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====== COVID-19 ======
(looking for a shortcut to here?: [[https://balug.org/covid|balug.org/covid]] will,
at least for the time being suffice,
as will [[https://www.balug.org/covid-19|https://www.balug.org/covid-19]], etc.) \\
Due to
[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_disease_2019|COVID-19]]/[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severe_acute_respiratory_syndrome_coronavirus_2|SARS-CoV-2]], \\
**effective 2020-03-17**, **San Francisco Bay Area** [Linux] **User Groups** ([L]UGs)
have
**suspended in-person meetings**,
at least //for the time being / until further notice//
(including [[https://www.balug.org/|BALUG]]) - see also the immediately below. \\
**2021-04-10 //Some// in-person meetings starting to resume** ... initial ones may just be private or by private invitation,
continuing to (more) public - at one's own risk/discretion and may be with various restrictions, etc.
Presumably at/after some time, these will resume (more-or-less) "normal" in-person meetings,
though **virtual may also continue**.  Note also that some venues remain closed (e.g. some businesses didn't survive COVID-19), so always advised but especially so, to check relevant current website/list information for the group regarding meeting location(s) and status and such.

===== Virtual Meetings =====

**Note that [[https://www.google.com/search?q=%28%22linux+user+group%22+OR+%22linux+users+group%22+OR+%22linux+user%27s+group%22%29+%28meet+OR+meeting%29+%28%28%22on-line%22+OR+online+OR+virtual%29&tbs=cdr%3A1%2Ccd_min%3A3%2F17%2F2020%2Ccd_max%3A|some [L]UGs are conducting virtual meetings]]**. \\
This is not necessarily a fully updated comprehensive list,
but this is list of at least (some)\\
**San Francisco Bay Area [L]UGs** known to be having / having started conducting virtual meetings.  In general **see the LUG[s] Web site and/or list(s) for the most current information**: \\
^San Francisco Bay Area [L]UG/SIG (list(s))                                                                                                                                                                                  ^first >=2020-03-17 virtual meeting                                                       ^last verified (still) having virtual meetings                                            ^
|[[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!aboutgroup/felton-lug|Felton LUG]] ([[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/felton-lug|Felton LUG]]) \\ 1st/3rd Saturday, 11am TZ="America/Los_Angeles", https://meet.jit.si/FeltonLUG|[[https://groups.google.com/d/msg/felton-lug/d8v0IIWjGes/3wx_c1ibBQAJ|2020-05-02]]       |[[https://groups.google.com/g/felton-lug/c/q3af01G2T3w/m/g8rxVOphAAAJ|2023-09-16]]       |
|[[https://www.sf-lug.org/|SF-LUG]] ([[http://linuxmafia.com/mailman/listinfo/sf-lug|SF-LUG]]) \\ 1st Sunday, 11am-1pm TZ="America/Los_Angeles", https://meet.jit.si/sf-lug.org                                              |[[http://linuxmafia.com/pipermail/sf-lug/2020q2/014744.html|2020-05-03]]                 |[[https://www.sf-lug.org/|2023-10-01]]                                                   |
|[[https://berkeleylug.com/Pi.BerkeleyLUG/|Pi.BerkeleyLUG]] ([[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/berkeleylug|BerkeleyLUG]]) \\ 3rd Sunday 11am-2pm TZ="America/Los_Angeles", https://meet.jit.si/Pi.BerkeleyLUG        |[[https://groups.google.com/d/msg/berkeleylug/ZwJZn1BkImA/Z8K8CarVAgAJ|2020-05-03]]      |[[https://berkeleylug.com/Pi.BerkeleyLUG/|2023-09-17]]                                   |
|[[https://berkeleylug.com/|BerkeleyLUG]] ([[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/berkeleylug|BerkeleyLUG]]) \\ 2nd/4th Sunday 11am-2pm TZ="America/Los_Angeles", https://meet.jit.si/BerkeleyLUG                         |[[https://groups.google.com/d/msg/berkeleylug/1zBU7LfyUJE/ZUp-qxg9AQAJ|2020-05-10]]      |[[https://berkeleylug.com/meetings/|2023-09-24]]                                         |
|[[https://red.ht/rhugs|Red Hat User Groups]] - San Francisco Bay Area                                                                                                                                                       |[[https://events.redhat.com/profile/form/index.cfm?PKformID=0x182439abcd|2020-07-01]]    |[[https://www.meetup.com/San-Francisco-Bay-Area-Red-Hat-User-Group/events/281855986/|2021-11-16]] (requires meetup.com login + group membership for details, so no longer verifying)|
|[[http://linuxmafia.com/cabal|CABAL]] ([[http://linuxmafia.com/mailman/listinfo/conspire|CABAL]]) \\ 2nd Saturday, 4pm-8pm TZ="America/Los_Angeles", https://meet.jit.si/CABAL                                              |[[http://linuxmafia.com/pipermail/conspire/2020-September/011111.html|2020-09-12]]|[[http://linuxmafia.com/pipermail/conspire/2026-January/013124.html|2026-01-10]]|
|[[https://www.balug.org/|BALUG]] ([[https://lists.balug.org/|BALUG]]) \\ 3rd Tuesday 6:30pm TZ="America/Los_Angeles", https://meet.jit.si/BALUG.org                                                                         |[[https://lists.balug.org/pipermail/balug-announce/2021-February/000316.html|2021-03-16]]|[[https://lists.balug.org/pipermail/balug-announce/2023-September/000336.html|2023-09-19]]   |

