Sinclair’s Linux Installfest Promotes a growing OS option

Some Sinclair students may not realize that there are more operating system options than just Windows and Mac. The Linux operating system (OS) is free, open source, and gaining market share in a variety of applications.
The Computer Information Systems (CIS) Department at Sinclair is holding its annual Linux Installfest on April 14 to introduce students to the operating system and reinforce their existing Linux skills. The event will be from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. in Building 5 Room 043.
“It’s used on desktops, global positioning devices, routers and gaming systems,” said Dr. Shirley Stallworth, the event’s organizer and a CIS professor. “The marketability of it and the user friendliness of it almost demand that they have some type of knowledge about this.”
The OS is used in about 33 percent of servers, according to Stallworth, and is growing in popularity because it is free and easy to use.
“The demand is growing, but there is a moderate percentage of individuals that don’t know anything about Linux,” she said.
The event will be getting technical support from the Dayton Linux Users Group (DLUG), which promotes and informs about the OS. The group has been assisting with the Installfest for the four years that the CIS Department has been holding the event.
The event was first organized more than 10 years ago by the Sinclair Physics Department before it was turned over to Stallworth and the CIS Department.
The DLUG professionals will be working in rotations of at least 10 people, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Participants looking to install Linux on their laptop or desktop computers should start the installation before 3 p.m.
The Installfest will have installation CDs available for three popular Linux distributions, including Fedora and Ubuntu, but students can bring and get assistance with their preferred distributions.
“That’s the beauty of this,” said Stallworth. “They can bring whatever distro they want, and there are greater than 500 distros of Linux.”
The event will have several breakout sessions, including one on Linux security by Cliff Brust from Computer Troubleshooters in Beavercreek.
“It’s a lot of fun, a lot of sharing of ideas, and the participants love the breakout sessions,” Stallworth said.
The event will have free pizza and refreshments and is open to the public. The format is “revolving door,” with participants coming and going throughout the day.
“It’s an open, collaborative environment,” Stallworth said. “We’re working with people that want to share their knowledge with others.”