LINC Expo, (Linc was an acronym for "Linc is not Comdex") was founded to throw a really bitchin'
Linux oriented conference (a la'
als) in the bay area. It sounds weird , but we didn't have a cool Linux show on the left coast back then. Anyhow, the original team consisted of
Larry Augustin, Duncan Mackinnon, Mike Higashi,
Rick Moen,
Don Marti, Sam Ockman, Nick Moffit, John Hall (not maddog!) and me,
Chris DiBona. Larry was conference chair and the rest of us worked on other bits. I'm probably forgetting some people, but it was some time ago.
Anyhow, we weren't very organized and IDG announced LinuxWorld while we were still trying to nail down venues. Anyhow, so in a controversial move (for the group, that is) , we decided to talk with Charlie Greco at IDG and passed on the conference program (which was quite good), to them. And so began LinuxWorld Conference and Expo.
Those were fun times, we'd meet at the CoffeeNet at 744 Harrison st in San Francisco and kibbutz about stuff. This coffee place also feature Linux terminals and was not-coincidentally the resident of Rick Moen. The CoffeeNet was also home to the offices of Electric Lichen llc, a small Linux based Marketing consultancy (the first) which was bought later by VA Linux.