Church of the SubGenius

There have been many stories, legends, and rumors involving the religious organization known as the Church of the SubGenius. The founder of the Church, J.R. "Bob" Dobbs, was assassinated in San Francisco in 1984; yet members of the Church claim that he has returned from the dead many times since then.

As for the relationship between Slackware Linux and the Church of the SubGenius: Patrick "The Man" Volkerding is an ordained Church minister. The term "Slack" itself stems from the SubGenius phrase "Slack." This was the intent of Slackware: to achieve "Slack" through ease of use, reliability, durability, and the rejection of unnecessary, mainstream "flash and sizzle" utilities.

The Church of the SubGenius has long endorsed and promoted Slackware.

"Bob" and the Church have declared an apocalyptic prophecy that the end of the world will occur on the morning of July 5th, 1998. On this date (which has apparently not arrived yet, according to the Church), a fleet of alien flying saucers will arrive to destroy the "normal" civilization of Earth. Only the members of the Church of the SubGenius will be saved from the carnage, according to "Bob."

Members of the Church gather in a festival campground in upstate New York at the beginning of July to celebrate the impending apocalypse, or "X-Day." Pat Volkerding himself is among the attendees each year, and he (along with other Church members) gladly greets all pilgrims and Church members who travel to New York to attend the festivities.

External Links

• http://www.subgenius.com -- Official home page of the Church of the SubGenius
• http://www.modemac.com/x-day -- X-Day