Linux draws big numbers to Bangalore

For the third year running, India’s Silicon Valley drew a 1500-strong crowd at a technology event that’s turning into a pilgrimage for both
neo-converts and worshippers bowing at the altar of Open Source.

Called Linux-Bangalore, this is the largest Open Source event in India, and happens early each December in South Asia’s most IT-savvy city, Bangalore.
It came this year at a time when India’s involvement with Free/Libre and Open Source Software is being closely watched across the globe–opportunities
and challenges to the alternative-to-Windows GNU/Linux computer operating system are growing fast across the country, and Indians themselves are
increasingly playing a more-noticeable role in world of Linux.

Some 96 talks went into this year’s brew. “We had around 1,500 participants. It was difficult to count. But going by the meals eaten, the total number
of delegates, speakers and exhibits exceeded that figure,” LB2003 event coordinator Kartik N told Linux Magazine here.