Past events

Get started with Linux by installing it on your computer.

Of course, we'll help you: Bring your laptop and charger and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as with your first steps and basic customization.
You can choose to keep your existing operating system and install Linux next to it.
Still, it's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

You may of course stay longer than the indicated time should we encounter issues with installing Linux on your laptop.

ChromeBooks (all versions), Apple MacBook Pros (after Oct. 2016) and Apple MacBooks (12" model) are not well supported by Linux due to hardware restrictions, and we do not recommend installing Linux on those devices.
If you intend to buy a new laptop to install Linux on, stay away from these devices altogether.

In this course you will learn about the wide family of free operating systems based on the Linux kernel, some of the most useful software tools available for them, as well as the philosophy that made them so successful.

Find out how easy to use and yet powerful Linux systems are, discover their advantages when compared to other operating systems, and get to understand their basic structure and most important concepts.
Furthermore, discover different flavours of Linux and get a feeling for which distribution and desktop environment would be the right match for you.

Discover the differences between Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and proprietary software, and find out why these differences matter.
This captivating lecture will provide you with information about the advantages of Free Software licenses, as well as show you the historical background of the Linux kernel.
Additionally, we show why Free Software and Open Data is important even beyond the world of Linux.

Learn how you can regain full control over your data!

Planning and executing a good backup strategy is crucial to avoid loosing our data. Unfortunately, most people learn this the hard way! In this Spotlight session we will explain a few general rules to plan our backups, and then we will see how to actually implement our strategy with the free software Borg.

Constant surveillance has ceased to be a dystopic scenario, it has rather become a dull reality. We will look into how our phones are being used to spy on us, and how we can escape this surveillance. Additionally, concepts of privacy and security will be explained so that you can develop a consistent threat mitigation strategy suited for your needs.

This event is a collaboration with Student Project House.

Learn how you can use Bash to program simple scripts that can save you a lot of work. Bash is a scripting language that is designed to interact with other programs and your system easily. Whether you want to backup your newest files to a hard drive or quickly download a lot of PDFs—with Bash, you can do it at a keystroke.

This event is a collaboration with Student Project House.

Git is the state-of-the-art version control system, taking away the pain of continuously changing file versions. Keep track of who changed what, when and why, and revert changes easily.
GitLab allows you to save the files to the cloud, giving you a secure backup location and enabling easy collaboration. Never lose your files again, and coordinate changes in even bigger projects with ease.

This course gives you a solid understanding of git and GitLab, including its basic concepts.
We will have exercise breaks where you can apply the concepts at your own pace.

This event is a collaboration with Student Project House.

Linux is well-known for being configurable and fitting many different styles of use. But what can you do with it?
Our goal in the Linux Toolbox course is to introduce a large range of tools and to teach you how you can profit from them. We'll show you typical tasks that Linux is good at, such as renaming hundreds of files, searching and replacing text, automatic downloading etc.. This way, you'll be able to recognize those tasks in the wild and don't have to do them by hand.
Linux has many useful tools, so we don't intend to cover them all in detail. We'll instead take a sweeping glance to cover as many use cases as possible and provide you with learning resources if you want to delve deeper into a topic. Most of the course will take place on the command line, but no prerequisite knowledge is required.

Get started with Linux by installing it on your computer.

Of course, we'll help you: Bring your laptop and charger and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as with your first steps and basic customization.
You can choose to keep your existing operating system and install Linux next to it.
Still, it's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

You may of course stay longer than the indicated time should we encounter issues with installing Linux on your laptop.

ChromeBooks (all versions), Apple MacBook Pros (after Oct. 2016) and Apple MacBooks (12" model) are not well supported by Linux due to hardware restrictions, and we do not recommend installing Linux on those devices.
If you intend to buy a new laptop to install Linux on, stay away from these devices altogether.

This event is a collaboration with Student Project House.

Get started with Linux by installing it on your computer.

Of course, we'll help you: Bring your laptop and charger and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as with your first steps and basic customization.
You can choose to keep your existing operating system and install Linux next to it.
Still, it's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

You may of course stay longer than the indicated time should we encounter issues with installing Linux on your laptop.

ChromeBooks (all versions), Apple MacBook Pros (after Oct. 2016) and Apple MacBooks (12" model) are not well supported by Linux due to hardware restrictions, and we do not recommend installing Linux on those devices.
If you intend to buy a new laptop to install Linux on, stay away from these devices altogether.

In this course you will learn about the wide family of free operating systems based on the Linux kernel, some of the most useful software tools available for them, as well as the philosophy that made them so successful.

Find out how easy to use and yet powerful Linux systems are, discover their advantages when compared to other operating systems, and get to understand their basic structure and most important concepts.
Furthermore, discover different flavours of Linux and get a feeling for which distribution and desktop environment would be the right match for you.

Discover the differences between Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and proprietary software, and find out why these differences matter.
This captivating lecture will provide you with information about the advantages of Free Software licenses, as well as show you the historical background of the Linux kernel.
Additionally, we show why Free Software and Open Data is important even beyond the world of Linux.

Learn how you can regain full control over your data!

