Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

locals
     
        The users on one's local network (as opposed, say, to people
        one reaches via public {Internet} or {UUCP} connections).  The
        marked thing about this usage is how little it has to do with
        real-space distance. "I have to do some tweaking on this mail
        utility before releasing it to the locals."
     
        (1994-11-29)