[Ubuntu Chicago] CLC Update 1/10/2008

[Patrick Green]

Hi folks.

My apologies on the long silence.

First of all, I need to take the time to thank everyone who was involved in
the project.  You worked hard and you worked as a team and you reflected the
spirit of community well.

Now for the bad news.  Unfortunately, the server project has been scrapped
and MS Windows has been re installed in the server.

This was due to internal decisions made by the school over reasons that I
really do not wish to disclose in an online forum as I am in their employ.
;)

There were some other problems unconnected with our efforts that came into
play here.  Though those other issues were unrelated and there is no line
that can be drawn from cause to effect...I was unable to convince them of
that.  Understand, we are dealing with a leadership group that is non
technical.  Please no I have been working in the background to keep the
opportunity alive considering how much ground work went into this.

That said, I have some thoughts.

We still have a server sitting in a users home and I have some old boxes.
Here is my proposition on a project.  We, as a team, grab all the old
hardware we have collecting dust and keep them out of the landfills.

We get the server running, we get the old pc's running...Xubuntu if we have
to in some cases...and we create a ready to go office.  We then find
worthwhile charities or other not for profits that we all feel we can
support that are part of the Chicago area.  We contact them one at a time
and let them know we have a donation for them on the condition that we set
it up.  We go in, we do it...we issue press releases.

Ubuntu has a meaning.  Humanity to others.  Free Software has a philosophy
and part of that includes sharing.  We use our know how and the tools
offered to use and we empower people who need it.  It will give us practical
world experience, embrace the ideals of free software and Ubuntu, and help a
good cause..whatever that cause may be.

I also say we use the work we did and document it anyway.  Not as a white
paper.  But as a learning tool of where we rocked and where we could have
done better.

The end result here is not reflective of the performance of this team and I
am proud to have been a part of this project and look forward to many other
projects.

Now, we still have a student body with a growing interest in free software.
I am (literally) the most popular teacher with more students enrolling in my
class than any other.  They were VERY appreciative of the Ubuntu people who
came to help out in the dorms one night.

We may not have the school, but we have the student body and these people
represent the future.  They will take their new OS and software into their
careers.  We win a battle, we lose a battle...the war is still on.

With respect to all and appreciation to all.

Patrick
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