Constant surveillance has ceased to be a dystopic scenario, it has rather become a dull reality. We will look into how our phones are being used to spy on us, and how we can escape this surveillance. Additionally, concepts of privacy and security will be explained so that you can develop a consistent threat mitigation strategy suited for your needs.

tbd

Linux is well-known for being configurable and fitting many different styles of use. But what can you do with it?
Our goal in the Linux Toolbox course is to introduce a large range of tools and to teach you how you can profit from them. We'll show you typical tasks that Linux is good at, such as renaming hundreds of files, searching and replacing text, automatic downloading etc.. This way, you'll be able to recognize those tasks in the wild and don't have to do them by hand.
Linux has many useful tools, so we don't intend to cover them all in detail. We'll instead take a sweeping glance to cover as many use cases as possible and provide you with learning resources if you want to delve deeper into a topic. Most of the course will take place on the command line, but no prerequisite knowledge is required.

Learn how you can use Bash to program simple scripts that can save you a lot of work. Bash is a scripting language that is designed to interact with other programs and your system easily. Whether you want to backup your newest files to a hard drive or quickly download a lot of PDFs—with Bash, you can do it at a keystroke.

Get started with Linux by installing it on your computer.

Of course, we'll help you: Bring your laptop and charger and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as with your first steps and basic customization.
You can choose to keep your existing operating system and install Linux next to it.
Still, it's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

You may of course stay longer than the indicated time should we encounter issues with installing Linux on your laptop.

ChromeBooks (all versions), Apple MacBook Pros (after Oct. 2016) and Apple MacBooks (12" model) are not well supported by Linux due to hardware restrictions, and we do not recommend installing Linux on those devices.
If you intend to buy a new laptop to install Linux on, stay away from these devices altogether.

In this course you will learn about the wide family of free operating systems based on the Linux kernel, some of the most useful software tools available for them, as well as the philosophy that made them so successful.

Find out how easy to use and yet powerful Linux systems are, discover their advantages when compared to other operating systems, and get to understand their basic structure and most important concepts.
Furthermore, discover different flavours of Linux and get a feeling for which distribution and desktop environment would be the right match for you.

The course will be broadcast online

Take a deeper look into how a PDF file is structured, and learn about the pro / cons of the file format. As part of this talk, we will look at the PDF and TTF specification and a (unfinished) PDF compiler (=a program that creates PDFs). At the end of this talk, you can create a minimal PDF from scratch in a text editor.

The course will be broadcast online

IT projects are notoriously late and over budget. Technical skills are usually not the problem; but scope creep, unresolved dependencies and too optimistic forecasts are.

We will look at how you can realistically estimate effort and forecast results, and what tasks are necessary throughout the project to be able to actually deliver. The course takes the point of view of an IT Freelancer, but the tools are universal and may be applied to different contexts.

The course will be broadcast online

In this course we are going to take a short look at running Linux on not Intel-based architectures. What alternatives are there and why would you use them? What works and what doesn't? Where are problems and portability pitfalls? Does the promise of portability Open Source promises really hold up to reality?

The course will be broadcast online

This is a crash course into web development. Do you want to create your own personal (research?) webpage, customize a theme, or event want to become a web developer? This will help you to get started.

We will introduce HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP and add some design / user experience on the way. You need no prior knowledge, and need not to be a programmer (although we will of course write code)!

The course will be broadcast online

Like many others, we found ourselves having to move to online meetings - specifically Zoom, after the ETH closed in the beginning of March 2020. When recording with Zoom, a nice feature is the ability to save the audio of different people to individual files, allowing easy editing in post. Unfortunately, Zoom decided to trim any silences found in those audio tracks and as such they become impossible to sync in post. Thus I decided to reverse engineer Zoom, specifically how they store the temporary recording files and hopefully extract the full untouched audio tracks.

In this talk, I will go through the journey taken, to go from not knowing what part of Zoom handles recordings to fully extracting all data from the temporary files. Attendees will learn important aspects when reverse engineering any software as well as file formats. Furthermore, they will see common pitfalls and difficulties I encountered, specifically with C++ software. I will explore all of this, in the context of how the Zoom recording and transcoding architecture works, as well as the custom file format Zoom uses.

The course will be broadcast online

Git is the state-​of-the-art version control system, taking away the pain of continuously changing file versions. Keep track of who changed what, when and why, and revert changes easily.
GitLab allows you to save the files to the cloud, giving you a secure backup location and enabling easy collaboration. Never lose your files again, and coordinate changes in even bigger projects with ease.

This course gives you a solid understanding of git and GitLab, including its basic concepts.
We will have exercise breaks where you can apply the concepts at your own pace.

The course will be broadcast online

Linux is well-known for being configurable and fitting many different styles of use. But what can you do with it?
Our goal in the Linux Toolbox course is to introduce a large range of tools and to teach you how you can profit from them. We'll show you typical tasks that Linux is good at, such as renaming hundreds of files, searching and replacing text, automatic downloading etc.. This way, you'll be able to recognize those tasks in the wild and don't have to do them by hand.
Linux has many useful tools, so we don't intend to cover them all in detail. We'll instead take a sweeping glance to cover as many use cases as possible and provide you with learning resources if you want to delve deeper into a topic. Most of the course will take place on the command line, but no prerequisite knowledge is required.

