1820 Pandora Street
Vancouver, BC
V5L 1M5
604-879-GEEK (4335)
OPEN - Tues. ~ Sat.
11:00am - 6:00pm
CLOSED - Sun. Mon.
free and open source
Windowsless Wednesday/Linux Clinic, Wed. Sept. 3, 7-9:30pm @ 1820 Pandora (back door)
Submitted by ifny on Wed, 2008-08-20 16:24.Sep 3 2008 - 19:00
Sep 3 2008 - 21:30
Location(s)
The first Wednesday of every month is...
WINDOWSLESS WEDNESDAY!!
Join us for a DROP IN night of skill-sharing, problem-solving & education
7:00-9:30pm at Free Geek (back door)
No pre-registration required; first-come, first-serve.
- Getting help: all are welcome, beginners and up
- Helping others: we always need helpers with skills, please consider dropping by to help others
- Free or by donation.
- Note: we help with free & open source software/hardware issues only.
Want to try free & open source software? Find out how to install GNU/Linux on your computer? Or have a more complex question...? These evenings are first come, first serve. Drop in & write your name/question on the whiteboard; someone will come find you and lend a hand.
Linux Clinics are where we assist folks who have GNU/Linux issues, hardware problems, or who are just plain curious. If you want to see what free and open source is all about, or try the Ubuntu operating system, you're welcome to drop by!
If you are already running a distribution of GNU/Linux, you might consider bringing your box down, so we can work together to solve your difficulties.
**CAN YOU HELP? We're always in need of extra helpers with skills and patience! Particular areas in demand: GNU/Linux & wireless, Ubuntu installs, hardware issues. Feel free to drop by and let us know you're here to help.
Check back here for updates, or join our announcement mailing list to stay posted about upcoming events!
Please note: Entry via back door. Indoor bike parking. Unfortunately our new location is not wheelchair accessible yet. We appreciate your patience while we work to change this; call us with concerns: 604-879-4335.
Joy of Command Line: Beginner
Submitted by ifny on Sat, 2008-08-02 11:14.Sep 18 2008 - 18:30
Sep 18 2008 - 20:00
Location(s)
The Joy of Command Line
Thurs. Sept. 4th 6:30-8pm @ Free Geek (back door)
The command line is an interface, or way of interacting with a computer, which is text-only (as opposed to a graphical user interface, or GUI).
When using the command line, you type commands at a prompt (a.k.a. cursor).
This free workshop is a good idea for beginners interested in learning programming, computer building, or for those who like idea of learning some basic finesse with their digital friend.
This class is intended for beginners with a little previous exposure to command line,
Prerequisite - You must have one of the following:
- You should have attended one "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Command Line" workshop
- OR, you already know how how to enter commands, and navigate the file system from the command line in Linux.
Space in our computer lab is limited, so pre-register for this class
by emailing 
Other things to remember:
- You need a basic familiarity with using computers (nothing fancy)
- You can either be new to free and open source, or experienced with it
- If you have a laptop (running a free operating system), please bring it so we can accommodate more people in our computer lab. Let us know when you register that you can bring your own computer.
»
Workshop: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Command Line, Thurs. Sept. 4th, 6:30-8pm @ Free Geek (back door)
Submitted by ifny on Fri, 2008-08-01 17:16.Sep 4 2008 - 18:30
Sep 4 2008 - 20:00
Location(s)
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Command Line,
Thurs. Sept. 4th 6:30-8pm @ Free Geek (back door)
The command line is an interface, or way of interacting with a computer, which is text-only (as opposed to a graphical user interface, or GUI).
When using the command line, you type commands at a prompt (a.k.a. cursor).
This free workshop is a good idea for beginners interested in learning programming, computer building, or for those who like idea of learning some basic finesse with their digital friend.
Space in our computer lab is limited, so pre-register for this class
by emailing
- No command-line experience is required
- You need a basic familiarity with using computers (nothing fancy)
- You can either be new to free and open source, or experienced with it
- If you have a laptop (running a free operating system), please bring it so we can accommodate more people in our computer lab.
