[GLLUG] more Penguicon thoughts

[Jim Fick]

Do we need a color laser printer?  Could we get by with a regular laser
printer?  The power consumption would be lower, we all know what
happened when I turned that beast on.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: linux-user-bounces at egr.msu.edu [mailto:linux-user-
> bounces at egr.msu.edu] On Behalf Of Marshal Newrock
> Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 1:46 PM
> To: GLLUG
> Subject: [GLLUG] more Penguicon thoughts
> 
> Overall, the computer lounge was a success.  I think that we should
> begin planning for next year now, to avoid the last minute rush.  If
> the first meeting of each month is dedicated to penguicon, that should
> be sufficient.
> 
> So, my thoughts:
> 
> 1) Terminal server.  Once it was up and running, it was working great.
> However, right before the con, it was updated (just updated, not
> upgraded to the latest version of ubuntu), which broke it and took
> several hours of valiant work by Jeff to fix it.
> 
> On a related subject, does anyone know of anything like the load
> monitor in gkrellm, except multi-column, so we can have nice large
> graphs of load for each CPU?  If we'd had that, we could have
displayed
> that on the projector.  After all, the terminal server has 8 logical
> CPU's.
> 
> 2) Terminals and related hardware.  More is better.  I'd like a 10%
> surplus for next year.  If need be, extras can be stored in rooms.  I
> also wouldn't mind seeing better cabling.  A few seconds tying cables
> to shorten them would prevent the rat's nest that was at the center of
> every quad.  It would also make it easier to quickly remove terminals
> to make room for other machines during installfest if need be.
> 
> 3) Burn Unit.  Largely successful.  The biggest area it fell down in,
> though, was that there's only one.  Somehow, next year, we need to be
> able to burn several discs at once, whether it's with multiple
machines
> or a single machine.  There's also UI and admin improvements that can
be
> made.  If Clay is agreeable, I think this could become a GLLUG
project.
> 
> 4) Printing Station.  Once configured to be on the network and talk to
> the printer, it was pretty good, except that the printer in question
> does not do network at all well.  Next year, we need to remember to
> bring parallel printer cables if it's the same printer.
> 
> 5) Gaming Station.  There was only one computer there, and it tended
to
> be a babysitting machine.  I'd like to suggest that next year, if we
do
> anything with computer gaming, it's not in the computer lounge.
> Instead, we could probably get an empty panel room late at night,
> similar to what Ars Technica got.  If we have 3 or 4 gaming machines,
> possibly with scheduled games and/or talks on gaming on Linux (both
> commercial with and without wine, and open-source), I think this would
> work out a lot better.  Computer gaming would have to be staffed
during
> the entire time that it's open, of course.
> 
> We could use the space that would be otherwise taken up by Computer
> Gaming to have more terminals or more "bring your own computer" space.
> 
> 6) MythTV.  I think this suffered from lack of attention.  It was just
> kind of sitting there.  Occasional demos/talks would be good.  Due to
> its need for a CATV connection, it would have to be done in the
> Computer Lounge.  Stan, do you think you'd be up to this next year?
> 
> 7) Installfest.  More successful than we expected.  Made me dislike
> Ubuntu.  It was very crowded and difficult to identify the techs.  We
> also had a lack of available table space.  Not having Gaming in the
> computer lounge, as well as being able to quickly remove terminals,
> could help with this.
> 
> One thing we may want to do next year is have a stash of snacks and
> drinks available for techs, and to have the front desk be manned by a
> tech, with as much rotation as possible.  Running around like a
chicken
> with your head cut off is exhausting.
> 
> 8) Staffing.  This is going to be a perpetual problem, and I don't
have
> any quick solutions for this.  Chick did his best, but there was
> insufficient resources (aka people) and too many random factors (aka
> too much fun to be had at the con, and subsequent mental crispiness).
> This will likely be a topic for several Penguicon meetings.  I think
we
> should start asking for volunteers through Penguicon at large.
> 
> That's all for now.
> 
> --
> Marshal Newrock
> Ideal Solution, LLC - http://www.idealso.com
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