The course will be broadcast online

In this course you will learn about the wide family of free operating systems based on the Linux kernel, some of the most useful software tools available for them, as well as the philosophy that made them so successful.

Find out how easy to use and yet powerful Linux systems are, discover their advantages when compared to other operating systems, and get to understand their basic structure and most important concepts.
Furthermore, discover different flavours of Linux and get a feeling for which distribution and desktop environment would be the right match for you.

The year is 2020 AD. All writing is entirely dominated by modern text editors. All writing? No! An unfaltering editor by the name of Vim still resists capitulation.

In this talk we show why a 29-year-old text editor is still highly relevant and discuss its design, features and future. We start with an introduction to Vim and then delve into some of its more advanced features.

Learn about the origins of Unix, one of the predecessors of Linux which is still very much relevant and in use today.

Take your new abilities a step further: Learn how you can use Bash to program simple scripts that can save you a lot of work. Bash is a scripting language that is designed to interact with other programs and your system easily. Whether you want to backup your newest files to a hard drive or quickly download a lot of PDFs - with Bash, you can do it at a keystroke.

Note that we highly recommend visiting "The Console Toolkit" if you have no prior experience with the Linux terminal.

All Corona safety measures can be implemented, and the room reservation is confirmed.

Now that you have your Linux system up and running, it's time to make the best out of it.
Learn how to utilize the console and work towards mastering it in this two-part course.

We will start with the basics, and present you some useful terminal applications designed to simplify your workflow.
Furthermore, you may directly solidify the abilities you learn by solving short exercises.

This way, you will feel comfortable with using the console in no time!

All Corona safety measures can be implemented, and the room reservation is confirmed.

Now that you have your Linux system up and running, it's time to make the best out of it.
Learn how to utilize the console and work towards mastering it in this two-part course.

We will start with the basics, and present you some useful terminal applications designed to simplify your workflow.
Furthermore, you may directly solidify the abilities you learn by solving short exercises.

This way, you will feel comfortable with using the console in no time!

All Corona safety measures can be implemented, and the room reservation is confirmed.

Get started with Linux by installing it on your computer.

Of course, we'll help you: Bring your laptop and charger and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as with your first steps and basic customization.
You can choose to keep your existing operating system and install Linux next to it.
Still, it's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

You may of course stay longer than the indicated time should we encounter issues with installing Linux on your laptop.

ChromeBooks (all versions), Apple MacBook Pros (after Oct. 2016) and Apple MacBooks (12" model) are not well supported by Linux due to hardware restrictions, and we do not recommend installing Linux on those devices.
If you intend to buy a new laptop to install Linux on, stay away from these devices altogether.

All Corona safety measures can be implemented, and the room reservation is confirmed.

Get started with Linux by installing it on your computer.

Of course, we'll help you: Bring your laptop and charger and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as with your first steps and basic customization.
You can choose to keep your existing operating system and install Linux next to it.
Still, it's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

You may of course stay longer than the indicated time should we encounter issues with installing Linux on your laptop.

ChromeBooks (all versions), Apple MacBook Pros (after Oct. 2016) and Apple MacBooks (12" model) are not well supported by Linux due to hardware restrictions, and we do not recommend installing Linux on those devices.
If you intend to buy a new laptop to install Linux on, stay away from these devices altogether.

All Corona safety measures can be implemented, and the room reservation is confirmed.

Now that you know the ethical advantages of Free Software, in this course you will learn about a wide family of free operating systems based on the Linux kernel, as well as some of the most useful software tools available for them.

Find out how easy to use and yet powerful Linux systems are, discover their advantages when compared to other operating systems, and get to understand their basic structure and most important concepts.
Furthermore, discover different flavours of Linux and get a feeling for which distribution and desktop environment would be the right match for you.

All Corona safety measures can be implemented, and the room reservation is confirmed.

Discover the differences between Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and proprietary software, and find out why these differences matter.
This captivating lecture will provide you with information about the advantages of Free Software licenses, as well as show you the historical background of the Linux kernel.
Additionally, we show why Free Software and Open Data is important even beyond the world of Linux.

Learn how you can regain full control over your data!

All classroom teaching has been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

If you have a modern computer, it is impossible to run only free software on it. Hidden from plain sight, management engines and service processors are running and firmware needs to be flashed, all of whose operating systems and programs can only be distributed as binary blobs by the hardware vendors. This talk shines a light into this world dominated by closed-source software.

All Corona safety measures can be implemented, and the room reservation is confirmed.

Take your new abilities a step further: Learn how you can use Bash to program simple scripts that can save you a lot of work. Bash is a scripting language that is designed to interact with other programs and your system easily. Whether you want to backup your newest files to a hard drive or quickly download a lot of PDFs—with Bash, you can do it at a keystroke.

Note that we highly recommend visiting "The Console Toolkit" if you have no prior experience with the Linux terminal.