==== Lists and other Activities/Updates ====

Please **see also**:
[[balug:bay_area_open_source_linux_bsd_unix_user_groups_and_related_associations_and_events#meta-list_-_list_of_lists]] -
note that many [L]UGs may have rather to quite active list(s),
even if they're not currently meeting - and/or may have relevant updates and information, etc. on their Web sites.
==== Around the US (beyond San Francisco Bay Area - for San Francisco Bay Area, see further above) / and beyond ====
Absolutely by no means a complete list, but here are some LUGs that have started having on-line / virtual meetings.  ("TZ" annotation for each entry is the LUG's time zone, so you can convert the meeting's start/end time to your corresponding time.)

=== US ===
AZ.US [[https://phxlinux.org/|Phoenix Linux Users Group]] (Main: second Thursdays; Installfests: first & third Saturdays; Free Software Stammtisch: third Tuesdays; Linux/Cyber Security: second Thursdays) TZ="America/Phoenix"\\
AZ.US [[https://www.azloco.org/|Ubuntu Arizona Team]][[https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ArizonaTeam|Ubuntu Arizona Team]] (first and third Sundays (IRC, also //generally// audio/video) TZ="America/Phoenix"\\
CA.US [[http://www.oclug.org/|Orange County Linux Users Group]] (various Saturdays) TZ="America/Los_Angeles"\\
CA.US [[https://www.sgvlug.org/|SGVLUG San Gabriel Valley Linux User's Group]] (second Thursdays) TZ="America/Los_Angeles"\\
CA.US [[http://www.slolug.com/|San Luis Obispo Linux Users Group]] (first Thursdays) TZ="America/Los_Angeles"\\ 
FL.US [[https://nwflug.org/|Northwest FLorida Linux User Group]] (//generally// first Mondays of even numbered months)  TZ="America/New_York"\\ 
FL.US [[https://www.meetup.com/Suncoast-LUG|The Suncoast Linux Users Group (Pinellas Park)]] (second and third Wednesdays) TZ="America/New_York"\\
GA.US [[https://ale.org/|Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts]] (Sundays and Tuesdays) TZ="America/New_York"\\
IL.US [[https://chicagolug.org/|Chicago GNU/Linux User Group]] (typically monthly on a Saturday) TZ="America/Chicago"\\ 
IL.US [[http://www.rrlug.org/|Rock River Linux Users Group]] (second Thursdays) TZ="America/Chicago"\\
IL.US [[http://www.silug.org/|Southern Illinois Linux Users Group]] (first Wednesdays and third Saturdays) TZ="America/Chicago"\\ 
IL.US [[http://www.qclug.org/|Quad Cities Linus Users Group]] (second Tuesdays) TZ="America/Fort_Wayne"\\
IN.US [[https://www.cinlug.org/|Central Indiana Linux Users Group]] (//typically// first Wednesdays) TZ="America/Indiana/Indianapolis"\\ 
