This conference is being sponsored by Linux Journal. We hope it be a
chance for us to show attendees of the other conferences what Linux can do
as well as offer interesting sessions for those involved in Linux.
A complete announcement will be following in a few weeks but, for the
moment, I want to make people aware that we are looking for some specific
participants for our panels. If you are a commercial vendor involved in
Linux (Linux distribution, software such as databases for Linux or use
Linux in your workplace) and might be willing to be on a panel, please
e-mail me at phil@ssc.com or call (206) 527-3385.
I am including below the preliminary agenda. I have inserted *** where I
need participants.
Open Systems World -- Linux Track details
Opening Presentation: Where Did Linux Come From and Where Is It Going?
This introduction, by Linux Journal editorial staff, will
help initiate people to Linux and set the groundwork for subsequent
tutorials and panel discussions.
- a brief history of Linux
- a snapshot: what Linux is today
- the future: where Linux is going
Tutorial: Linux and the Internet
Linux was born on the Internet and developed over the Internet.
Because of this, Linux comes with a complete set of networking tools.
In this session we will look at what those tools are and how they
can be used to turn Linux into an inexpensive solution to a networking
problem. Specifics will include:
- Networking tools included with Linux
- Ethernet connections between Linux and other platforms
- Connecting to the Internet via SLIP or PPP
- High-speed alternatives: Frame Relay
- Example: how to use a Linux system to connect an existing
LAN to the Internet
[Attend: end user, developer of networking]
***
Panel discussion: What Should The Relationship Be Between Linux Resellers
and The Linux Development Community?
Today there are many vendors selling Linux on CD-ROM or floppy disk.
The plus side is that they are making Linux available to everyone.
But some feel they are just profiting from the work of the Linux
developers. This panel, composed of developers and resellers will
look into the issue.
Tutorial: Wine: Running MS-Windows Applications on Linux Platforms
by Bob Amstadt, head of the Wine project
Application compatibility between operating systems has never been
more important. Computer users may choose from a wide variety of
operating systems. Wine allows users who choose Unix or Unix clones
such as Linux to use Microsoft Windows applications. Windows
applications are relatively inexpensive and readily available compared
to those offered for Unix systems. Wine allows Unix users to make use
of the wealth of Windows applications that are available.
The purpose of this discussion is to present the motivation, the
goals and the accomplishments of the Wine project. Wine is rapidly
approaching its first official release, and with the help of some
soon to be received donations we will be able to hire an intern
to devote time to creating Wine. By December we would have a
general release available to everyone.
Recent talks and magazine articles have inspired great interest in
Wine from many people. Wine is not just an Internet project anymore.
Several CD-ROM distributions are beginning to track Wine, and even
people without Internet access are beginning to ask for Wine. My
hope is that more talks will inspire even more support for our
project and free software in general.
***
Panel: The Commercial Future of Linux
Two years ago Linux was a college student's project and a hacker's
late night entertainment. Today it is a full-blown
POSIX-compliant operating system offering capabilities equal to and in
some cases beyone commercial alternatives. It is even expanding to
platforms other than the Intel x86 processor line.
Linux is here to stay as the hacker operating system. But it also can have
a significant commercial future. This panel will look at the following
aspects of Linux as a commercial product:
- the OS as a commercial product as opposed to just free software on
CD -- today many of the Linux vendors are offering little more
than a snapshot of the current development but future Linux
distributions will have significant added value
- porting of current Unix applications to Linux -- is it practical
from a development point of view and will it produce commercially
viable products
- Wine: running MS-Windows applications
- Breaking the cost barrier: new applications made possible by
Linux being free
Tutorial: Linux and NASA: Project Beowulf
by Donald Becker
Donald Becker, famous for writing virtually all the Ethernet drivers for
Linux is now the principle investigator on a new project at NASA called
Beowulf. Don will be talking on this project whose mission is to develop a
high-performance workstation based on a cluster of off-the-shelf
processors running Linux and connected by parallel Ethernets.
Afternoon: Track 1
***
Panel: What Are The Legal Implications of Using and
Developing Tools and Applications on Linux?
Linux is covered by the Free Software Foundation's General Public License,
commonly called a copyleft. This is quite different from shareware or
public domain software because it encourages, actually requires, the
continued free distribution of the software.
This concept has scared some vendors because they don't understand how to
protect their own proprietary rights to their products. But, there is room
for commercial products under the GPL. This session will explore the
implications of the GPL and GPLL (General Public Library License)
and show you:
- what sorts of products can and cannot be resold under the the GNU
licenses
- the difference between the GPL and the GPLL
Tutorial: Linux and The X Windows System
X-windows offers a GUI that is available on many different platforms.
This tutorial looks at X-windows on Linux as a development environment as
well as a way to offer a GUI to end users.
[Attend: developers]
Afternoon: Track 2
Tutorial: How to Convince Your Boss/Employer/Customer To Use Linux
Instead of Expensive Commercial Alternatives.
Linux offers a multi-user, multi-tasking operating system at an extremely
low cost. It is stable, reliable and supported. This tutorial addresses
the realities of where Linux is the best system but it needs to be
"sold" to management.
This session will take the form of a question and answer session.
We will offer the most common questions your boss will ask along with
reasonable answers. At the end of this session you will have a chance to
answer specific questions of your own.
Tutorial: Linux and iBCS2 Compatability
by Eric Youngdale
There are many existing applications that run under Unix on PC hardware.
Most of these systems support a common object program format called iBCS2.
With an appropriate compatibility library it is possible to run these
applications under Linux. This session explores how the Linux iBCS2 library
works and what iBCS2 means to users.
[Attend: users, nerds]
***
Panel discussion: Commercial Use of Linux
Many companies are already using Linux as a solution to a problem.
They span the market from a comic book store to a Cancer center.
They include low-tech companies such as a mailhouse to high-tech
computer equipment vendors like Gandalf. Representatives of various
companies will tell you why they picked Linux and give you a chance
to ask them about your needs.
There will be a second day (December 2) consisting of an all-day tutorial
session that will cover many aspects of getting a Linux system up and
running.
If you are a Linux Journal subscriber you should receive a flyer on the
complete conference. If you aren't a subscriber (or just subscribed in
the last few weeks) and want to be on the mailing list, send you address
to osw-linux@ssc.com.
-- Phil Hughes, Publisher, Linux Journal (206) 527-3385 usually phil@ssc.com, sometimes fyl@eskimo.com
-- Send submissions for comp.os.linux.announce to: linux-announce@tc.cornell.edu Be sure to include Keywords: and a short description of your software.