[Klug-general] Ideas, Offerings & Questions

[David Halliday]

Once again I have fallen behind with the whole Linux thing. Partly due
to the requirements of work, pub and social life. I have finally
caught up with two weeks worth of LUG mailing list stuff (a good use
of my time at work for a change i think). I'll try and address these
points in some kind of structure/order.

1: Rochester venue, Just to say that all is good here and I look
forward to seeing everyone at Rochester on the 24th. Let me know if
you want to come along and need directions etc...

2: I like (by the looks of things) a good number of others am
interested in getting Linux training and furthering my carer being a
young IT professional. I'm aware that there are a good number of
people who are experienced and qualified. I think it would be good for
me (and others) if someone/some people were to do a presentation on
Linux certification, Jobs using Linux and carrier moves within the IT
industry. At Rochester we have some lovely facilities for
presentations etc... I'm aware that James Snyder is looking into
setting things up for teaching red hat and it may benefit him and
members of the group if we were able to setup a test run.

I think key points that people will be interested in (summarizing many
things that have been covered in the list already) are:
a: What training/certification is available
b: What the costs are
c: How the qualifications compare
d: Where to do the training course
e: Where to do the exam (In some cases you can sit exam without
sitting a course)
f: what support is offered
g: what the courses cover and if moderately experienced LUG members
can possibly pass the test with our existing knowledge.

another thought is that (I'm sorry if I'm going ahead of things here)
if people are planning on arranging any learning/teaching/Linux
certification it would be cool to try and organize it with the LUG...
may attract more members if the LUG helps organize/teach and support
training. I feel that that is something that a LUG can do (given the
discussion previously about what the purpose/nature of LUGs is these
days given the wide spread use of internet forums etc...

3: I'd like to offer more to help the KLUG but at the moment I don't
feel I have the time to do any extra "duties" and that putting my name
down for them could be letting others down when things don't get done
in time. Although if there are things that people want help with from
an administrative point then I will do my best to do what I can as and
when. This in relation to Kevin's email and the subsequent
discussions.

4: In the past couple of days I have done more Linux like stuff. A
friend needed a host for a website for a small hobby group (a site
that will be used by about 8 people once or twice a week) Deciding
that he needed LAMP (not provided by his ISP) and that he couldn't
afford to pay hosting (anyone on the list with a stay at home wife and
two small children will understand) and being not allowed to have a
hosting box at home whirring day and night (again the wife factor) I
was asked to provide the server. After setting everything up (I did
need a good excuse to get geeky at home) on the server and opening
ports on the firewall that comes with my ADSL router I figured that
perhaps extra security was required.
My Windows (Don't hold it against me) boxes have the Microsoft
software firewall (seems sufficient)
My Linux machines generally don't require the extra security (correct
me if I'm wrong)
But now I have a Debian server running (providing HTTP, SSH and FTP to
the world.. not user name and password is needed for SSH and FTP) I'm
assuming that I need some kind of software firewall on this box for
safety and (also just for education) What would people recommend? I
looked into firestarter but that requires GUI which I don't have/want
on this box.
Any ideas/recommendations?

5: I want to come to the pub tonight and Dover in the morning but I
have a girlfriend who may not appreciate the suggestion that she folds
my laundry and hoovers my room (after not having seen her all week)
while I go to Dover to hang around with geeks... And I'm not sure if
she could remain sane in a room full of people talking *NIX. So may
see you later or Saturday but can't promise.

I think that is me caught up on three weeks of KLUG stuff.