New Mexico Loco In Ubuntu Weekly News Letter Issue 82

I want to thank all of the New Mexico Loco Members for all the help and hard work they have put in to our Community Projects. Special Thanks to Michael Rimbert for starting and leading the group. This week The New Mexico Loco got a little mention in Issue 82, I want to thank the Ubuntu Community at large for all that they do it really does set us apart from other organizations. I learned a long time ago that a little thank you goes a long way….so, thank you.

New Mexico Loco’s Computer Lab Project Takes off.

In October of 2007 the members of the New Mexico LoCo wanted to start a project that would really be in the true spirit of what Ubuntu is all about. We had just had a fairly successful finish to our Software Freedom Day in September 2007 and felt that our organization skills had grown for us to take on a more robust project. As luck would have it Ubuntu Member and New Mexico LoCo member Eric Krieger’s company had PC’s to donate, so we started asking around to deferent non-profits as to who might need them. We were privilege enough to be contacted by The Endorphine Power Company and better yet they wanted us to build them a computer lab and place computers in the residents quarters, plus Ubuntu sure sounded like their cup of tea. So just what is The Endorphin Power Company? The Endorphin Power Compnay is dedicated to improving the lives of people, with special focus on the substance-dependent and homeless, thus alleviating many of the challenges faced by current emergency medical systems. Additional purposes are the promotion of mental and physical health through exercise, and the promotion of energy consciousness and volunteerism. They sure sounded like something that an Ubuntu LoCo should be part of.

This project was very ambitious as it called for multiple visits to the facility as well as support on a routine basis. We needed “and still do” a comprehensive service level agreement, internet filtering, and changes to their Information Technology infrastructure. Well the good news is we jumped in feet first and in February of 2008 after many meetings and changes we completed the first phase of the project. The following is a small sampling of what we have done so far.

The resident quarters in the building phase if you get a chance visit their web site and take a look at their documentary you’ll be amazed at what the resident quarters were before they were turned into what they are today.

The meeting hall of EPC, to the right is the Library and the computer lab.

New Mexico Loco Member Chris Brotherton eying the donuts before we get started on configuring the lab.

Ubuntu Member and New Mexico LoCo member Eric Krieger making patch cables with his huge spool of Cat5 he just had laying around the house…Really who has spools of Cat5 laying around the house…

Michael Rimbert Ubuntu member and founding member of the New Mexico LoCo working on a Sony Vaio, Sony’s were cruel to Michael that day if he touched it and it said Sony it died…

Ubuntu Member Tina working with the alternate install disk because of some touchy hardware.

Thats me David Thomas and my Son Adam we were given the task to make sure everything was documented. In the future we hope to make this a case study on working with Ubuntu LoCo’s and non-profits

The Lab starts to take shape.

Oh those beautiful Ubuntu Desktops.

The lab is ready and open for business, Albuquerque New Mexico’s first full Ubuntu Lab.

We are far from done and need to do things like web filtering, wire the residents quarters, and start Ubuntu desktop training. For more information please visit our EPC project page and check back from time to time this project is so big we make changes and updates regularly.

New Mexico LoCo in Ubuntu Weekly #68

I just love seeing the New Mexico Loco in print….read issue #68 here. I have such a since of pride in what The New Mexico Team has accomplished, as well as pride for every LoCo throughout the world. I’ve met so many talented and knowledge people from almost the very first day I installed Ubuntu on my computer. The other day one of the members of a NMLUG (New Mexico Users Group) said he didn’t understand why I was so exited about our LoCo getting official status. I tried to explain to him how Ubuntu and the people that are associated with it make me feel the way I use to about computing some 30 years ago. The Ubuntu community makes me feel like I’m part of something, I can’t even tell you what that something is I just know it’s something good.

New Mexico Ubuntu LoCo Team Gets Official Status

New Mexico Team Gets Official Status, it’s true. Thanks to all the hard work from the members of the New Mexico Team we now are an official Ubuntu LoCo. What a meeting the Community Council had this morning, New Jersey, Georgia, New Mexico, and Michigan United States Teams all approved. I had to leave so I didn’t see if Denmark made it, I sure hope the Denmark team made it as well. Congratulation’s to every one, what a good day.

New Mexico’s Gutsy Release Party a real good time

Our Ubuntu LoCo has been a labor of love, just 4 months ago there were just two of us, we now have 15 official members and more than that show up at our weekly IRC meetings. We’ve even been fairly successful in keeping an open dialog with our states LUG’S. It was sure great to see someone from the MVLUG (Mesilla Valley Linux Users Group) at the release party as I know that’s about a 4 hour drive from Las Cruces. A special thanks to the NMLUG (New Mexico Linux Users Group) for the encouraging emails I received from it’s members as I tried to organize the party.

The party was allot of fun and I can’t wait till our next face to face meeting.

Heres a picture of just some of the folks at the party

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If you want to see more click here.

How could we have let this happen.

Some how there are two things to do in New Mexico this weekend that just rock.

Software Freedom Day and Albuquerque barcamp

Hey barcamp guys lets get on each others contact list so we don’t do this again, I’d love to go to barcamp, but since I’m running the show at SFD I’m going to miss it….darn the luck.

Socorro is having SFD too on the 15th how crazy is this, it’s feast or famine in good ol’ New Mexico.

New Mexico Ubuntu LoCo Meeting all Welcome

It’s been allot of work but the New Mexico LoCo is really getting off the ground. The last two IRC meetings have been really productive. This weeks meeting marks are first official meet in greet (we have had a few smaller organizational meetings) and I hope it is a big success. We will be having a simultaneous meeting on our IRC channel #ubuntu-newmexico and we would love people to come and join in.

Topics for discussion will be the up coming Software Freedom Day - were planning a big event.

The details

Where: The Downtown flying star in Albuquerque, NM & IRC Freenode channel #ubuntu-newmexico

When: Thursday the 30th of August

How long: From 7:00 till ?

So if your in Albuquerque look us up.

Lugs helping my LoCo

Last week I invited the NMLUG to get involved with the New Mexico Ubuntu Loco for Software Freedom Day on September 15th. It was a good thing I did. For starters our IRC channel has really picked up, were up to 10 members in the LoCo, and we have even seen more use of our mailing list. I really hope the same is going on for the NMLUG too. I know I for one have enjoyed talking to other users of other distros. I have been trying for months to get a fire burning in New Mexico for Ubuntu, with a little help from the local LUG I think I see a spark…..

Software Freedom Day Sept 15, 2007

Well the Ubuntu New Mexico Loco is gearing up for our first real project, Software Freedom Day. We’ve put together over 1oo DVD Case handouts. Included in the handout.

• One OpenCD a collection of open source windows applications “we got to start them somewhere”
• One Ubuntu 7.04 CD
• A brochure on open source software
• Instructions on how to install both the OpenCD and the Ubuntu CD
• SFD and Ubuntu stickers
• New Mexico Ubuntu Loco contact card

I was a little bummed as I didn’t get the team registered in time for all the good swag, the first 200 teams got the freebies and I was like 201. The good news is I got creative instead. I should be posting pictures soon so you can see what the DVD cases look like.

So if your in Rio Rancho, New Mexico on September 15th, I’ll see you at the main library from 11:00am till 3:00pm

Ubuntu Loco Team USA Meeting

The Team USA Project meeting was last night over 100 people and I’d say about 20 states represented. Not sure how long it lasted I got sleepy after about 4 hours. Nice to meet others working hard on getting an Ubuntu team in all 50 states. Now if I can only get the New Mexico team to official status. If you were there drop me a line.