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)

• 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.

Location(s)

Get more mileage out of your Halloween costume:

Saturday November 1

Ubuntu 8.10 Release Costume Party

"INTREPID IBIX"

Location/time TBA

Location(s)

Free Geek Monthly Meeting
6:30-8:30pm

LOCATION: Free Geek Community Technology Centre

1820 Pandora St. (3 blocks NE of Commercial & Hastings); come to the back door please.

All welcome! Please note: Our new space is not wheelchair accessible yet. We appreciate your patience. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns at 604-879-4335.

Join us as we make decisions and discuss issues relevant to a community non-profit dedicated to computer recycling, education, empowerment and free & open source software. Open to the curious, the beginner and the programmer. Folks with no computer experience welcome!

Feel free to check out more info about our meeting procedures [HERE]

Location(s)

Fundamentals of Linux - A power users introduction: PART ONE OF A THREE PART SERIES

WHEN: Wed. Oct. 22 6:30-8:30pm

WHERE: Free Geek, 1820 Pandora St. (back door)

*no registration required*

This series of lectures is intended for the technically interested newcomer to Linux who is interested in better understanding his/her system.  Topics to be discussed include the concepts of Unix, device naming, file systems, system file structure, runlevels, the boot process, privilege separation, shells & scripting, package management and networking.  

Through these lectures you will better understand your Linux operating system and basic system administration.  These lectures will be based entirely at the console, no graphical shells will be used (goodbye desktop!).  Each lecture will include a Q&A section as the participants desire.

Although we will use Ubuntu as the system to be discussed, the subject matter will apply to any Linux distribution.

NOTE: This workshop will be presentation-style, so registration is *not* required for this workshop. You may wish to bring a laptop, or a pen/paper.

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)

• 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.

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)

• 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.

Location(s)

Free Geek Monthly Meeting
6:30-8:30pm

LOCATION: Free Geek Community Technology Centre

1820 Pandora St. (3 blocks NE of Commercial & Hastings); come to the back door please.

All welcome! Please note: Our new space is not wheelchair accessible yet. We appreciate your patience. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns at 604-879-4335.

Join us as we make decisions and discuss issues relevant to a community non-profit dedicated to computer recycling, education, empowerment and free & open source software. Open to the curious, the beginner and the programmer. Folks with no computer experience welcome!

Feel free to check out more info about our meeting procedures [HERE]

Location(s)

Curious? Or just starting out, and need a boost? Come and get a friendly introduction to Ubuntu, a free and open source operating system. You'll learn what you can do with it, what its advantages are, and why its name means 'humanity to others.'

This workshop is for folks who have not had any prior experience with Ubuntu Linux, or who are just starting out...or who just need a bit of extra attention.

***Space is limited, so please preregister by sending an email to:

      info AT freegeekvancouver D0T org

[More on Ubuntu] 

[Why Use Free Software?]

This workshop is presented by Free Geek and Ubuntu Vancouver.

Location(s)

Want to learn Python???

WHAT: Python Working Group presents "Practical Python at Free Geek"

Come learn Python by example, as you find out how Free Geek handles hard drive testing and issue tracking needs with this cool language. Gain transferable Python skills that will help you solve your own interesting problems. Meet people like you as you master Python's ins and outs.

NOTE: This workshop is for people who have some exposure to programming concepts, but limited exposure to Python. Please bring a laptop if you have one, so we can accomodate more people in our computer lab. Space is limited, so pre-register for this class by emailing justanotherpaul -AT- gmail -D0T- com

Free Geek is almost entirely volunteer-based; in fact, we have over 400 volunteers. You don't need computer experience; we'll teach you everything you need to know. If you have skills, that's great too!

HOW DO I START?

All volunteers are required to complete an orientation before they start volunteering. Orientations happen at Free Geek Wednesday and Saturday at 4pm and take about 30 min. Please arrive at our phone desk by 4:00 so we can start on time. You don't need to phone ahead for an orientation; just show up.

WHEN CAN I VOLUNTEER?

Aside from the orientation, our volunteer hours are 1-6pm, Tues-Sat. You will be able to volunteer when it's convenient for you; just let us know so we can put you on the schedule. You don't have to volunteer the same day all the time, or a set number of hours per month. We're flexible, and just happy you want to help out.

HOW DO I GET A FREE COMPUTER?

If you need a computer, you can get into our Computer Adoption Program. Basically, after you accumulate 24 hours of time helping out at Free Geek, you get a free refurbished desktop computer (system, monitor, mouse, keyboard). We call this computer a GeekBox; it will be running Ubuntu Linux and come with all the programs you need to do most everything. We also give you a class on how to use it, as well as ongoing technical support. Just let us know at your orientation that you want to be enrolled in the Adoption Program.

Please note that you can't volunteer for parts. Adoption computers are standard desktop systems only; we are unable to customize them. If there are additional things you need (like a printer, or more RAM, etc) you will get a discount in the Computer Thrift Store. (Please note: laptops cannot be adopted as we don't get enough for everyone to have one.)

I WANT TO VOLUNTEER BUT I DON'T NEED A COMPUTER.

That's great! Just let us know at your orientation. We'll still keep track of your hours for our statistics.

WHAT DO VOLUNTEERS DO?

There are a wide variety of things we need help with. No computer experience is necessary. If you have computer skills we can certainly use your help as well.

Priorities change from day-to-day at Free Geek. But we need regular help testing, sorting, dismantling and refurbishing equipment, dealing with incoming gear, as well as some administrative work and organising. Believe it or not, many of these activities can be done by people new to computers, with a little support.

Most importantly, we need you to have fun while you're here! We have a wide variety of people at Free Geek, with different strengths, backgrounds and abilities. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding accessibility.

I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS!