The Waikato Linux User Group and the Computer Science Department of the University of Waikato are pleased to present Software Freedom Day 2008 in Hamilton.

The belief that software should be free and unrestricted is a rapidly growing one amongst home and business users. Software Freedom Day in Hamilton is a day of presentations and giveaways at S Block at the University on the 20th of September from 10am to 5pm. Nandor Tanczos and others will talk about the benefits of free software, and User Group members will be on hand to help all visitors learn more.

Software Freedom Day is an annual global celebration of Free and Open Source Software. The Hamilton event will showcase the best that the free and open source software community has to offer, with computers and displays set up for hands-on use.

The event will give people the opportunity to learn what’s available, to see free and open source software software in action, to chat with other users, and to get copies they can use at home and in the business.

The WLUG hosts are friendly, speak in non-technical terms and will be happy to assist you to learn more about free and open source applications and software.

Free CDs loaded with software will be on hand, as will Ubuntu Live CDs — try out Linux at home without reinstalling! Draws will also be held through the day to give away USB memory sticks preloaded with Ubuntu Live and other software.

What is free and open source software?

Free and open source software is software that has been written specifically to give away, with no charge and with minimal restrictions. Widely used examples include Open Office, the Firefox web browser, the Thunderbird email program, and the Gimp photo editor.

The free Linux operating system is now in widespread use in the home as an alternative for Windows. Free and open source software also extends to the network and database tools that power the Internet, and many well-known sites such as Google, Wikipedia and WordPress are built on free software.

Presentations

Noted free software user Nandor Tanczos will (open with / speak about) his commitment to free software, and the benefits to users and humanity as a whole that come from software being set free.

Other guest speakers will present on a wide range of topics, relevant to those who deal with technology in business, education, non-profits and community development:

• Creating documents, spreadsheets and presentations in OpenOffice
• Making the most of graphics and animation applications including Inkscape, the Gimp, and Blender
• Photography and free and open source software
• The best games in the free and open source world
• Setting up a webserver
• Using Asterix and Trixbox for phone and video conferencing

Most FOSS applications are available for all types of home computers, including Windows, Mac, and Linux. As well as the scheduled presentations, WLUG members will demonstrate and assist with applications on all platforms.

Free software goals

The free software movement is built on the idea that software should be free to all. Everybody should be free to contribute to its development, use it for any purpose, modify it, improve it, extend it and adapt it for their own use. Any modifications should be shared under the same terms. Nobody’s rights should be restricted.

This returns control of the computer and its information to the user. It also provides quality software to all users at no cost!

The movement was conceived in 1983 by Richard Stallman, a recent guest of the University, to make these freedoms available to every computer user. Since the creation of the Free Software Foundation in 1984 tools, applications and entire operating systems have been released as free software.

Everybody who uses the internet uses free software directly or indirectly. Most home ADSL routers are powered by Linux, the Internet’s DNS infrastructure is built on the free BIND nameserver, and web giants such as Google and Amazon make extensive use of Linux and other Free software.

Watch the demonstrations. Try the programmes for yourself. Take home free copies to use and share — OpenDisc a CD of FOSS for Microsoft Windows or Ubuntu GNU/Linux operating system together with a suite of applications.

Software Freedom Day is being hosted by the Waikato Linux User Group, an Incorporated Society that supports GNU/Linux and other Free and Open Source Software and their users in the Waikato.

For more information visit the Waikato Linux User Group on the web.

Contributed by Bruce Kingsbury.

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