Problem solving is the broad theme for this year's Australian Unix and Open Systems User Group (AUUG) conference.

The broad theme is in line with president David Purdue's comments last year that he planned to refocus the activities of AUUG, which has been accused of going too far down the open source path.

"This year's program covers a broad range of topics, from operating system development, through to networking, system administration and security, databases and Web development, and stopping off for a beer after recording a rock band!" said program organizer Adrian Close.

"We love our technology, but we're not lost in it, so you'll also find business-focused presentations as well as discussion of privacy and rights issues."

The three-day conference program, which focuses on security topics including NSA Security Enhanced Linux, follows an indepth, three-day tutorial program. Other topics to be covered include MySQL and databases, Web application development, kernel hacking, high availability systems and wireless networks.

Keynote speakers include Brad Templeton, from Electronic Frontier Foundation US, Mark Uemura, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Japan, and Chris Green, from Microsoft Australia.

AUUG spokesperson Gordon Hubbard said that although Microsoft had spoken at smaller AUUG events, this was the first time a representative from the software giant has addressed the annual national conference.

Hubbard said the conference is aimed largely at IT professionals who want practical knowledge to help them build systems that are interoperable and secure.

"They may be managers or implementers. They are very likely to work with a mixed environment where Unix, Linux, Open Source and Windows all have a part to play," he said adding that more people are expected to attend than the 160 attendees at last year's conference.

AUUG 2005 will be held at the Carlton Crest Hotel, Sydney 19 to 21 October. Tutorials will be conducted prior to the conference, at the same venue, from 16 to 18 October 2005.

The conference is open to anyone and there are discounts for AUUG members, members of affiliated organizations and students. Registration for the conference is $825 for AUUG members, $1000 for non-members, and $110 for students. Tutorials are $360 per half day for AUUG members and $540 for non-members.

"Early Bird" rates apply up to23 September. For more information and to register see: http://www.auug.org.au/events/2005/auug2005/.

AUUG currently has around 1000 registered and 400 paid up members.