Published in Issue 17 of the Linux Gazette, May 1997</H5></center>
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