All classroom teaching has been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Now that you have your Linux system up and running, it's time to make the best out of it. Learn how to utilize the console and work towards mastering it in this two-part course. We will start with the basics, and present you some useful terminal applications designed to simplify your workflow. Furthermore, you may directly solidify the abilities you learn by solving short exercises.

This way, you will feel comfortable with using the console in no time!

All classroom teaching has been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Now that you have your Linux system up and running, it's time to make the best out of it. Learn how to utilize the console and work towards mastering it in this two-part course. We will start with the basics, and present you some useful terminal applications designed to simplify your workflow. Furthermore, you may directly solidify the abilities you learn by solving short exercises.

This way, you will feel comfortable with using the console in no time!

All classroom teaching has been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Docker has revolutionized the way we work at Beekeeper AG. It allows us to easily deploy our software and guarantees that the runtime environment we have locally is identical to the one we use in production. But how does it work, and how can it be used effectively? What exactly is this magic that allows us to run our software on any platform without deviation? Why is that so important, and how could it be useful to you?
Prepare for a Docker deep dive and learn how this technology can help you in developing your own applications. No previous knowledge required.

Generously supported by

All classroom teaching has been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Did we wake your interest? Then get started with Linux by installing it on your computer.

Of course, we'll help you: Bring your laptop and charger to one of the two Install Events and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as with your first steps and basic customization. You can choose to keep your existing operating system and install Linux next to it. Still, it's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

Note that you can sign up in one of 4 time slots each day. You may of course stay longer than the indicated time should we encounter issues with installing Linux on your laptop.

ChromeBooks (all versions), Apple MacBook Pros (after Oct. 2016) and Apple MacBooks (12" model) are not well supported by Linux due to hardware restrictions, and we do not recommend installing Linux on those devices. If you intend to buy a new laptop to install Linux on, stay away from these devices altogether.

All classroom teaching has been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Did we wake your interest? Then get started with Linux by installing it on your computer.

Of course, we'll help you: Bring your laptop and charger to one of the two Install Events and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as with your first steps and basic customization. You can choose to keep your existing operating system and install Linux next to it. Still, it's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

Note that you can sign up in one of 4 time slots each day. You may of course stay longer than the indicated time should we encounter issues with installing Linux on your laptop.

ChromeBooks (all versions), Apple MacBook Pros (after Oct. 2016) and Apple MacBooks (12" model) are not well supported by Linux due to hardware restrictions, and we do not recommend installing Linux on those devices. If you intend to buy a new laptop to install Linux on, stay away from these devices altogether.

All classroom teaching has been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Now that you know the ethical advantages of Free Software, in this course you will learn about a wide family of free operating systems based on the Linux kernel, as well as some of the most useful software tools available for them.

Find out how easy to use and yet powerful Linux systems are, discover their advantages when compared to other operating systems, and get to understand their basic structure and most important concepts. Furthermore, discover different flavours of Linux and get a feeling for which distribution and desktop environment would be the right match for you.

Discover the differences between Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and proprietary software, and find out why these differences matter. This captivating lecture will provide you with information about the advantages of Free Software licenses, as well as show you the historical background of the Linux kernel. Additionally, we show why Free Software and Open Data is important even beyond the world of Linux.

Learn how you can regain full control over your data!

Software is an indispensable tool for data analysis in particular and science in general. To the modern researcher, the computer is like an extension of the mind. Just like an efficient mind is free of second-hand preconceptions and hidden assumptions, an efficient software environment is free of second-hand precompiled code and hidden dependencies.

In this lecture you will learn how dependency management puts YOU in the driver's seat, and makes the scientific software you use and the work you use it for clean, transparent, and reproducible.

Linux is known for its exceptional tooling when it comes to software development. This talk will highlight the part of the tooling related to debugging by showing off some of the most important tools, explaining the basics of their functionality and usage. From segfaults to deadlocks, it will hopefully give you the tools to deal with any of them.

The talk only requires familiarity with C.

Take your new abilities a step further: Learn how you can use Bash to program simple scripts that can save you a lot of work. Bash is a scripting language that is designed to interact with other programs and your system easily. Whether you want to backup your newest files to a hard drive or quickly download a lot of PDFs—with Bash, you can do it at a keystroke.

Note that we highly recommend visiting "The Console Toolkit" if you have no prior experience with the Linux terminal.

Now that you have your Linux system up and running, it's time to make the best out of it. Learn how to utilize the console and work towards mastering it in this two-part course. We will start with the basics, and present you some useful terminal applications designed to simplify your workflow. Furthermore, you may directly solidify the abilities you learn by solving short exercises.

This way, you will feel comfortable with using the console in no time!

Now that you have your Linux system up and running, it's time to make the best out of it. Learn how to utilize the console and work towards mastering it in this two-part course. We will start with the basics, and present you some useful terminal applications designed to simplify your workflow. Furthermore, you may directly solidify the abilities you learn by solving short exercises.

This way, you will feel comfortable with using the console in no time!

Did we wake your interest? Then get started with Linux by installing it on your computer.

