Turkish Linux Users Group was established in 1995 during the ‘1st Internet Conference’ by the Turkish Linux community as an informal association. Linux community started in 1992 at universities and mailing lists was established to cummunicate within the community. In 1995, community got together for the first time in person, confirmed a desire to work together in a virtual association to support Linux and the free software philosophy. Since 1995 up to the half part of 2000 Turkish free software voluntaries under the name of ‘Turkish Linux Users Group’ had been trying to promote this philosophy, the softwares of its productions and encourage to use them and softwares to be developed in this model.

Informal ‘Turkish Linux Users’ become a chartered association in May 2000, realized their first general committee meeting in November 2001 under the name ‘Linux Users Association’.

Turkish Linux Users Association aims to be focal point for all Free Software Related Activities; a platform involving all related parties, and a promoter, organizer of Linux and Free Software activities within the country. Linux Users Association runs webs, mailing lists, ftps; conduct seminers, courses, festivals, all kinds of meetings; promote successful case studies, organize roadshows; to promote Linux and Free Software Community, bring together, academic, commercial, govermental and non-govermental organizations.

The web site http://www.linux.org.tr that has been administrating since 1996 by LKD, has been also used as a meeting point for Turkish free software developers. This web site which is in the service of monthly 27.000 visitors have been updating via the supports of the members. Also the ftp site of the society that has the capacity of 2 TB, is accepted as the distribution point of Linux distributions in Turkey and is an official mirror of Turkey for most of software. Through the discussion lists that has been used for assistance and common study field; there has been distributing over 1.000.000 e-mail messages for monthly and has been transported to the members.

Turkish free software developers have been participating to lots of the related sectoral activities, training seminars, panels. LKD is participating and providing an intensive seminer series in Internet Conferences and Academic Computing Conferences from the beginning. LKD has been participating “Internet Festival” activities with intensive seminers and “in place seminers” given at varius universities all over the country.

Turkish Linux Users Association has been organizing the biggest Linux event in Turkey, the “Linux and Free Softare Festival” since 2002. With the participation of over 2000 penguins ranging form novice to experts, it is a social event with technical and philosophical aspects.

LKD has established vounteer groups working on various projects such as localization, software developments, the documentation in Turkish. There are standing committes to organize regular seminers and rolling seminers.

LKD invites anybody who sympathies with free software philosopy and willing to learn together, and contribute to Linux and Free Software Movement in Turkey.