[Convergence] CLUG at Convergence 2005

[Kin C Wong]

>Perhaps the three or four of us posting here right now should meet in the near
>future.  Just so we can get moving.

The progsig is meeting here in Kensington right now.  I could offer this as 
a meeting place close to downtown if people want.  Any other place is fine 
as well.

>I was just thinking of the visual impact, to see a couple of linux based
>workstations all doing different things.  Also, some distros are are geared to
>different purposes.  An audio distro like DeMudi or PlanetCCRMA use different
>kernels than say a stock debian, gentoo, FC box.  This is from a KISS
>perspective.  What I was originally thinking was getting people who do these
>things with linux bring down their boxes so that we can demo working gear.  To
>see it in action so to speak.  This is just an idea, no thought has really 
>been
>given to practicality as yet.

I noticed at the Unix open house this week, they had a draw for a cheap 
computer ($29) -- think we could get one of the CLUG sponsors to do 
something similar or do you think that this will create problems with our 
free space at convergence (giving out publicity to other vendors).

>When the time comes I can give you a hand with that.  I also know a few people
>who can help out here as well.

I think there is a possibility of a huge movement here particularly with 
recycling of computers.  A lot of computers that are pretty useless running 
other o/s will run linux adequately.  There are a lot of disadvantage 
people out there that could benefit from Linux and FLOSS.  Generally I get 
too busy to do much of anything else, but it has been a quiet year and it 
would be nice to do something for the community.  Just feel that the 
average user can't afford some of the options out there and do not know 
that there are alternatives.


>I was focused on the task and not the equivalent app on a different OS.  I see
>what you mean about anchoring it to something a less familar audience can
>indentify with.  It took me the better part of a decade for me to get my 
>Dad to
>conceptialize a word processor without the Microsoft moniker attached.  A case
>of tunnel vision on my part.

Hey, after a half a dozen lessons, my son still can't get grandma to use a 
mouse.  On the other side, they have no idea what a computer does so I hear ya.

One other idea -- started to build a rear projection unit a couple of 
months ago using a lcd projector.  Could finish it off for convergence if 
we have something splashy to demo.