The OpenSource Community revolves around the notion of developing & providing software that is free to study, copy, modify and distribute with appropriate licenses governing the process.

Free Software Foundation : http://www.fsf.org/

The GNU Project : http://www.gnu.org/

LinuX Magazines/Journals/Forums

Linux Journal : http://www.linuxjournal.com/

Tux Magazine : http://www.tuxmagazine.com/

LinuX & M$

Latest Releases/Upcoming Products

Want to keep yourself updated with the hundreds of Linux Distros literally pumping their way into the market? Here’s a one stop link for you that does just this & much more. Infact, you could assess the rankings, recent popularity and usage of each of these flavours. Download versions of any of them you want, find useful Linux newsletters, PodCasts, Reviews, Software Packages.

DistroWatch : http://distrowatch.com

I initially found it kind of wild visting arbitrary sites to peep into & download linux software (tarballs, rpms & all that). I am pretty sure it would get people new to Linux on their nerves to hunt for software they need to download & install. But the openworld is getting easier day by day. Thanks to repositories like CNR wherein you find most of the Linux Packages you would need for your daily dosage. You not only find them but can install them direct to you PC or download the CNR client (that works somewhat similar to the apt tool in Ubuntu, or Yum in redhat equivalents).

CNR : http://www.cnr.com/index.seam

Open-Source Project Hunt

National Resource Centre for Free/Open Source Software (NRCFOSS) aims to contribute to the growth of FOSS in India through Research and Development, Human Resource Development, Networking and Entrepreneurship Development, as well as serve as the reference point for all FOSS related activities in the country including the creation and maintenance of this national FOSS Portal. http://www.nrcfoss.org.in/

Gnome Bangalore is a set of volunteers whose vision is to create a vibrant open source community in and around Bangalore contributing towards GNOME and open source. This initiative is supported by group of people in Novell Bangalore and is increasing in popularity among the student community as well as among the industry.

I am extremely thankful to the NOSIP programme by gnomebangalore.org but for which i would not have been exposed to LinuX !! http://www.gnomebangalore.org/

SourceForge contains a plethora of opensource projects managed by opensource communities worldwide, that work to maintain & release the products. And remember YOU CAN BE ONE OF THEM TOO !! http://sourceforge.net/

Google Summer of Code is a handsome opportunity for students to involve themselves in hardcore opensource ideas and implement them, for which they are paid stipends. There a abysmal list of projects that fall into this programme, which can be viewed @ http://code.google.com/soc/

Evolution of LinuX

Linux is the brainchild of Linus Torvalds, a Computer Science student at the University of Helsinki, who primarily advocated that source code be available for free to modify & customize. Beginning to develop his own tiny OS called Minix, he later wrote a full-fledged kernel for his operating sytem and named it Linux.

Read more : https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/rhasan/linux

Installation/Configuration/Tutorials

I would prefer to call ‘Installing Linux’ an art in itself. Though the modern distributions offer elaborate and user-friendly interfaces with tips at each step for users to breeze through the installation, people in the ancient days had a tough time tugging at the console where only commands conjured the installation to perfection. However great the Interface gets day by day, its the console that provides the appropriate thrust & flexibility to configure to your taste & put things in. Learn the basic terminologies and processes associated with Installation/Configuration/Administration in Linux here.

YoLinux : http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/

Linux HeadQuarters : http://www.linuxhq.com/guides/index.html

Vi-Editor

GRand Unified Bootloader (GRUB)

Linux Vs Windows (Smart Comparison)

Famous LUGs, Organizations, Conferences

Software Repositories, RPM Sites, blah blah blah …

Fun with TuX

“LinuX Hall of Fame” (Men who contributed to this great Operating System)

Certifications Available

Useful e-books

[Precise Links on] :
* Linux Magazines, Journals, Forums
* Linux Sayings
* Linux & M$
* Distro Watch – Latest Release, Upcoming
* SourceForge. Savanna, other project sites
* GNU.org
* History of Linux, Linux Evolution, Linux Torvalds
* Linux Tutorials on all aspects in Linux (Watch out , this s gonna be a never-ending list !)
* Linux Installation
* Vi-Editor
* Command-line
* Tips-and-Tricks
* Grub Golmaal ! (All about the issues on GRUB & on how to fix it !)
* Linux Vs Windows – neck & neck !!
* NOSIP – gnomebangalore.org, nosip-web-page, beagle-home-page
* LUGs, Linux Organizations, Conferences, Seminars
* Linux Softwares, Repositories, FTP/HTTP download sites, RPM sites
* Uncyclopedia, Linux-Fun& Criticism
* Glorious Linux Backgrounds
* Linux – Hall of Fame (Men who contributed)
* Linux Certification – Redhat & other
* Linux e-books
* Important Articles on linux
* Latest in Linux – NEWZ Streaming Hot !

P.S. If i missed out anything, pl send in a mail to parameshr@gmail.com ! Thanks