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This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

FOR GEEKS ONLY

John "maddog" Hall is the executive director of Linux International (www.li.org), an open-source advocacy organization. He travels around the world speaking about the benefits of open-source, collaboratively created software, and has written such books as Linux for Dummies. He also happens to be the godfather of Linux inventor Linus Torvalds' children.

In a 1999 interview with IBM, Hall spelled out what people can do to become open-source freedom fighters. Here are his ideas:

  • Use it.
  • Tell your congressman about it.
  • Review documentation.
  • Join a user group.
  • Tell your local government about it.
  • Start a user group.
  • Talk to your neighbor about it.
  • Install it in your local library.

Hall adds, "We should all be Linux advocates, all the time. OK, you are allowed time off to eat, sleep, and go to an occasional movie, and you don't have to wear Linux underwear like I do..."

If you're curious, the nickname "maddog" is a Unix login name that originated during a time when Hall had a little trouble controlling his temper. By all accounts he's mellowed out, but the name remains.

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