Windsor Hackforge

That's a wrap on September 2026!

What a month it was.
We kicked things off with a virtual Accessibility Meetup, where we talked about project updates, design, and development of our navigation app.

LUG Virtual Social was next and saw Linux users discuss distros, tips and tricks, and general Linux help!

We took to the Loose Goose for a super fun WCCUG social over a few bites, brews, and buddies.

Software Freedom Day went hard, as Hackforge packed with folks for Lightning Talks, Free Software suggestions, and general FOSS discussion.

LUG met for a hybrid event all about introducing Inucs, exploring the history of the project, basic commands, system containers, etc.

Our ShaderToy Contest wrapped up with a Shader Show & Tell of 12 designs submitted to the contest. Contestants brought us through their thinking, code design, and process as we explored all of the pretty pictures (almost breaking a few PCs) submitted to the contest!

There's lots more coming up in October, so if the FOMO is setting in, hop on our Mailing List (found at hackf.org) to be sure to get our monthly calendar of events right in your inbox!

This Week at Hackforge:
We're heading out into the wilds!

🌲 Saturday, October 3: Inaugural Nerd Hike!
9–10 AM | Ojibway Nature Centre

Bryan St. Amour (WCCUG Interest Group Lead) will guide us through a Nerd Hike on National Techies Day! We’ll meet at the Visitor’s Centre for 9am and take off no later than 9:10am and explore the area’s unique biodiversity and ecosystems.

More info & RSVP at www.hackf.org/events

Accessibility isn’t just about checking boxes...

It’s about creating better experiences for every visitor.

Join Mike Shoreman on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 2 PM for Accessibility Beyond Compliance: Creating Better Visitor Experiences...

A practical one-hour webinar from the Tourism Innovation Lab (TIL), a grant program run through Hackforge, as part of Tourism Excellence North’s ADAPT 2026 series.

The session will look at accessibility as a business improvement tool and connect it directly to the tourism and visitor experience.

TIL helps people develop their ideas.
If this conversation sparks one for you, the program helps move it forward with $3,000 in seed funding and a mentor.

If you work in tourism, this is a useful hour to spend thinking about how accessibility can improve the experience you offer.

💻 Online via Zoom
More info & registration: https://5cfd3qp.s.gy/Adapt2026

🔥 TONIGHT! 🔥

After an epic month of creating Shaders in GLSL, it's time to show them off.

Join us at Hackforge HQ & Online via Zoom to get a glimpse at the awesome 3D graphics participants created across the 3 categories:
▶️ General,
▶️ Code golf,
▶️ Challenge!

You get a chance to talk about your code, your reasoning, how you solved problems, and what you'd like to work on in the future!

It's also a great way to connect with fellow Hackforgers interested in 3D graphic coding.

If you're seeing this before Friday, September 4th, 2026 at 11:59pm Eastern time, or are curious about the contest's rules, head to hackf.org/shadertoy-contest to learn more and enter the competition!

📆 September 25, 2026
🕦 7-9 PM
📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave., Unit 210) & Online via Zoom
🎟️ RSVP at www.hackf.org/events

🔥 TOMORROW! 🔥

After an epic month of creating Shaders in GLSL, it's time to show them off.

Join us at Hackforge HQ & Online via Zoom to get a glimpse at the awesome 3D graphics participants created across the 3 categories:
▶️ General,
▶️ Code golf,
▶️ Challenge!

You get a chance to talk about your code, your reasoning, how you solved problems, and what you'd like to work on in the future!

It's also a great way to connect with fellow Hackforgers interested in 3D graphic coding.

If you're seeing this before Friday, September 4th, 2026 at 11:59pm Eastern time, or are curious about the contest's rules, head to hackf.org/shadertoy-contest to learn more and enter the competition!

📆 September 25, 2026
🕦 7-9 PM
📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave., Unit 210) & Online via Zoom
🎟️ RSVP at www.hackf.org/events

⏰️ TONIGHT!! 🥳

This month's LUG event we'll be taking a look at Incus!

Incus is a next generation manager for applicaiton containers, system containers, and virtual machines.

During the session, we'll be exploring the history of the project, the basic commands, system containers, practical use cases, general tips, and more advanced features like, cloud-init and projects.

If you're looking for a self managed alternative to Proxmox, an easy way to manage VMs on a single node, or want to know more about system containers, then this event is for you!

📆 September 24, 2026
🕦 7-9 PM
📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave., Unit 210) & Online via Zoom
🎟️ RSVP at www.hackf.org/events

💥 TOMORROW!! 💥

This month's LUG event we'll be taking a look at Incus!

Incus is a next generation manager for applicaiton containers, system containers, and virtual machines.

During the session, we'll be exploring the history of the project, the basic commands, system containers, practical use cases, general tips, and more advanced features like, cloud-init and projects.

If you're looking for a self managed alternative to Proxmox, an easy way to manage VMs on a single node, or want to know more about system containers, then this event is for you!

📆 September 24, 2026
🕦 7-9 PM
📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave., Unit 210) & Online via Zoom
🎟️ RSVP at www.hackf.org/events

This Week @ Hackforge 👇
Two hybrid events, both worth blocking your calendar for.

🐧 Wednesday, Sept 24 — LUG: Incus
7–9 PM | Hackforge HQ + Zoom

If you've been looking for a self-managed alternative to Proxmox, or an easier way to run VMs on a single node, this one's for you.
We're digging into Incus - the next-gen manager for application containers, system containers, and virtual machines.
We'll cover the project's history, the basic commands, practical use cases, and more advanced features like cloud-init and projects.

🎨 Thursday, Sept 25 — Shadertoy Contest Showcase
7–9 PM | Hackforge HQ + Zoom

After a month of building shaders in GLSL, it's time to see what everyone made.
Participants will walk through their 3D graphics across all three categories: general, code golf, and challenge, talking through their code, their reasoning, and what they'd like to tackle next.
Come for the visuals, stay to connect with fellow 3D graphics folks.

📍 Hackforge HQ, 300 Ouellette Ave., Unit 210
🎟️ RSVP for both at www.hackf.org/events

⏰️⏰️ TODAY ⏰️⏰️

Software Freedom Day celebrations at Hackforge are back!

Software Freedom Day (SFD) is a worldwide celebration of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS).
We'll celebrate in true Hackforge style with rolling Lightning Talks, Q&As, and open networking.

Throughout the event:
Bryan St. Amour (WCCUG Interest Group Lead) will be emceeing!
• Doug Sartori (Senior Consultant at Parallel 42 Systems) will be offering free software mini consultations.
• Randy Topliffe (your LUG Interest Group Lead) will be on hand with a few Linux Distros for you to try/install on your machine.

Come join the fun, give a lightning talk (sign ups at the event) or just enjoy the vibes, as you connect with tech experts and enthusiasts.

Who Should Attend
• Students and tech beginners looking to broaden their horizons
• Members of the public looking for free software alternatives
• Tech experts, professionals, and enthusiasts looking to make connections and have discussions about software freedom

What is Free Software?
"Free software is software that gives you the user the freedom to share, study and modify it. We call this free software because the user is free.
To use free software is to make a political and ethical choice asserting the right to learn, and share what we learn with others." - Digital Freedom Foundation, digitalfreedoms.org/sfd

📆 September 19, 2026
🕦 11am-2pm
📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave., Unit 210)
🎟️ RSVP at www.hackf.org/events