The Waikato Linux Users Group Incorporated (commonly known as WLUG) is an incorporated society designed to advocate and promote the usage of Open Source and Free Software, particularly the Linux operating system.
Full definitions of Open Source Software and Free Software are attached to this application, however in summary “Free” software is free in both senses of the word; it comes at no cost, and it grants the liberty to control and modify the software through the availability of the 'source code', the instructions the computer uses to run the program and that any programmer can modify.
Linux is an operating system originally written by Linus Torvalds, a Finnish computer science student, in the early 1990’s. Since that time, with the help of the GNU project and thousands of volunteers around the world, it has evolved to become a full featured system for computers, from high servers, through desktop machines, to embedded devices such as handheld music players,
WLUG is a member of a worldwide network of Linux User Groups, grassroots organisations dedicated to the advancement of software that both adheres to open standards and allows users the freedom to change and improve the software.
The charter of the Waikato Linux Users Group Incorporated defines the purpose of the WLUG as “a support community for Open Source and Free Software”:
• As a support community for Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD (and other Open Source or Free Operating Systems) • As a vector for the promotion of Open Source software and Operating Systems within non-profit, commercial and industrial organisations • As a vector for the promotion of Open Source software and Operating Systems within government bodies, including but not limited to educational bodies of all levels, medical bodies, local and national government, and political parties. • As a means of providing additional support and resources to its members; including, but not limited to, e-mail addresses, access to a public Linux server, and access to a society library of technical books. Only members of the society have access to these resources, but anyone who is interested is invited to become a member. Our membership fees are currently set at $20. One month after the start of our 2004 financial period, we have over 30 paid members. We have 113 people on our Internet mailing list.
We run a free public web site, 
http://www.wlug.org.nz/, where we offer a Wiki, a publicly accessible and editable information database. This web site contains information both on the WLUG itself and on many topics relating to Linux and computing in general. It receives around 60,000 unique visits (1.4 million hits) a month, and has a following all around the world.
The original Internet mailing list (the official communications channel) of the WLUG was started in late 1998; the list as it exists today contains archives back to March 1999, and we incorporated as a society on 28 November 2002.
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The project we are applying for is a Demonstration/Education Network for our society. This will consist of three computers, a monitor, wireless mouse and keyboard, equipment as required to connect the computers together to form a network, and custom built casing to secure the equipment together.
The demonstration/education network (referred to as “the equipment” from here on) will be available for use by members to assist our goals as laid out in our Charter, including, but not limited to, allowing the WLUG and its members to:
• Learn about new technologies • Prepare for presentations at regular WLUG meetings • Educate the wider community about Linux and Free Software • Offer training in Linux and Free Software to members and the wider community
A large part of the WLUG's activity consists of providing monthly training seminars to members and other interested parties at its meetings. This training covers a large body of existing and developing technology, and is presented by members of the WLUG who have become familiar with these technologies, often for the specific purpose of educating the community.
As technology progresses quickly, members are finding it more and more difficult to find the resources to trial and train on the technology. Certain members who may have reasonable skills are unable to present seminars due to lack of resources to prepare and test the technology prior to a presentation. The equipment we are applying for will meet this need.
The equipment will have the following benefits, both direct and flow-on, to the community as a whole:
• Education and Training - providing skills in Free software configuration, deployment, and management will allow access to IT resources by those who might not otherwise be able to afford them. • Social and Economic Growth - as the effects of the training described above flow on to society as a whole, skill levels and abilities rise, and the barriers of entry to potential entrepreneurs are lowered. • Cultural benefits - The skills the WLUG aim to teach using the equipment include the ability to modify Free software to provide such functionality as Maori Language software, and software which follows New Zealand conventions in such areas as law, accounting practice, and tax codes. • Demonstrations/Roadshows - Potential partnering with Schools and other community groups would allow the WLUG to begin encouraging the development and skills described above across a broader spectrum of the community. • Environmental benefits - Many businesses and government bodies have a "technology recycling" plan that includes gifting old PC hardware to schools and community groups. Typically this does NOT include the software licenses required to legally use the PCs in a non Free Software scenario. Due to lack of education and awareness of Free Software alternatives, these groups are forced to either break the law by illegally installing proprietary software that they are not licensed to use, or to throw away the hardware, defeating the purpose of the recycling programme. Free Software can usually be installed at no cost and actually enable the recycling benefits intended by these well-intentioned business and government donors.
As you can see, this equipment will allow us to extend our philosophy and offer our skills to a potentially huge segment of society.
In order to maintain a competitive software environment, the community needs to be educated that there are alternatives available to proprietary software, often at no cost. Education to the wider community could provide benefits to many groups who use information technology, as well as providing publicity and assistance for the society in its capacity as a development and support group. This also prevents a situation where a group is locked into a proprietary situation and forced by the manufacturer through “required upgrades” to pay a tax to continue using their software.
An often publicised advantage of Free software is that, unlike most proprietary software, it has no licensing cost. If a community group had 20 PC’s donated to them with no software and they wished to license them to run Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office, they could be looking at $2,000 per computer, or $40,000 to make their “donation” usable. However, a Linux solution could be installed on these computers at negligible actual cost (other than time and physical media), which would not only replicate the functionality of the Microsoft solution but do so while adhering to publicly documented standards, provide many other applications which would have to be purchased separately on the commercial software market, be much more robust and secure.
We need a method for demonstrating the viability of this move as well as providing support and education for groups who wish to try it.
Loan of the equipment will be at the discretion of the governing committee of the WLUG. Persons borrowing the equipment must be paid members of the society, which implies they have signed a membership form (including their name, address, phone number, e-mail address and occupation) and paid a membership fee.
Before borrowing the equipment, the member will be required to provide suitable identification and sign a disclosure form, accepting full financial responsibility for loss or damage to the equipment.
Each computer will be equipped with a case lock, preventing access to internal components. Members will not be allowed to open the cases of the computers without prior written approval from the WLUG committee.
When not in use, the equipment will be stored in locked premises, with best effort made to ensure the premises are alarmed.
Included in our request for funding is a sum for the building of a custom “carry case” housing facility for the equipment, so it can be safely locked, stored and transported.
The equipment will be covered by fire and theft insurance. It will not be loaned out until insurance cover is arranged.
If our application is successful, we can order the gear immediately and, excepting delivery delays, it will be available for use within one month.
$7100.00
Computers 3 @ $1,246.64 $3,739.92 Keyboard 1 @ $161.56 $161.56 Monitor 1 @ $558.33 $558.33 KVM Switch 1 @ $176.47 $176.47 1.8m Cable 3 @ $43.93 $131.79 4.5m Cable 1 @ $78.90 $78.90 4 Port Video Splitter 1 @ $164.16 $164.16 Network Switch 1 @ $441.84 $441.84 Ethernet Card 1 @ $116.09 $116.09 Ethernet Cables 4 @ $4.44 $17.78 VGA Display Cable 1 @ $44.44 $44.44 Firewire card 1 @ $53.33 $53.33 Enclosure (allowed $700) 1 @ $622.22 $622.22
NET TOTAL $6,306.84 GST $788.35 GROSS TOTAL $7,095.19
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