BLUG was started in 1998 by a small group of computer geeks in Bellingham, Washington who wanted to get off Windows and learn from local Unix gurus. Our focus is on Linux and all Open Source software.
We hold a presentation meeting the first Thursday of the month at Bellingham Technical College in Campus Center room 201 (CC201). On the third Wednesday, we hold an informal organization meeting with the time and location being Bellingham Makerspace (located in the Bellisfair Mall, next to Dicks Sporting Goods). We also put on special events including the regional LinuxFest Northwest in the Spring.
Next Meeting
Choosing a linux “distro”
01/21/2026 at 05:30 PM
There isn’t just one “Linux” operating system; the core Linux system and various bundles of user environments and applications are packaged as “distributions” (commonly called “distros”) by several different groups, companies, and non-profit organizations, each with different goals in mind. Depending on how you plan to use Linux (or your level of familiarity), one or another distro might be a good fit for you. Join us as we share some of the different things to think about when choosing a distro.
Past Meetings
BLUG meeting Thurs June 2nd at BTC
06/02/2016 at 06:30 PM
This Thursday, June 2nd, at BTC, IN ROOM – CC201,
from 6:30pm til 9pm, BLUG will have its regular
public meeting.
Meeting includes:
“Hands-on Help Time” from 6:30pm til 7pm,
BLUG/LFNW & Linux News,
Q&A, and a presentation by David Griffith
“Hands-on Help Time”
Starting at 6:30pm, 1/2 hour prior to the regular 7pm start time,
BLUG offers hands-on help for anyone with a Linux problem.
Bring your computer and let the BLUG folks give you a hand.
Presentation by David Griffith:
David Griffith will give a brief presentation on text adventures, their
history, how to play old and new text adventures, and how new ones may be
written.
Location:
ROOM CC201, on the 2nd floor of BTC’s new Campus Center Building.
Remember this meeting is open to the public, tell your neighbor
and bring a friend!
BLUG/LFNW DotOrg Committee mtg this Thurs, May 12th
05/12/2016 at 07:00 PM
Our monthly BLUG/LFNW business meeting is this Thursday May 12th at our NEW Location:
The Gaston Bay Building (home of SuSE Bellingham)
2925 Roeder Ave, Suite 300 (3rd floor)
see:
https://goo.gl/maps/5YCVTu4GBEA2
James Mason (our host) will have the front door open 15 minutes
before the start of the meeting.
The meeting will be from 7pm til 9pm.
All those who wish to participate and have a voice in our decision making
are urged to attend.
BLUG meeting Thurs May 5th at BTC
05/05/2016 at 06:30 PM
This Thursday, May 5th, at BTC, in room – CC201,
from 6:30pm til 9pm, BLUG will have its regular
public meeting.
Meeting includes:
“Hands-on Help Time” from 6:30pm til 7pm,
BLUG/LFNW & Linux News,
Q&A, and “lightning talks” organized by James Mason.
“Hands-on Help Time”
Starting at 6:30pm, 1/2 hour prior to the regular 7pm start time,
BLUG offers hands-on help for anyone with a Linux problem.
Bring your computer and let the BLUG folks give you a hand.
“Lightning talks” organized by James Mason.
These will be a series of several 5min talks on
various topics.
They’ll be informative as well as fun.
Location:
ROOM CC201, on the 2nd floor of BTC’s new Campus Center Building.
Remember this meeting is open to the public, tell your neighbor
and bring a friend!
LFNW planning mtg this Thurs, April 14th @ new location
04/14/2016 at 07:00 PM
Our next DotOrg/LFNW planning meeting is this
THURSDAY April 14th at our NEW Location:
The Gaston Bay Building (home of SUSE Bellingham)
2925 Roeder Ave, Suite 300 (3rd floor)
see:
https://goo.gl/maps/5YCVTu4GBEA2
James Mason (our host) will have the front door open 15 minutes
before the start of the meeting.
The meeting will be from 7pm til 9pm.
Team leads bring any new information.
Bill
BLUG meeting Thurs April 7th at BTC
04/07/2016 at 06:30 PM
This Thursday, Apr 7th, at BTC, IN ROOM – CC201,
from 6:30pm til 9pm, BLUG will have its regular
public meeting.
Meeting includes:
“Hands-on Help Time” from 6:30pm til 7pm,
BLUG/LFNW & Linux News,
Q&A, and a presentation by Adrian Klaver:
“Intro to the Django Web Framework”
“Hands-on Help Time”
Starting at 6:30pm, 1/2 hour prior to the regular 7pm start time,
BLUG offers hands-on help for anyone with a Linux issue.