Of course, we'll help you: Bring your laptop and charger to one of the two Install Events and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as with your first steps and basic customization. You can choose to keep your existing operating system and install Linux next to it. Still, it's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

Note that you can sign up in one of 4 time slots each day. You may of course stay longer than the indicated time should we encounter issues with installing Linux on your laptop.

ChromeBooks (all versions), Apple MacBook Pros (after Oct. 2016) and Apple MacBooks (12" model) are not well supported by Linux due to hardware restrictions, and we do not recommend installing Linux on those devices. If you intend to buy a new laptop to install Linux on, stay away from these devices altogether.

Did we wake your interest? Then get started with Linux by installing it on your computer.

Of course, we'll help you: Bring your laptop and charger to one of the two Install Events and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as with your first steps and basic customization. You can choose to keep your existing operating system and install Linux next to it. Still, it's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

Note that you can sign up in one of 4 time slots each day. You may of course stay longer than the indicated time should we encounter issues with installing Linux on your laptop.

ChromeBooks (all versions), Apple MacBook Pros (after Oct. 2016) and Apple MacBooks (12" model) are not well supported by Linux due to hardware restrictions, and we do not recommend installing Linux on those devices. If you intend to buy a new laptop to install Linux on, stay away from these devices altogether.

Now that you know the ethical advantages of Free Software, in this course you will learn about a wide family of free operating systems based on the Linux kernel, as well as some of the most useful software tools available for them.

Find out how easy to use and yet powerful Linux systems are, discover their advantages when compared to other operating systems, and get to understand their basic structure and most important concepts. Furthermore, discover different flavours of Linux and get a feeling for which distribution and desktop environment would be the right match for you.

Discover the differences between Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and proprietary software, and find out why these differences matter. This captivating lecture will provide you with information about the advantages of Free Software licenses, as well as show you the historical background of the Linux kernel. Additionally, we show why Free Software and Open Data is important even beyond the world of Linux.

Learn how you can regain full control over your data!

https://www.thealternative.ch/rms

Learn how you can use Bash to program simple scripts that can save you a lot of work. Bash is a scripting language that is designed to interact with other programs and your system easily. Whether you want to backup your newest files to a hard drive or quickly download a lot of PDFs—with Bash, you can do it at a keystroke.

Note that we highly recommend visiting "The Console Toolkit" if you have no prior experience with the Linux terminal.

You are required to bring your own Linux laptop to work on. If that is not possible for you, please contact us and we will try to help you out.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch
Slides (pdf) Guide (pdf) Bash Guide (url) Exercises (pdf) Solutions (pdf)

Now that you have your Linux system up and running, it's time to make the best of it. Learn how to utilize the console and work towards mastering it in this two-part course. We will start with the basics, and present you some useful terminal applications designed to simplify your workflow. Furthermore, you may directly solidify the abilities you learn by solving short exercises.

This way, you will feel comfortable with using the console in no time!

Important note:
This is a two-part course, so make sure you sign up for both!
Also, remember to bring your Linux laptop in order to follow along with the examples and solve the exercises.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch
Slides (pdf) Exercises (pdf) Exercises (zip)

Now that you have your Linux system up and running, it's time to make the best of it. Learn how to utilize the console and work towards mastering it in this two-part course. We will start with the basics, and present you some useful terminal applications designed to simplify your workflow. Furthermore, you may directly solidify the abilities you learn by solving short exercises.

This way, you will feel comfortable with using the console in no time!

Important note:
This is a two-part course, so make sure you sign up for both!
Also, remember to bring your Linux laptop in order to follow along with the examples and solve the exercises.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch
Slides (pdf) Exercises (pdf) Exercises (zip)

Bring your laptop and charger to one of the two Install Events and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as with your first steps and basic customization. You can choose to keep your existing operating system and install Linux next to it. It's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

Note: This offers the same content as the first course.

Important Note:
Microsoft Surface (all versions), Apple MacBook Pros (after Oct. 2016) and Apple MacBooks (12" model) are not well supported by Linux due to hardware restrictions, and we do not recommend installing Linux on these devices. If you intend to buy a new laptop to install Linux on, stay away from these devices altogether, and instead go for a vendor that does not have their own proprietary OS (such as Lenovo, HP or Dell)

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Bring your laptop and charger to one of the two Install Events and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as with your first steps and basic customization. You can choose to keep your existing operating system and install Linux next to it. It's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

Important Note:
Microsoft Surface (all versions), Apple MacBook Pros (after Oct. 2016) and Apple MacBooks (12" model) are not well supported by Linux due to hardware restrictions, and we do not recommend installing Linux on these devices. If you intend to buy a new laptop to install Linux on, stay away from these devices altogether, and instead go for a vendor that does not have their own proprietary OS (such as Lenovo, HP or Dell)

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

In this course you will get to know about a wide family of free operating systems based on the Linux kernel, as well as some of the most useful software tools available for them.

Find out how easy to use and yet powerful Linux systems are, discover their advantages when compared to other operating systems, and get to understand their basic structure and most important concepts. Furthermore, discover different flavours of Linux and get a feeling for which distribution and desktop environment would be the right match for you.

