| 'wIndependence Day' essay contest results |
by DesktopLinux.com staff (updated August 8, 2002)
 DesktopLinux.com is pleased to announce the winners in our first annual wIndependence Day essay contest. This new annual celebration focuses on the burgeoning use of Linux on business, government, educational institution, and personal end-user computer desktops as an alternative to dependence on Microsoft's Windows operating system and associated products.
We invited readers to send in their 500-1000 word accounts about how they have 'kicked the Windows habit' or implemented Linux as a Windows-alternative in their company or organization. For further background, please see . . . wIndependence Day 2002 captured the attention of the Linux community as well as many Windows users, with prominent coverage at Slashdot, NewsForge, LinuxToday, PCLinuxOnline, and many other websites worldwide -- including a popular Linux enthusiast site in Russia which offered their own parallel wIndependence Day contest (with their winners announced on July 4th).
And the winners are . . .
Congratulations and 'thank you' to all of our entrants -- from the entertaining, to the educational, to the pursuasive, . . . to the Windows user who won't move to Linux!
After receiving an overwhelming number of qualified essay entries, our panel of judges laboriously selected the winners listed below. We were genuinely moved at the spirit and depth of commitment to Linux (and it's mascot, Tux) expressed by the community. At the excellent suggestion of one of our readers, we have decided to make all the essays available at DesktopLinux.com during the coming weeks -- so stay tuned. And, keep your stories coming (in our forum).
We also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the generosity and community support of the companies which provided prizes for this contest. Please join us in thanking the following providers of the leading desktop-oriented Linux distributions and productivity tools: CodeWeavers, ELX, Lindows.com, Lycoris, MandrakeSoft, NeTraverse, Opera, ShaolinMicro, Sun Microsystems, SuSE, theKompany, and Ximian.
Here, then, are the names of the 25 winning essayists (in alphabetical order), along with the prizes that they have been (randomly) awarded . . .- Ben Murray, XBill and Other Great Reasons to put Linux on the Desktop -- Opera for Linux (license to disable banner)
- Dave Berton, Why Aren't All Our Moms Running Linux? -- SuSE Linux Professional with Pro-Office
- Steven Christenson, Kicking the Windows Habit -- Mandrake Standard Edition (boxed set)
- Terrence T. Cox, Blue Monday to Tux Tuesday -- Mandrake Standard Edition (boxed set)
- Jose V. Ferro, Jr. (Jayjay), On Redmond Wood and Linux -- SuSE Linux Professional with Pro-Office
- Alexandr Fetisov, Family Migration to Linux -- Mandrake Standard Edition (boxed set)
- Mark Finlay, Learning Linux -- Mandrake Standard Edition (boxed set)
- Aaron Gosztyla, My Switch to Linux -- Mandrake Standard Edition (boxed set)
- Charles Howell, And a Child Shall Lead Them -- Ximian Desktop Professional Edition, plus Ximian Red Carpet Express account
- Brian Jamison, I Did A Crazy Thing -- a Microtel LindowsOS-powered computer system
- Jon Larabee, Linux is a beautiful creation . . . -- Opera for Linux (license to disable banner)
- Ron Lauzon, Microsoft Free since July 06, 2001 -- CodeWeavers Crossover Office and CrossOver Plugin
- Steven Cohen Louden, How a freak Powerbook accident made me into a Linux/Laptop Geek -- Mandrake PowerPack (boxed set)
- John McKeown, A Road to Windependence -- StarOffice 6.0 boxed set, plus theKompany Kivio mp
- David McNab, Just Say No! -- Mandrake ProSuite (boxed set)
- Arjun R. Nath, The Ballad of My wIndependence -- Mandrake PowerPack (boxed set)
- Peter Pyrkosz, The Return of the Gurus -- NeTraverse Win4Lin
- Tom Searing, 'Windependence' -- Opera for Linux (license to disable banner)
- Grant Shearer, Linux Love -- ELX Linux distribution, plus an ELX tee shirt
- D L Tai Sines, Transition to Linux -- StarOffice 6.0 boxed set, plus ShaolinMicro Aptus 2.0
- Greg Smith, The Libertari Plan -- Opera for Linux (license to disable banner)
- Chris Stevens, From the Flight Deck . . . -- Lycoris Desktop/LX 'Update 2 Beta CD' hot off the press, plus a Lycoris tee shirt
- 'Tiji', For housewives . . . -- SuSE Linux Professional with Pro-Office (boxed set)
- Volodymyr Vakhitov, Why I Want to Give Up Windows -- SuSE Linux Professional with Pro-Office
- Dmitry Voloshin, How I got rid of Windows -- Mandrake PowerPack (boxed set)
DesktopLinux.com will publish five additional winning essays each week. Thanks for your participation in this exciting event!
(Click here for further information)
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