15 years ago MHVLUG was formed around the nascent Linux operating system. Linux was just transitioning from the hobbyist and ISP realms into every day work in non technology businesses. What Linux needed was human networks where people could get together and help each other with what they were learning. MHVLUG was created to be that kind of place. We started a monthly lecture series to share our expertise. We held regular weekend install fests to help people install and configure Linux on their computers.

A lot has changed in 15 years. Linux is now everywhere. As a group, we branched out from just Linux pretty quickly. Over the past few years our agenda has rarely included Linux itself. Open data efforts, like Open Street maps. Preservation of culture efforts, like the Internet Archive. Even addressing other challenges we have in the field, like Overcoming Imposter Syndrome. Our content evolved, but the name remained the same.

A name is a first impression. And it became more and more clear that Linux User Group comes with a lot of preconceptions in the minds of folks not familiar with our group. Those preconceptions keep folks away. Folks we’d love to have in the room, on the stage, and part of our leadership team. 15 years is a nice round number, and a sensible place to make the break from the old to the new.

What does this mean for the monthly meetings?

Very little. Meetings will still be happening every 1st Wednesday and the content will largely be similar. This gives us a little more freedom on topic choices, anchored around the concept of open technologies.

What does this mean for the website?

Over the next 6 months we’ll be converting over to the new branding across our website and all the social networks we participate in. As this is a nights and weekend effort, it will take a while. Expect to see both mhvlug and hvopen references for a while.

Lots of thanks to go around

Thanks to Al Jachimiak for triggering the rebrand idea initially. Thanks to Milo Axelrod for working with us to provide the new branding. Thanks to the leadership team for helping shephard this process along.