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[LI] ILUG Goa: Notes (Nov 27 meeting)



****************************************************************
NOTES on the ILUG (Goa) meeting held on Nov 27, 1999
at the Computer Society of India (Goa branch).
****************************************************************

* MAIN ISSUES TAKEN UP
  * Plans to showcase Linux to engineering and other college
    students at a three-day event in January 1999, 
    to be held at the Govt Polytechnic, if approval is
    obtained
  * Efforts to be made to link up with other ILUGs in
    different parts of the country.
  * Attempts to be made to convince hardware vendors about
    the suitability of Linux to meet customers' needs.


* ALBERT GOUVEIA of the National Institute of Oceanography 
  suggested that a package of educational Linux software
  be put together for use in schools.
* ALBERT GOUVEIA also reported that he had given a talk on 
  Linux during the All India Radio's Yuva Vani programme for
  youth, on the Panaji main channel.
* WORK ON ILUG(Goa) web site was reviewed. There was discussion
  on possible content for the same. It was suggested the same
  look at contacts of Linux users/firms in Goa, tips for users,
  links to other Linux groups. It was also suggested that a
  mailing-list for ILUG could be an effective tool.
* PROBLEMS OF MEMBERS with various aspects of Linux could be
  listed, to enable a joint search for solutions, it was
  suggested.
* SOME MEMBERS voiced their experiences with using the
  6215C videocard with Linux. 
* RE. THE AVAILABILITY OF LinuxJournal in Goa, it was pointed
  out that the same is available at the NIO-Library, open for
  all to read. Prof Gurunandan Bhat had earlier offered to
  make available his old copies of the journal too. Meanwhile,
  CSI-Goa has purchased a set of 1994-97 archives on CD too.
* ONE COPY OF EasyLinux (2-CD version) has been received by
  ILUG-Goa free of cost, from the company in Germany/Singapore,
  Frederick Noronha announced. It has a version of StarOffice
  5.1a, and uses RPM packaging, said Arvind Yadav. These CDs
  are available with Arvind. But Guru said he does not prefer
  this version of Linux, which makes registry entries.
* DOWNLOADS OF LINUX applications could be coordinated among
  members, suggested Arvind. 
* GURUNANDAN BHAT of Goa University suggested a 'install fest'
  of Linux. While welcoming the idea, some like Darshan felt
  that the "real problems start after the installation" and
  suggested that this problem too needed to be addressed.
  Vendors in Goa were not in a position to offer Linux.
* THREE FIRMS IN Goa are currently 'semi-committed' to Linux,
  it was pointed out. These were Zenit, Cerebra, and
  Asic (agents for GT Enterprises of Bangalore).
* SBI, the State Bank of India, is going in for Linux across
  the country, it was pointed out. Steps were being taken in 
  this direction by the government of Andhra Pradesh and
  Karnataka too. In Goa, the Electricity Department had shown
  an interest in Linux, said Arvind.
* TO PROMOTE LINUX, it is important to show how this OS can
  be utilised to meet particular users' needs, stressed
  Albert. Some stressed that Linux needed solutions to 
  access encyclopedias and games.
* ZENITH COMPUTERS in Goa has three of its nine engineers
  focussing on software. Some 3 calls out of ten were queries
  related to Linux, engineers from the firm noted. Zenith
  said they had demand for Linux from institutions like NIO,
  firms like ControlNet and the Sanquelim Government College.
  DataPro also have all centres using Linux for their
  Unix courses. Others pointed out that the Goa-based
  photography major Philcorp has already used Linux for
  its photo-labs across this state.
* DARSHAN FROM NIO felt that the key bottleneck in promoting
  Linux in Goa is still the lack of support. He said it was
  essential to reach the 'critical mass' of Linux enthusiasts
  before the OS can really grow here.
* PROF GURUNANDAN BHAT, recently back from the Bangalore IT99
  spoke about his experiences there, where Linux took up
  an entire pavillion of this prestigious expo. He said an
  'install-fest' could be held in Goa, if one could get 
  hardware vendors and companies to donate machines for use
  for two-three days. He explained which Linux applications
  are more convincing to the general user when put out on 
  a see-and-believe basis.
* IT WAS SUGGESTED that an effort be made to show schools
  the power of Linux. One suggestion was that an email
  gateway could be set up on an old PC at a school like
  SFX Girls School in Mapusa, if the latter showed interest.
  Setting up this as a proxy server/mail server is
  do-able, it was felt.
* TALLY, the popular Indian accounting programme, is
  expected to be ported to Linux in a couple of months,
  Gurunandan Bhat announced.
* ONE SPECIFIC PROPOSAL at this meet was to approach the
  Government Polytechnic Panaji to hold a three-day
  Linux Goa Meet sometime in Jan 2000. Albert Gouveia
  offered to approach the Principal on this. What would
  be needed is floorspace, and PCs running Linux, Windows, 
  etc. Engineering students of GPP and other polytechnics
  and engineering colleges would be shown the setup for
  a Samba server, a web server, and talks would be held
  on specific talks each evening. All members felt that 
  reaching out to students -- particular engineering
  students -- is crucial for the future growth of Linux.
* THERE WAS a discussion on the Linux-India mailing list,
  of which two of our members are participants. It was
  noted that after the recent release of StarOffice, the
  activity on the list had grown. Some members felt that
  the bulk of the postings on this list was too much for
  them to cope with. Nonetheless, those who wish to join
  can send a 'subscribe linux-india' message to
  majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
* THERE WAS A lot of discussion among participants on 
  various applications, like Flagship, and the role of Linux 
  as gateways, firewalls, routers, and bridges. CSI-Goa
  chairman Santosh Kamat took a keen interest in the
  proceedings.

****************************************************************
  NOTE: Next meeting of ILUG (Goa) is on Dec 18, the third
  Saturday of December. This is in lieu of the usual fourth
  Saturday of the month, as in December the fourth Saturday
  falls on Christmas, a public holiday.
  FURTHER DETAILS from grbhat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Gurunandan
  Bhat), arvind@xxxxxxxxx (Arvind Yadav) or fred@xxxxxxxx
  (Frederick Noronha).
****************************************************************
E&OE Excuse me for any mistakes... I'm not a technical
person --Frederick Noronha.
#    *********************************************************** 
#    frederick noronha, freelance journalist, fred@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
#    near convent, saligao 403511 goa india ph 0091.832.271490 or 278683
#    *********************************************************** 
#    BytesForAll		http://www.bytesforall.org
#    News from Goa		http://www.goacom.com/news/
#    Photos from Goa		http://www.goa-world.net/fotofolio/
#    GoaResearchNet		http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/1503
#    ***********************************************************
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