Slides (pdf) Software Recommendations (pdf)

Discover the differences between Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and proprietary software, and find out why these differences matter. This captivating lecture will provide you with information about the advantages of Free Software licenses, as well as show you the historical background of the Linux kernel. Additionally, we show why Free Software and Open Data is important even beyond the world of Linux.

Slides (pdf)

Did you ever want to run two operating systems on the same computer simultaneously? Install Windows or a different Linux distro temporarily without the need to wipe your current OS from your laptop? Or emulate a Raspberry Pi or other platforms on your home PC? Do you want to build and test virtual "hardware" devices by yourself, without needing a multi-billion dollar manufacturing facility to produce them? Do you want to find out how huge companies can build an infrastructure with close to zero hardware malfunctions? Or do you just want to feel like the Architect from The Matrix?

All of this you can do by using open source tools on your Linux machine! Come to the talk about Virtual Computers for Real-Life Scenarios, for an overview, and some hands-on experience!

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch
Slides (pdf) Handout (pdf)

Learn how you can use Bash to program simple scripts that can save you a lot of work. Bash is a scripting language that is designed to interact with other programs and your system easily. Whether you want to backup your newest files to a hard drive or quickly download a lot of PDFs—with Bash, you can do it at a keystroke.

Note that we highly recommend visiting "The Console Toolkit" if you have no prior experience with the Linux terminal.

You are required to bring your own Linux laptop to work on. If that is not possible for you, please contact us and we will try to help you out.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch
Slides (pdf) Guide (pdf) Bash Guide (url) Exercises (pdf) Solutions (pdf)

Now that you have your Linux system up and running, it's time to make the best of it. Learn how to utilize the console and work towards mastering it in this two-part course. We will start with the basics, and present you some useful terminal applications designed to simplify your workflow. Furthermore, you may directly solidify the abilities you learn by solving short exercises.

This way, you will feel comfortable with using the console in no time!

Important note:
This is a two-part course, so make sure you sign up for both!
Also, remember to bring your Linux laptop in order to follow along with the examples and solve the exercises.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch
Slides (pdf) Exercises (pdf) Exercises (zip)

Now that you have your Linux system up and running, it's time to make the best of it. Learn how to utilize the console and work towards mastering it in this two-part course. We will start with the basics, and present you some useful terminal applications designed to simplify your workflow. Furthermore, you may directly solidify the abilities you learn by solving short exercises.

This way, you will feel comfortable with using the console in no time!

Important note:
This is a two-part course, so make sure you sign up for both!
Also, remember to bring your Linux laptop in order to follow along with the examples and solve the exercises.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch
Slides (pdf) Exercises (pdf) Exercises (zip)

Bring your laptop and charger to one of the two Install Events and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as with your first steps and basic customization. You can choose to keep your existing operating system and install Linux next to it. It's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

Important Note:
Microsoft Surface (all versions), Apple MacBook Pros (after Oct. 2016) and Apple MacBooks (12" model) are not well supported by Linux due to hardware restrictions, and we do not recommend installing Linux on those devices. If you intend to buy a new laptop to install Linux on, stay away from these devices altogether.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Bring your laptop and charger to one of the two Install Events and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as with your first steps and basic customization. You can choose to keep your existing operating system and install Linux next to it. It's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

Important Note:
Microsoft Surface (all versions), Apple MacBook Pros (after Oct. 2016) and Apple MacBooks (12" model) are not well supported by Linux due to hardware restrictions, and we do not recommend installing Linux on those devices. If you intend to buy a new laptop to install Linux on, stay away from these devices altogether.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

In this course you will get to know about a wide family of free operating systems based on the Linux kernel, as well as some of the most useful software tools available for them.

Find out how easy to use and yet powerful Linux systems are, discover their advantages when compared to other operating systems, and get to understand their basic structure and most important concepts. Furthermore, discover different flavours of Linux and get a feeling for which distribution and desktop environment would be the right match for you.

Slides (pdf) Software Recommendations (pdf)

Discover the differences between Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and proprietary software, and find out why these differences matter. This captivating lecture will provide you with information about the advantages of Free Software licenses, as well as show you the historical background of the Linux kernel. Additionally, we show why Free Software and Open Data is important even beyond the world of Linux.

Slides (pdf)

Due to an unexpected emergency, the Linux Virtualization course had to be cancelled.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Do your new abilities feel good? Then let's take them a step further: Learn how to automate your work flow with Bash, a scripting language designed to easily interact with your system and your locally installed programs. With this powerful tool, you can have your computer do any work for you, easier than ever!

So you can use your Linux now, but what of it? In this course, we show a few applications where Linux provides particularly simple and elegant solutions to specific IT problems. You'll be amazed how swiftly Linux can solve many common computer tasks that had previously wasted your time. This course builds on what you have learned in The Linux Toolkit and shows you how to use your computer efficiently, solving problems rather than fighting them.

