LinuxWorld Partners With Untangle on Global Installfest For Schools

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IDG World Expo, the producer of world-class tradeshows and events, has announced it will partner with Untangle, a pioneer in open source network gateway platforms, and the Alameda County Computer Resource Center (ACCRC), an electronics recycler, to host an Installfest for Schools at this year's LinuxWorld Conference & Expo. Installfest is an event that drives the refurbishment of older, discarded computers, with Free and Open Source Software (F/OSS) and then donates the restored computers to schools in need. LinuxWorld is scheduled to take place August 4-7, 2008 at San Francisco's Moscone Center.

"LinuxWorld is the ideal place to host Installfest for Schools, " said Andrew Fife, Product Marketing Manager, Untangle. "We were able to draw 130 volunteers who refurbished hundreds of computers at our last Installfest, so with more than 10,000 geeks attending LinuxWorld, I can only imagine how many more volunteers we'll draw and how many more computers we'll be able to donate. It's going to be an extremely exciting event."

Building on the success of the first Installfest for Schools, which refurbished 350 computers with Ubuntu 7.10 for schools in March of 2008, the LinuxWorld event will have local and global components. Work stations will be setup on the show floor for LinuxWorld attendees to participate by hacking older hardware and installing the operating systems.

In addition, LinuxWorld will host a collection site by the Alameda County Computer Resource Center (ACCRC) to collect old computers donated by LinuxWorld attendees. The Installfest will go global by posting the scripts, ISO images, tips and collateral online for Linux users groups (LUGs) to host Installfest for Schools in their own neighborhoods. Volunteers in Bellingham, WA and Portland, OR have already signed up to organize Installfests for Schools in their neighborhoods.

"Installfest is a tremendous effort that brings the Linux community together for a great cause by providing computers to underprivileged schools, and promoting the use of open source software to new users, " said Melinda Kendall, Vice President and General Manager, LinuxWorld Conference & Expo . "Installfest also keeps tons of toxic electronic waste from entering our landfills so it's a win-win situation for the event, the community, the schools, and the environment. We are really excited to have the opportunity to play a role in this endeavor."

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