In a bid to increase the number of Linux users in the CNMI, Northern Marianas College faculty member David Rumptz will be giving away at least 20 desktop computers to interested Linux users.
“If anyone wants one of those computers I will be running a mini-class on Linux this week and will be giving the computers away at the end of the week,” said Rumptz, who is also NMC's faculty senate president.
The class started yesterday and will continue until Thursday this week. Yesterday's class started at 8am to 11am. The same schedule will apply on Wednesday. Today's and Thursday's schedule will be from 11am to 1pm.
“I have about 20-plus computers to give away. The first class will be during the daytime; the second class will be in the evening after 5pm so people who work can get a computer,” he said.
Rumptz has set up a showroom that demonstrates the merits of the operating system for those interested in converting their old PC's operating system to Linux.
“I am hoping that the students who do take this class will spread the word. Those people wishing to take a night class will have to wait until the second week of November when I will have afternoons free,” he said.
He told Saipan Tribune that he also is aiming to gather all Linux OS users in the CNMI and possibly form a group he would call Saipan Linux Users Group or SLUG.
"It is my hope to use these computers to start a Saipan Linux Users Group as this is a big passion of mine. I intend to keep working on Linux," he said.
All Linux users on Saipan can e-mail Rumptz at davidr@nmcnet.edu so he can get in touch with them. "I hope everyone comes down to check it out. I might still be working on computers but feel free to come and see what all the excitement is about."
Rumptz has been working on Linux for about four to five years now and he is hoping to find or establish a community on Saipan. "I have some great news for all those uninitiated to the Linux world. I have spent the best part of the summer- besides reviewing Board of Regents’ Policies-reading up on Linux," he said, adding that he had converted some old computers that had been donated to the college by Debian Sarge.
Rumptz said he is hoping to run Linux classes through the Community Development Institute to offer courses on Linux and provide these computers to participants.
He said a team composed of himself, Duane Sablan, and the NMC ILT department has done all of the work on the computers such as the Linux conversion.
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