»
Workshop: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Command Line, Thurs. July 31st, 6:30-8pm @ Free Geek (back door)
Submitted by ifny on Tue, 2008-07-08 20:27.Jul 31 2008 - 18:30
Jul 31 2008 - 20:00
Location(s)
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Command Line,
Thurs. July 31st 6:30-8pm @ Free Geek (back door)
The command line is an interface, or way of interacting with a computer, which is text-only (as opposed to a graphical user interface, or GUI).
When using the command line, you type commands at a prompt (a.k.a. cursor).
This free workshop is a good idea for beginners interested in learning programming, computer building, or for those who like idea of learning some basic finesse with their digital friend.
- No command-line experience is required
- You need a basic familiarity with using computers (nothing fancy)
- You can either be new to free and open source, or experienced with it
- Space in our computer lab is limited, so pre-register for this class by emailing info -AT- freegeekvancouver -D0T-org
- If you have a laptop (running a free operating system), please bring it so we can accommodate more people in our computer lab.
»
Ubuntu Vancouver Meeting, Thurs. April 10, 7-9pm @ Free Geek (1820 Pandora, back door)
Submitted by ifny on Thu, 2008-04-03 19:14.Apr 10 2008 - 19:00
Apr 10 2008 - 21:00
Location(s)
Ubuntu Vancouver Meeting
(Our first one, yoo hoo!)
*When*:
April 10, 2008 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
*Where*: Free Geek (back door) [directions]
*Agenda*:
1. Welcome to Ubuntu Vancouver
2. Introduction to Free Geek
3. Announce Hardy Heron Release Party
4. Discussion: What Ubuntu Vancouver can do for me.
5. Closing Remarks
Thank you all! Please feel free to forward this announcement to anyone
you feel would be interested in joining Ubuntu Vancouver and may not
have already seen it.
»
Why Free Software?
Free Geek is proud to use free and open source software.
There is much discussion on what such a term precisely means. But a good introductory definition is that, simply put, the source code -- or computer language that software is written in -- is not secret, but rather is open to anyone.
With the source code of the software open, users have the right and ability to study, change, and improve its design. Also, the software license that goes along with this type of software often tries to ensure that improvements and sharing remain open as well, so that the community can continue to benefit from collective efforts.
Free and open source software is often distributed and shared without cost (though there are exceptions). It's helpful to remember that the term free is used to emphasize the freedom of individuals and communities, rather than just simple price. It's "free as in free speech, not as in free beer," though it often doesn't cost anything either.
Here are our stated policies related to software:
"We use free and open source software wherever possible, and promote the Free Software philosophy in other ways, such as transparent collaboration with others. The free software philosophy, with its emphasis on mutual assistance and freedom, is important to what we are; all of our software, documentation, and policies are open to whoever wants to avoid reinventing the wheels we've made."
"Free Geek will not distribute non-free and open source software on removable media, over the Internet or installed on hard-drives."
Here are a few in-depth articles that help explain why Free Geek supports free and open source software:
The Ethics of Free Software by Bruce Byfield
The Free Software Foundation Freeing computers and their families since 1985!
Look at the numbers by David A. Wheeler
What is Ubuntu? a free and open operating system based on GNU/Linux
Here are some additional thoughts on GNU/Linux and why we use it:
When you get into your automobile to go from point A to point B, you don't EXPECT to stall every so often when you go out. You EXPECT it to function, and, with maintenance and repairs, you expect it to last a very long time. Knowing that, how can one expect anything less from their computer operating system??? One should not HAVE to reboot to clear memory, do garbage collection on strangling pointers and kill frozen, or misguided processes. Yet we do every day. By purchasing operating systems and "living" with the consequences of substandard programming, without voicing concerns for such problems, we as citizens degrade the technology available to us.
Enter GNU/Linux... a free operating system with the flavouring of Unix, easily capable of running on the same computer you run your commercial software on and more reliably too.
Some of the above text was taken from the Fraser Valley Linux Users Group.