Bring your computer and let the BLUG folks give you a hand.
“Presentation” By Adrian Klaver “Intro to the Django Web Framework”
https://www.djangoproject.com).
“Django is a Python based project for building out Web sites using
its version of the MVC pattern.
The talk will be an overview of what Django provides.”
Location:
ROOM CC201, on the 2nd floor of BTC’s new Campus Center Building.
Remember this meeting is open to the public, tell your neighbor
and bring a friend!
Django and You! Thursday, April 7th. BTC
04/07/2016 at 06:30 PM
Django and You!
Find out why more than any other web framework you should be using Django. The predominant, smart, funny and diverse web framework made for humans.
BLUG/LFNW DotOrg Committee mtg this Thurs, Mar 10th @ RE Sources
03/10/2016 at 07:00 PM
Note to Committee leads,
Please bring your updated info to share with the group.
This month’s meeting of the BLUG/LFNW DotOrg Committee is
this Thursday Mar 10th from 7pm till 9pm in the
library room at RE Sources.
The address is 2309 Meridian Street Bellingham, WA 98225
Access is from the stairs off the alley in the back.
BLUG folks interested in participating in BLUG/LFNW organizational
planning are encouraged to attend.
LFNW 2016 is getting closer =8’O
BLUG meeting Thurs Mar 3rd at BTC
03/03/2016 at 06:30 PM
This Thursday, Mar 3rd, at BTC, IN ROOM – CC201,
from 6:30pm til 9pm, BLUG will have its regular
public meeting.
Meeting includes:
“Hands-on Help Time” from 6:30pm til 7pm, BLUG/LFNW & Linux News,
Q&A, and a presentation by Kurt Jensen “OctoberCMS”
“Hands-on Help Time”
Starting at 6:30pm, 1/2 hour prior to the regular 7pm start time,
BLUG offers hands-on help for anyone with a Linux issue.
Bring your computer and let the BLUG folks give you a hand.
“Presentation” By Kurt Jensen:
Kurt has been developing in OctoberCMS based on Laravel
for about a year now and has found it incredibly productive
and easy. He will show some of the instructional videos
and answer questions for the group.
Location:
ROOM CC201, on the 2nd floor of BTC’s new Campus Center Building.
Remember this meeting is open to the public, tell your neighbor
and bring a friend!
BLUG/LFNW DotOrg Committee mtg this Thurs, Feb 11th @ RE Sources
02/11/2016 at 07:00 PM
This month’s meeting of the BLUG/LFNW DotOrg Committee is this Thursday
Feb 11th from 7pm till 9pm in the library room at RE Sources.
The address is 2309 Meridian Street Bellingham, WA 98225
Access is from the stairs off the alley in the back.
Note to Committee leads, please bring your updated info to share with
the group.
BLUG folks interested in participating in BLUG/LFNW organizational
planning are encouraged to attend.
LFNNW 2016 is getting closer =8’O
Bill
BLUG meeting Thurs Feb 4th at BTC
02/04/2016 at 06:30 PM
Thursday, Feb 4th, at BTC, IN ROOM – CC201,
from 6:30pm til 9pm, BLUG will have its regular
public meeting.
Meeting includes:
“Hands-on Help Time” from 6:30pm til 7pm, BLUG/LFNW & Linux News,
Q&A, and a presentation by James Mason, “Python Sucks”
“Hands-on Help Time”
Starting at 6:30pm, 1/2 hour prior to the regular 7pm start time,
BLUG offers hands-on help for anyone with a Linux issue.
Bring your computer and let the BLUG folks give you a hand.
“Presentation” Python Sucks by James Mason:
“I’m a rubyist. For over a year now, I’ve been a rubyist writing Python.
I assumed I’d eventually by a Pythonista, but in fact, the more Python
I write, the more I HATE IT.
I’ll talk about how Python’s conventions are completely contrary to
teaching good coding practice. I’ll provide concrete examples of how
Python’s syntax is obtuse, and how it’s lack of opinion makes for
incomprehensible code. I’ll explain, in detail, how Django is a crappy
knock-off of Ruby on Rails. I’ll make fun of the “batteries included”
mantra.
If I do a good job, you’ll not only learn some interesting things about
Python, but maybe walk away wondering why you haven’t spent more time
writing ruby” 😀
Location:
ROOM CC201, on the 2nd floor of BTC’s new Campus Center Building.
Remember this meeting is open to the public, tell your neighbor
and bring a friend!