[SLUG] Last meeting

[john at johnallsopp.co.uk]

Hi y'all

Thanks to everyone who attended last nights meeting, and welcome to
new face Des who heard of us through the piece in the Scarborough
Evening News.

We briefly discussed Xen, but in truth the software probably offers
benefits for server farms and so on but is only mildly curious for
everyday users. I'll try to watch out for that in choosing topics from
the forthcoming Linux Format magazine but I think we'll keep going for
a few months and see if we can make that idea work.

The LPI learning programme now involves me, Martin and Dave Webster,
with Des "pottering along behind", and Steve starting late and
catching up later.

We agreed we would aim to work towards the first exam (101) in a
year's time. The syllabus here <http://www.lpi.org/en/obj_101.html>
provides a detailed list of topics which we would work through
chronologically at the rate of 2 hours per weight-point, and 4 hours
per week. At the next meeting we can agree what we'll be learning each
week, and at the following meeting we can discuss any issues. That way
we all learn together.

We agreed to swap paper notes with others who have them, and Steve
will set up a Wiki on the website which is readable by all, but
maintainable by those on the learning programme. We're not promising
anything for that, but you never know it might work, and could prove
valuable to those who start the programme next year.

We agreed to spend the period between now and the next meeting
collecting resources, working out where our 4 hours will come from,
and to gain any necessary agreements from our families and so on.

Regarding resources, personally I plan to buy perhaps up to three
books, and am considering LPI Linux Certification in a Nutshell (ISBN
1565927486), Linux in a Nutshell (ISBN 0596004826), LPIC I Exam Cram
2: Exam 101, 102 Ross Brunson, Ed Tittel (ISBN 0789731274), and the
Linux Cookbook (ISBN 0596006403). I'm sure there'll be some
duplication among those but I'm initially tempted by the cram one
because it has five stars in Amazon and seems more up to date, and one
of the O'Reilly books, I'm tempted by Linux in a Nutshell, because
they've worked in the past. Martin mentioned looking up the early
stuff which deals with Bios settings and so on in Scott Mueller's
Upgrading and Repairing PCs which is something I did too. If anyone
else has thoughts about materials let us know.

Martin is involved with a programme in London where a charity provides
computers for families who can't otherwise afford them, and he's
agreed in principle to talk us through that but we haven't settled a
date yet.

Following the rule that each meeting is on the first Monday, Tuesday
or Wednesday of the month whose date is wholly divisible by 3, the
next meeting is on Wednesday 6th July when we'll be talking about X
and hopefully kick starting the LPI learning programme. I'll organise
to put up posters in the university although rumour has it while they
were previously strong on Linux they've all-but given up on it now.
Interestingly, I may be on holiday then, but them's the rules :-)

J