I have tried so hard to be positive and encourage people… but I must bring sad news. The first of all OpenSolaris User Groups, the Silicon Valley OpenSolaris Users Group, may be ending, as we know it, at its final meeting in a Sun campus this Thursday, May 27th.

According to SVOSUG leader, the lovely Alta Elstad, Oracle policy does not permit user groups to be run by Oracle employees or to meet on Oracle properties. Therefore, this next meeting is likely to be the last meeting in the wonderful Santa Clara Campus Agnews Mansion.

At this meeting there will be discussion about the potential future of the group, in some form or another.

If you are in the Silicon Valley please attend! Even if only to pay your respects. Meeting is at 7:30PM.

I want to pay a special honor to Alan DuBoff who started the group and grew it so successfully. I remember approaching him in 2005 I think, with the idea for a Silicon Valley User Group… instead of pitching my idea, he shared his ideas on such a group and had already started to put it together… so at least I got to be one of the first members. 🙂 Alan’s done a lot of great things for the community and we owe him a debt.

Alta Elstad took over leadership of the group when Alan left Sun (ask Alan, he has great stories, but I’ll leave it at that) and has done a great job of keeping the group going, even though attendance has continued to decline. Alta is a remarkable woman and someone whom I have great esteem for. She is truly one of a kind.

Finally, to all those who’ve presented, participated with, and attended SVOSUG over the years, props to you all. I really hope that SVOSUG or some form of a Sun Users Group perhaps can continue onwards in the Silicon Valley.