[plug] Installfest 2001 - Announce & Details.

[Bret Busby]

On Thu, 23 Aug 2001, James Bromberger wrote:
> 
> 
> PLUG   -   PLUG   -   PLUG    -    PLUG   -   PLUG   -   PLUG   -   PLUG
> 
> 			Perth Linux User Group
> 		     http://www.plug.linux.org.au/
> 
> 
> 				presents
> 
> 
> 		    I N S T A L L   F E S T   2 0 0 1
> 
> 
> 	Date: Saturday 25th August, 2001
> 	Location: Hackett Hall, University if Western Australia, Crawley
> 	Cost: F R E E ! Nothing. Zip. Zero.
> 	Time:    * For volunteer installers 8:00am
> 		 * For other volunteers     9:00am
> 		 * For attendees	   10:00am
> 
> 
> 
> # man installfest
> 
> installfest(1)                 PLUG InstallFest              installfest(1)
> 
> NAME
>   installfest - a gathering of experienced users to help those starting out
> 
> 
> DESCRIPTION
>   InstallFest 2001 is being held at UWA's Hackett Cafe, on the Northern end 
>   of the (main) Crawley campus, this Saturday. The date is specifically 
>   significant: it is the nationwide InstallFest day for all major Linux 
>   User Groups (LUGs). It also marks the 10th anniversary of the first 
>   public release of the Linux Kernel by Linus Torvalds.
> 
> 
> OVERVIEW
>   InstallFest is an opportunity for those who have never used Linux to have 
>   more experienced users assist them in installing their computer and getting 
>   it running with a Linux Distribution Operating System. All that is required 
>   is for people wishing to have assistance to bring along their computer 
>   in full to the venue, and others will help them install Linux. Every 
>   question you can imagine will be answered as best as possible by a team of 
>   volunteers.
> 
>   Hackett Cafe is located near the sport/recreation centre. Taking Stirling 
>   Highway, turn into the main entrance at the end of Thomas Road where the 
>   Hackett Tower is located, turn back towards the city/river on the internal 
>   road on the campus, and take the first turn on the right into the car 
>   park by the sports centre. Parking is free on weekends in Yellow (student) 
>   and Red (staff) parking bays. Buses run along Stirling highway from 
>   the city Busport; there are several that take the same route; press the 
>   bell on the bus to alight just at the traffic lights as you deviate along 
>   Stirling highway away from the Swan River.
> 
>   The venue is located on the ground floor up a small ramp. Access should 
>   not be difficult for anyone. There will be signs around the campus to 
>   help you find us. Please see the following URL for more help:
> 
> 	     http://cwis.uwa.edu.au/maps/UWA-Map-std-l5-1-3.asp
> 
> 		(with apologies for the above being an ASP)
> 
> 
>   This email serves two purposes: a call to arms for volunteers to assist 
>   with installations or administration, and a call for people to come along 
>   and try Linux, or come along and find out about it.
> 
>   Volunteers are asked to attend on Saturday from 8:00am as we set up all 
>   that will be required for the day. UWA has kindly agreed to let PLUG use 
>   the venue for free, and patch us to the UWA computer network for ready 
>   access to local mirrors/site (subject to change at the discretion of the 
>   University). 
> 
>   Volunteers are also required for not-so-technical roles: greeting people, 
>   assisting them to find someone to talk to, paperwork, etc, etc. If you are 
>   not confident enough to help someone install Linux, or help other more 
>   experienced people perform installations, you are still desperately needed 
>   to help in other VERY IMPORTANT AREAS!
> 
>   And of course, participants. This entire event is being organised 
>   nationally for you! This is your opportunity to ask questions and get 
>   help with what may seem like a daunting task, but is really quite easy. 
>   The friendly people mentioned above will make this as easy as possible; 
>   they will help you to find out more.
> 
>   The starting times are:
> 	 8:00am for installers
> 	 9:00am for other very important volunteers
> 	10:00am for participants
> 
>   Due to time constraints, new installations will not be started after 
>   mid-afternoon. Please come early, and enjoy some time and conversation 
>   with us. Last years InstallFest was very busy; please don't be left out!
> 
> 
> THINGS TO BRING
>   Participants in the installfest are asked to bring their entire computer 
>   along so the entire thing can be completely checked and set up: audio, 
>   video, and modem. You should be able to take everything home again, plug 
>   it in again, and have it work just like it did at the event.
> 
> SEE ALSO
>   The following Web Pages will help explain more:
>      PLUG              http://www.plug.linux.org.au/
>      PLUG InstallFest  http://installfest.plug.linux.org.au/
>      InstallFest FAQ   http://www.james.rcpt.to/misc/installfest.html
> 
>      Linux Distributions:
>          RedHat        http://www.redhat.com/
>          Mandrake      http://www.mandrake.com/
> 	 Debian        http://www.debian.org/
> 
> 	(there are many, many more - see PLUG web site for some extra links)
> 
> EXIT STATUS 
>     0	Very happy
>     1   Very happy, but a little confused
>     2   Very happy, but a little tired
>     3   Very happy, but slightly hungry
> 
> HISTORY
>   Linux has been around as a Kernel for 10 years. Various organisations have 
>   coupled the Linux Kernel with a set of other software tools to make complete 
>   Operating Systems, such as RedHat, Mandrake, Suse, Debian, MkLinux, etc.
>   More history on Linux can be found on the Internet.
> 
> BUGS
>   Well, I may have a few typos above. Most of the details are right.
> 
> AUTHORS
>   James Bromberger <james_AT_rcpt.to>,
>   Tony Breeds-Taurima <tony_AT_cantech.net.au>, 
>   Nick Bannon <nick_AT_rcpt.to>, and others.
> 
> 

----------------------------------------
Content-Type: application/pgp-signature; name="unnamed"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Description: 
----------------------------------------

Three things about the above:

1. A bit more notice, on a notice like the above (like at least two weeks),
would have been good, so as to be able to circulate the notice, with people (the
public) having adequate notice of the event.

2. An explanation, in the notice, of what Linux actually is (a computer game? a
peripheral device? a computer system?), for the uninformed public, would have
been good.

3. An unnnamed attachment does not bode well for an email message, in these
days of viral and worm infested messages. An unnamed attachment, which, while
the above three lined text gives a description of the type of attachment, that
is not shown with any attachment type in displaying the message, generally
inspires people to automatically delete messages. Using kmail, the attachment
was shown simply with a question mark icon, and, a link with "unnamed"as the
text on the link. Whilst the attachment may be a pgp signature, it was not
shown as such, in displaying the email message, thus giving an incentive to
immediately delete the message as either viral or wornm infested. Something to
consider, when using things like pgp signatures in email messages.

Bret Busby
...........