Conceived in 2002, The Linux Coaching Org project is the brainchild of David Bell and Dave Holden,
advocates and promotors of Linux for more than 8 years until mid 2003, through their now defunct west London web design studio
and Linux consultancy, Rainbow Cyber Services Ltd.
Pressured by the UK's poor IT economical status, its government's lip service and lack of serious interest toward OpenSource,
the high cost of London living and the increasing demands and restrictions imposed by the local council,
the two entrepreneurs needed to find a way to focus their skills, lower overheads and expand into new areas condusive to the Free Software concept.
For long, they had courted the idea of relocating to France, and in March of 2003, the opportunity finally presented itself,
when they discovered a property large enough to host the type of establishment they envisaged, in a suitable location and at an affordable price.
At last, after closure of the sale, tying up of loose ends and bringing a project team together, on August 2nd, the move took place.
Ten tons of years of accumulated tools and possessions were packed and transported to a village,
situated 850 metres up in the Livradois Forez national park area of the Auvergne, a region of outstanding natural beauty and picturesque scenery.
The 150 year old house - uninhabited for ten years - first had to be made livable, and so most of August (while the weather was hot),
was spent assessing and carrying out the most urgent repairs such as replacing the kitchen floor and renovating the cooking equipment,
rewiring throughout and checking that heating and hot water would be available for the coming months.
Getting to know the neighbours, socialising in the village and learning the local places to shop was a priority.
Initially a start was made to provide the basics needed to ensure that the project team workers could function to a schedule.
With a project of this size, some 345 sq metres of living space, a plan had to be drawn up to make sure work could proceed in a structured manner.
The local lumberyard was visited and contact was made with nearby builders merchants and DIY stores in the surrounding towns.
By mid September, the main salon, scheduled as a cybercafe and coffee bar, had been decorated, and a decision (based on local advice),
was taken to replace the rotting softwood floor with a cement base and ceramic floor tiles asap.
Most of the windows and frames on the ground floor were repaired and repainted.
The kitchen furniture was designed and local beech wood ordered in preparation.
The kitchen and the 'arrière cuisine' or larder were both redecorated throughout and a workshop set-up in the garage
for the wood work needed to construct the furniture.
All the design work was first done on a Linux system using Cycas, a CAD package designed for architects.
Using Cycas, it was possible to create 3D images of the rooms to scale and place the furniture to fit.
Here are some screen shots of the kitchen furniture, the main cybercafe salon and some shots of the Linux Lab
to be situated in what was originally the 'grenier' or attic.
Early October, work began on the GNU/Linux Lab, the conversion of a fairly derelict 'grenier' (attic) requiring restoration
and decoration into a 50 sq m suite. Here visitors can work and study GNU/Linux. With attached electronics workshop, server room and Gnu bar,
views of the surrounding forests and countryside, it should provide a geek's heaven.
By the end of October, its nearly ready for furniture, hardware, power/network cabling and satellite link.
Here are some more before and after pictures to show the effort being taken and the changes as they are being made.
We've brought light into the rooms as you can see from these pictures of bedrooms, although the blue room is shown with the shutters closed the light colours give the house an airy feeling.
Second six months. 02/04-08/04
Third six months. 08/04-02/05 :
Miscellaneous.
