HanoiLUG stands for “Hanoi Linux users group” i.e. “Users of Linux living in Hanoi”
actually open to “People using and/or interested in GNU/Linux living in Hanoi”
and more generally interested in all subjects around FLOSS in Vietnam
HanoiLUG is an informal group, this means that it is not an official organization
it’s rather a “network” of people: there is no formal membership, elections, etc
joining HanoiLUG is just subscribing to its mailing-list to get informed/involved into proposed activities and participate in the discussions around topics that may interest “members” of the LUG
a few names from back in 2002 (in no specific order, and missing some):
Thanh (BV Bach Mai), ChaiRuou, JC, Stefan Probst, …
a few names from the first official meeting in 2005 (to complete):
Vu Do Quynh (AUF), Le Quoc Thai (IOIT), Thanh (BV Bach Mai), Dang Minh Tuan (VietKey), Trung (National University), Ninh (Espace), JC (AUF), …
some of most active people recently (I surely forget some names here…):
Vu Do Quynh (AUF), David Tremblay (NGO Resource Center), Le Xuan Thao (Freelance), Le Quoc Thai (IOIT), JC (AUF), Max (Swiss), Nguyen Hong Quang (IFI), Huy Hoang (HUT), …
and some newcomers: Nguyẽn Đình Trung (iWay), Stephane Masse (?), …
some people subscribed to HanoiLUG but not living in Hanoi:
Nguyen Vu Hung, living in Japan (very active on M-L)
Clytie Siddall, living in Australia (translation leader)
PCclouds, in Saigon (translations & developments)
Francisco Sarmiento III from Philippines (simply interested in knowing what our LUG does)
no forum: there are already plenty of them on Internet but we try to maintain a list of good links
meet together (usually on Saturday) as needed/asked to work on a particular topic
organize “Software Freedom Day” activities
organize “Install Parties”
Informal parties or launch event
Work together on project
main topics: work on “Real Life” problems!
promote FLOSS by distributing CD at production cost or for free
Vietnamese Input Method project (formerly x-unikey, now SCIM)
Vietnamese dictionary/spelling project (formerly aspell, now hunspell)
support localization, eg: Debian/Ubuntu and some OOo documentation translation
Ubuntu-vi: promote localized environment by integrating translation works
APT repository: help FLOSS development by making the installation easier
OvniConv & TTTUConv: help the move to FLOSS with tools to convert old documents
Provide answer to some questions asked by the more/less newbies through the mailing list
actually helping on federating (not controlling!) FLOSS activities in Vietnam by giving recommendations on important topics such as: OOXML vs ODF, using localized softwares, which distribution for which goal, which software for which need, …
A LUG doesn't aim to make business in itself - in fact it is better if it stays independant
A LUG is an ideal structure for sharing information/ideas
A LUG is part of the “ecosystem” of Free software it is the support for real people in real life
The LUG FLOSS promotion work helps developing the FLOSS market
The LUG will never be able to provide global user support for the whole Vietnam neither even just for one single company – it's a real time and resource consuming work – but the LUG will help listing FLOSS service companies and provide this list (just putting it public on the wiki) to asking people