Organisers announced today (February 7, 2005) that they were to have Apache co-founder Brian Behlendorf taking part in the event.

(Apache HTTP Server is an open source HTTP web server for Unix platforms -- BSD, Linux, and UNIX systems -- and Microsoft Windows, and other platforms. Apache features highly configurable error messages, DBMS-based
authentication databases, and content negotiation, it is also supported by several GUIs which permit easier, more intuitive configuration of the server. See  http://gui.apache.org/ The Apache HTTP Server is developed and maintained by an open community of developers under the auspices of the Apache Software Foundation.)

In addition, they are to have Robert Adkins and Ms Alolita Sharma from Technetra, California, Ms Danese Cooper from Sun MicroSystems, MySQL founder David Axmark, and others join their event.

(MySQL is a multithreaded, multi-user, SQL (Structured Query Language) relational database server or RDBMS. MySQL is available either under the GNU General Public License or under other licenses when the GPL is inapplicable to the intended use. Unlike projects such as Apache, MySQL is owned and sponsored by a single for-profit firm, the Swedish company MySQL AB.)

This year's event will focus on localisation projects, PHP5, Python, MySQL The Commercial FOSS Database, and more. Visit  http://gunify.sicsr.ac.in for details or contact  gnunify@symbiosiscomputers.com

GNUnify is being organised by students of the Masters of Science in Computer Applications -- MSc(CA) degree programme -- of the Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies and Research. SICSR was set up in 1985, and offers several full-time and part-time courses.

Each year, they organise this Free/Open Source Software Event. GNUnify aims at "contributing and encouraging the use of FOSS", said a release from the organisers.

"Initiated in the year 2003, 'GNUnify' is a forum to unite open minds. The event aims at spreading teh philosophy of GNU/Linux -- unifying and strengthening the use of FLOSS," they said.

Student-organisers said they were successful over the past two years, and had made this three-day event happen from February 13 to 15 this year.

Event schedule for this year is as follows:

Feb 13 Linux Eduvantage -- awareness for school students and teachers Feb 14 Install fest, techie talks, workshops and tutorials Feb 15 Seminars, panel discussion.

See the story at:  http://gunify.sicsr.ac.in