IN.US [[http://fortwaynelinux.org/|Fort Wayne Linux Users Group]] ("will commence holding online events soon" - (first Thursdays?) TZ="America/Fort_Wayne"\\ 
KS.US [[https://www.meetup.com/Lawrence-Linux-User-Group/|Lawrence Linux User Group]] (third Saturdays) TZ="America/Chicago"\\
MA.US [[http://www.blu.org/|Boston Linux & Unix User Group]] (third Wednesday) TZ="America/New_York"\\ 
MN.US [[https://www.k-lug.org/Main_Page|Rochester Area Linux Users Group]] (generally: technical second Thursdays, socializing: monthly (varies) TZ="America/Chicago"\\ 
MO.US [[https://www.sluug.org/|Saint Louis Unix Users Group (SLUUG)]] (generally 2nd Wednesdays) TZ="America/Chicago"\\
MO.US [[https://stllug.sluug.org/|Saint Louis Linux Users Group (STLLUG)]] (generally third Thursdays) TZ="America/Chicago"\\
MO.US [[https://newlug.sluug.org/|Saint Louis MO - Newcomer Linux Users Group]] (generally fourth Tuesdays) TZ="America/Chicago"\\
NC.US [[https://trilug.org/|Triangle Linux Users Group]][[https://www.meetup.com/trilug/|Triangle Linux Users Group]] (second Thursdays) TZ="America/New_York"\\ 
NE.US [[http://www.olug.org/|Omaha Linux User Group]] (first Tuesdays) TZ="America/Chicago"\\ 
NJ.US [[https://www.meetup.com/Brookdale-Computer-Users-Group/|Brookdale Computer Users Group]] BCUG Linux User Group meeting (second Wednesdays) TZ="America/New_York"\\ 
NJ.US [[https://www.meetup.com/NJLinux/events/calendar|(Clifton) New Jersey Linux User Group]] (generally second and last Wednesdays) TZ="America/New_York"\\
NM.US [[https://nmglug.org/|New Mexico GNU & Linux Users Group]] (every other Thursday) TZ="America/Denver"\\ 
NM.US [[https://www.abqlug.com/|Albuquerque Linux User Group]] (first Tuesdays) TZ="America/Denver"\\
OH.US [[https://www.dma1.org/linux/|Dayton Linux Users Group]] (third Thursdays) TZ="America/New_York"\\
OR.US [[https://lug.oregonstate.edu/|OSU (Oregon State University) Linux Users Group]] (Tuesdays) TZ="America/Los_Angeles"\\
OR.US [[https://www.pdxlinux.org/|Portland Linux / Unix Group]] (first Thursdays) TZ="America/Los_Angeles"\\
TX.US [[https://www.meetup.com/linuxaustin/|Austin Linux User Group]] (second Thursdays) TZ="America/Chicago"\\
UT.US [[https://plug.org/|Provo Linux User Group]] (third Tuesdays) TZ="America/Denver"\\
VA.US [[https://www.meetup.com/novalug/|Northern Virginia Linux User Group]] (every Wednesday evening) TZ="America/New_York"\\
WA.US [[http://belug.herber.us/|Bellevue Linux Users Group]] (//almost always// second Tuesdays) TZ="America/Los_Angeles"\\
WA.US [[https://www.blug.org/|Bellingham Linux Users Group]] (first Thursdays) TZ="America/Los_Angeles"\\ 

