Linux Users Group offers
students support, gears up to teach system
Jessica Sellers
Clubs | Organizations Beat
The
Appalachian State University Linux Users Group is a new club whose
primary purpose is to invite the public to learn about Linux.
Most students and professors at Appalachian are accustomed to using
the Windows operating system on their computers. Many do not know
about this other option.
Linux is an open-source version of the UNIX operating system, according
to the American Heritage Dictionary. This means the source code
is available to everyone.
Linux is also a free operating system, unlike Windows, which can
be expensive.
The club was started last November by senior computer science major
Adam G. Morton with the help of Brian W. Brown, director of Electronic
Student Services at Appalachian.
Morton said he started the group because, as a computer science
major, he found that students were not being taught how to use the
Linux system.
“I think Linux is better than any other operating system out
there,” Morton said. “I hope to have all of Appalachian
and Boone using Linux. I want people to know why they should use
it.”
Junior physics major Steven Baehr has been actively involved in
the club from the beginning. He is the librarian for the group,
which means he keeps track of who has what Linux resource and what
they have to offer to the other members of the group.
As an individual member of the club, he contributes any insight
or experience he has to offer about Linux. Being in the club has
definitely made an impact on his life.
“It gives me a sense of purpose, gets my mind off my classes.
It’s something that I enjoy,” Baehr said.
