[clug] The harsh realities of CLUG

[Paul Wayper]

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On 19/05/10 18:15, Michael Still wrote:
> I should clarify though. I don't mean talks about how to change
> directories, or setup apache. I mean talks about how marshalling for a
> system call works, or how filesystems use inodes (and what an inode
> is!), and that sort of thing. Some sort of deep dive into something
> people otherwise don't think about.

Interestingly, I think both of your meanings of 'fundamental' are worth pursuing.

I think there are a fair number of people who are interested in seeing basic
walkthroughs about fundamental parts of Linux.  Looking at the Filesystem
Standards Base (or whatever it's called) and explaining what's usually put
where; detailing how GNOME or KDE install applications and put them in menus;
how does a web server or cache or proxy work; and so on.  Some of the best
times I've had in computing was things like learning data storage and sorting
algorithms, learning layered networking, or learning about normal forms in
databases.  These are fundamentals of computer science, and there's a lot of
people these days who haven't learnt this stuff but are gradually stumbling on
it themselves.

I also think that there are similar numbers of people that would love to learn
how TLS handshaking works, where the ioctls go, what happens when a system
suspends to RAM or boots up, or how file systems work.  There's lots of
possibilities for deep explorations of the fundamentals of Linux, and a lot of
it will come in handy in ways you didn't expect.  I also think there's a lot
of scope for talks about what's new in Linux - what did 2.6.34 do for us,
what's Nouveau all about, what's going on with that crazy Ubuntu interface.
Heck, I'd sit down in fascination at a talk about how to use KDE, just because
it's new to me.

My challenge to all the regulars is that these are talks you can probably give
off the top of your heads - draft them up and give them to me as an abstract
and I'll put them in the programme.  They can be programming topics as well as
general interest stuff.  Just because something is new to you, or you're not
hacking on the bleeding edge of the kernel or something, doesn't mean that
your knowledge and experience about something you know well won't be
appreciated by everyone else.

Have fun,

Paul

P.S. I don't find it particularly that we've seen a lot of responses on the
email list saying that people prefer email lists.  Let me know when you see
someone on Facebook saying "what I really need is some sort of list, possibly
via email, that I can subscribe to" :-)
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