=== beyond US ===
AU [[https://www.lug.org.au/wiki/Central_Coast_GNU/Linux_Users_Group|Central Coast GNU/Linux Users Group]] (2020-09-02, ...) TZ="Australia/Sydney"\\
CA [[https://kwlug.org/|Kitchener-Waterloo Linux User Group]] (usually on the first (non-[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Canada|holiday]]) Monday) TZ="America/Toronto"\\ 
CA [[https://wiki.linux-ottawa.org/doku.php|Linux Ottawa]] (first Thursdays) TZ="America/Toronto"\\
CA [[https://gtalug.org/|Greater Toronto Area Linux Users Group]] (second Tuesdays) TZ="America/Toronto"\\
IN [[https://ilugc.in/|Indian Linux User's Group]] - (South India) Chennai (Madras) (second Saturdays) TZ="Asia/Kolkata"\\ 
IN [[http://www.ilug-bom.org.in/|GNU/Linux Users Group of Mumbai]] (schedule varies) TZ="Asia/Kolkata"\\ 
JP [[https://www.tlug.jp/|Tokyo Linux Users Group]] (generally: Technical Meetings second Saturday of odd-numbered months) TZ="Asia/Tokyo"\\
UK [[https://www.birminghamlug.org.uk/|Birmingham Linux User Group]] (//generally// third Tuesdays) TZ="Europe/London"\\
UK [[https://livlug.org.uk/|Liverpool LUG]] (first Wednesdays) TZ="Europe/London"\\
UK [[http://www.manlug.org/|Manchester Linux User Group]] (third Saturdays) TZ="Europe/London"\\ 
UK [[https://www.portsmouth.lug.org.uk/|Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Linux User Group]] (third Saturdays) TZ="Europe/London"\\
UK [[https://shropshirelug.wordpress.com/|Shropshire Linux User Group]] (second Thursdays & last Thursdays) TZ="Europe/London"\\
UK [[https://www.surrey.lug.org.uk/|Surrey Linux Users Group]] (Bring-A-Box: second+fourth Saturdays) TZ="Europe/London"\\
UK [[http://wolveslug.org.uk/|Wolverhampton Linux User Group]] (every Wednesday evening) TZ="Europe/London"\\

===== Timezone Conversion =====

On any system with GNU date(1), included in GNU coreutils, you can convert a remote event's time/date to your local timezone's time/date using syntax as per the following example:

$ date -d 'TZ="Europe/London" 2021-02-13 14:00' \\
Sat Feb 13 06:00:00 PST 2021 \\
$ 

GNU date(1) will use your system's TZ database to convert time/date correctly, including compensating for DST / Standard Time issues at either your and/or the remote location.

It is also possible to generalize that syntax, to convert to a timezone //differing// from your local timezone, by prefacing the foregoing command with an output-timezone qualifier, e.g., as follows requesting conversion to Arizona time/date:

$ TZ='America/Phoenix' date -d 'TZ="Europe/London" 2021-02-13 14:00' \\
Sat Feb 13 07:00:00 MST 2021 \\
$

Quoting //must be as shown//, and timezone //names// must be correct, or you will get errors or (worse) silent ignoring of the provided timezone qualifier.  Use [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones#List|canonical TZ database names]]. Do //not// use familiar 3- or 4-letter shortcut names like PST and PDT, as they are neither unique nor standardised -- nor UTC offsets like UTC-8, which for many locations have DST vs. Standard Time problems:  The short names' ambiguities become more troubling the more international one's focus is.  For example, "CST" can mean either China Standard Time (UTC+8), Cuba Standard Time (UTC−5), or (North American) Central Standard Time (UTC−6), and it is also a variant name for ACST (Australian Central Standard Time, UTC+9:30). Likewise, a time zone's short name will differ depending on language, as with WET (Western European Time, UTC+0), //also// known as WEZ (Westeuropäische Zeit) in German, HEO (Heure d'Europe occidentale) in French, ZEČ (Západoevropský čas) in Czech, and ΏΔΕ (Ώρα Δυτικής Ευρώπης) in Greek. Thus the short names' deprecated status.

(As people have asked:  No, BSD date(1), as available on MacOS, cannot do this work, for lack of the -d option.)

//However//, "homebrew" to the rescue:  If you [[https://brew.sh|install homebrew]] on your Mac and run "brew install coreutils" to install the GNU coreutils, then GNU date will become available as binary executable "gdate" (as will many other fine GNU enhancements).

On Microsoft Windows, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6Si0-Ac5Kc|install GnuWin]], to acquire GNU coreutils and thus its "date" utility.

If you would rather use a WebUI, [[https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html|outsourced tools]] exist.



----\\ 
%%"Timezones are so weird.  Australia is in 2022, Canada is in 2021, and the United States is in 1935."%%\\
%%     --Santiago Mayer%%