Practice makes perfect! This workshop is intended to help Linux beginners apply what has been presented in the course The Linux Toolkit. You can think of it as the exercise session for the LinuxDays. We have prepared a number of tasks to help you get familiar with the ins and outs of the console and some of the most useful and commonplace tools you will need while working with Linux. And of course, our team of expert users will assist you should you ever get stuck. If you want to get a quicker and easier start into using Linux, don't miss out on this workshop!

Now that you have your own Linux system up and running, we will introduce you to the tools you need to master it. This course gives you the basics in a nutshell and gets you started with the console. Don't worry, we'll start from scratch, no previous knowledge is required. You will feel comfortable in no time!

Did we wake your interest? Then get started with Linux by installing it on your computer. Of course, we'll help you: Bring your laptop and charger to one of the two Install Events and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as your first steps and basic customization. You can choose to keep your existing system and install Linux next to it. Still, it's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

Did we wake your interest? Then get started with Linux by installing it on your computer. Of course, we'll help you: Bring your laptop and charger to one of the two Install Events and we will personally assist you with the installation of Linux as well as your first steps and basic customization. You can choose to keep your existing system and install Linux next to it. Still, it's important to back up your data before you come, just to be on the safe side.

Now that you know the ethical advantages of Free Software, get to know a family of Free Operating Systems. Find out how easy to use and yet powerful Linux systems are. Learn their basic concepts and the new comfort they can bring to your work flow. Discover different flavours of Linux and get a feeling as to which one could fit you best.

Discover the differences between Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and proprietary software. Find out why these differences matter and why FOSS and open formats are important. Learn how Linux came to be and how you can use it to get full control over your data as well as your computer!

Have you ever wanted to be more efficient at editing text documents? Have you ever wondered why other editors and IDEs often offer plugins to simulate certain Vim keybindings? Then visit us at this Spotlight course, where we will introduce you to the benefits of the Vim text editor! Vim is 25 years old and still stands as one of the most widely used editors in industry. We will instruct you on its basics, show you how it can improve your workflow and help you solve problems you never even knew you had with text editing!

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Take your new abilities a step further: learn how you can use bash to program simple scripts that can save you a lot of work. Whether you want to back up your newest files to a hard drive or quickly download a lot of PDFs — with bash you can do it at a keystroke.

Note: We highly recommend visiting The Linux Toolkit if you wish to attend this workshop — especially if you have no experience with the console.
Note: This course is identical to Bash Workshop 1

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Take your new abilities a step further: learn how you can use bash to program simple scripts that can save you a lot of work. Whether you want to back up your newest files to a hard drive or quickly download a lot of PDFs — with bash you can do it at a keystroke.

Note: We highly recommend visiting The Linux Toolkit if you wish to attend this workshop — especially if you have no experience with the console.
Note: This course is identical to Bash Workshop 2

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

We will show a few applications where Linux provides particularly simple and elegant solutions to specific IT problems. This course builds on what you have learned in 'The Linux Toolkit' and shows you how to use your computer efficiently, solving problems rather than fighting them.

Please bring your Linux laptop with you so that you can follow along with the examples.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

This workshop is intended to help Linux beginners apply what has been showcased in 'The Linux Toolkit'. We have prepared a number of tasks to help you get familiar with the ins and outs of the console and some of the most useful and commonplace tools you will need while working with Linux.

Please bring your Linux laptop along with you.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Get to know the tools you need to master your Linux system. We will start from scratch (no previous knowledge required), explain the most important basics in a nutshell and get you familiar with the console.

Please bring your Linux laptop to this course so that you can follow along with the examples.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Choose your favourite Linux Distribution and we'll help you install and customize it on your laptop.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Choose your favourite Linux Distribution and we'll help you install and customize it on your laptop.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Learn about the structure of Linux, its most important concepts and the comfort accompanying them. Discover different flavours of Linux and get a feeling which one would be for you. We present the most important applications and concepts and prepare you for the Install Events.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

We explain the difference between Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and proprietary software and elaborate on why these differences matter. Furthermore, we give a historical background to Linux and explain why using Free Software and open formats is important. Learn how you can get full control over your data!

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Effectively sharing complex tools and expertise is nowhere as crucial as it is in research.
In this spotlight course we explain the benefits associated with sharing your own scientific software as Free and Open Source — and provide comprehensive instructions on how to best do so.

We showcase a few scientific software projects which have successfully used this model, and — for those looking to move towards industry — we briefly detail how Free and Open Source Software is compatible with commerical environments.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

In times of excessive surveillance, secure messaging has become rare. Do you want to learn how to protect your files and messages? Do you want to know how you can enforce your vested rights?
This course teaches you in using one of the most secure tools, GPG, and tells you how to avoid the pitfalls and perils in the world of cryptography.

Sign up for free on linux.thealternative.ch

Take your new abilities a step further: learn how you can use bash to program simple scripts that can save you a lot of work. Whether you want to back up your newest files to a hard drive or quickly download a lot of PDFs — with bash you can do it at a keystroke.

Note: We highly recommend visiting The Linux Toolkit if you wish to attend this workshop — especially if you have no experience with the console.
Note: This course is identical to Bash Workshop 1

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Take your new abilities a step further: learn how you can use bash to program simple scripts that can save you a lot of work. Whether you want to back up your newest files to a hard drive or quickly download a lot of PDFs — with bash you can do it at a keystroke.

Note: We highly recommend visiting The Linux Toolkit if you wish to attend this workshop — especially if you have no experience with the console.
Note: This course is identical to Bash Workshop 2

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

This is a public walk-in Linux Q&A. Got any problems with your new Linux system and want us to help you solve them? No problem, just come to this Q&A session at any time. We'll be around to help you.

We will be in the UZH Lichthof. Find us there!

We will show a few applications where Linux provides particularly simple and elegant solutions to specific IT problems. This course builds on what you have learned in 'The Linux Toolkit' and shows you how to use your computer efficiently, solving problems rather than fighting them.

Please bring your Linux laptop with you so that you can follow along with the examples.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Get to know the tools you need to master your Linux system. We will start from scratch (no previous knowledge required), explain the most important basics in a nutshell and get you familiar with the console.

Please bring your Linux laptop to this course so that you can follow along with the examples.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Choose your favourite Linux Distribution and we'll help you install and customize it on your laptop.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Choose your favourite Linux Distribution and we'll help you install and customize it on your laptop.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Learn about the structure of Linux, its most important concepts and the comfort accompanying them. Discover different flavours of Linux and get a feeling which one would be for you. We present the most important applications and concepts and prepare you for the Install Events.

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

We explain the difference between Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and proprietary software and elaborate on why these differences matter. Furthermore, we give a historical background to Linux and explain why using Free Software and open formats is important. Learn how you can get full control over your data!

Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Come meet us at the VSETH Winterbar on Hönggerberg! We're organizing the bar from 4PM to 8PM. Come grab a hot chocolate or spiced wine!

[project21] and TheAlternative are present at the Activity Fair 2016. Come meet us at ETH HG, talk to us, and get to know who we are and what we do!

This semester:
The Developer's Toolkit or Things I Wish I'd Known Earlier

Get to know the magic that most IDEs provide as part of their 'Run' button! Find out what Eclips & Co. do behind the scenes and how you can do it yourself, adjusting the steps to your needs.
We teach you all about compilers and debuggers and how you can use them to write code faster and better—without the aid of an IDE. We also cover various other tools (such as vim or git) that come in handy.

Sign up for free on linux.thealternative.ch

Take your new abilities another step further: learn how you can use bash to program simple scripts that can save you a lot of work. Bash is a simple scripting language that was designed to interact with other programs and your system easily. Whether you want to back up your newest files to a hard drive or quickly download a lot of PDFs—script it once, then use it many times!

Note that we highly recommend visiting The Linux Toolkit if you wish to attend to this workshop—especially if you have no experience with the console.

This course is free for students of ETH and University of Zurich. Please sign up at linux.thealternative.ch

Many users use their computer in inefficient ways, spending more time fighting than solving problems with it. This course builds on what you have learned in "The Linux Toolkit" and shows how to get the most common tasks done swiftly using Linux.
Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Get to know the tools you need to master your Linux system. We will start from scratch (no previous knowledge required) and explain the most important basics in a nutshell.
Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

We offer a guided Linux installation on your laptop and help you customize your new Linux.
Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

We offer a guided Linux installation on your laptop and help you customize your new Linux.
Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Learn what Linux is and how it works. We present the most important applications and concepts and prepare you for the Install Events.
Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Learn about Free Software and its benefits. This course is free for students of ETH and University Zurich. Please sign up at linux.thealternative.ch

TheAlternative, [project21] and WeAct will be hosting the VSETH SummerBar this day. We provide beer and food all afternoon and evening. Come by, have a drink and chat with us!

We won't be able to provide Linux support that day, but you will have the onetime opportunity to hug a gigantic Tux plushie. Well worth a visit!

This course is aimed at more advanced Linux users. This semester, we will give an introduction to Tiling Window Managers, present their benefits and contrast them to traditional Stacking Window Managers.
Tiling Window Managers allow you to control your graphical interface using your keyboard in a more intuitive way. They are highly configurable, and there are many different implementations out there. We will show you a selection of them, to help you find the Window Manager that best fits your needs.
Once you learn how to use them, Tiling Window Managers can have a great impact on your productivity. Have a look at them, and find a complete new way of controlling your device!
Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Many users use their computer in inefficient ways, spending more time fighting than solving problems with it. This course builds on what you have learned in "The Linux Toolkit" and shows how to get the most common tasks done swiftly using Linux.
Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Get to know the tools you need to master your Linux system. We will start from scratch (no previous knowledge required) and explain the most important basics in a nutshell.
Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

We offer a guided Linux installation on your laptop and help you customize your new Linux.
Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

We offer a guided Linux installation on your laptop and help you customize your new Linux.
Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Learn what Linux is and how it works. We present the most important applications and concepts and prepare you for the Install Events.
Sign up for free at linux.thealternative.ch

Learn about Free Software and its benefits. This course is free for students of ETH and University Zurich. Please sign up at linux.thealternative.ch