[SC.LUG] MFS Meeting. Tue, 17 April. "GNU/Linux-libre from scratch - finish"

Tue Apr 10 20:13:06 UTC 2018

Please feel free to forward this to those that would welcome it.

You can subscribe to the Manchester Free Software mailing list at:
https://lists.nongnu.org/mailman/listinfo/fsuk-manchester

* Event: Manchester Free Software's April Meeting

* Talk: GNU/Linux-libre from scratch - finish
* Speaker: Michael Dorrington

* Date: Tuesday, 17th April 2018 (3rd Tuesday of the month)
* Start time: 19:00
* Finish time: 20:30 (social in Madlab until 21:00)

* Location: Madlab (Manchester Digital Laboratory)
  - https://madlab.org.uk/
* Address: 36-40 Edge Street, Manchester. M4 1HN.
  - Opposite "Common" on Edge Street, Northern Quarter.
  - https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=19/53.48413/-2.23639

== Details ==

The purpose of Manchester Free Software is to promote the Free Software
philosophy.

Every meeting we start with an opportunity for informal key signing.
For an explanation of what this is about see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_signing_party

=== Talk ===

The main part of the meeting will be a talk with free discussion on the
topic.

A good choice for a general purpose free software operating system (OS)
is GNU with a kernel of Linux, the GNU/Linux system.  Sadly, the
upstream Linux code contains some non-free elements which led to the
creation of Linux-libre.  In this talk we will finish building a
GNU/Linux-libre system "from scratch", that is, from the source code of
all the required programs, that we started in last month's talk and have
been working on in the meantime.

By compiling from source we exercise our free software rights on the
software involved.  We get to practice patching source code and building
from source code.  We learn about how the GNU system is put together and
how it works.  We learn to really appreciate package managed systems.

If you want to follow along finishing building a GNU/Linux-libre system
during the talk then you'll need to bring a laptop and, at least, have
completed building the [GNU/]Linux From Scratch Version 8.2 up to the
start of "7. System Configuration".

In the talk we'll go through:

* "7. System Configuration"
** which is about boot scripts, network configuration and so on

* "8. Making the LFS System Bootable"
** which is about building the kernel (Linux) and boot loading (GRUB)

* "9. The End"
** which is about booting into the new system and what next

We'll discuss what we want to do for next month's talk. Options to
continue the theme include:

* Beyond [GNU/]Linux from scratch
** http://linuxfromscratch.org/blfs/
* GUIX
** https://www.gnu.org/software/guix/
* Other suggestions welcome

Don't forget to use Linux-libre, not Linux:

* download the Linux-libre source and signature AND check signature:
**
https://linux-libre.fsfla.org/pub/linux-libre/releases/4.15.3-gnu/linux-libre-4.15.3-gnu.tar.xz
**
https://linux-libre.fsfla.org/pub/linux-libre/releases/4.15.3-gnu/linux-libre-4.15.3-gnu.tar.xz.sign

If you encounter difficulties while doing any of this then please feel
free to ask for help on the Manchester Free Software mailing list:

* https://lists.nongnu.org/mailman/listinfo/fsuk-manchester

If you haven't managed to get this far by the time of the meeting then
you can still learn from the talk and finish building the system in your
own time afterwards.

More information:

* http://linuxfromscratch.org/
* http://linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/view/stable/
* https://linux-libre.fsfla.org/

If you have experience of building a GNU/Linux-libre from scratch system
or compiling parts of it then please consider giving a lightning talk at
the meeting.

== Event Planning ==

Software Freedom Day in Manchester 2018 is on Saturday, 15th September.

* https://www.softwarefreedomday.org/

== After-meeting ==

The formal meeting will be followed by informal discussion and
socialising in Madlab.

== Location ==

The meeting will take place at the usual venue of Madlab, details above.

== Transport ==

=== Parking ===

Around the venue there are parking meter bays that become zero cost
after 8pm on Tuesday so you will have to pay up until then and the
maximum stay is 2 hours BUT MAKE SURE YOU VERIFY ALL THIS on parking.

There are paid parking lots around the venue, they are marked by a blue
P in this OpenStreetMap centred on Madlab
<http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=15/53.4843/-2.2365>.  Most of those
parking lots are owned by NCP <http://www.ncp.co.uk/>.

If you can’t decide otherwise then park in Manchester Arndale
<https://www.manchesterarndale.com/visiting/directions>.

=== Public Transport ===

Manchester Victoria (MCV) train station, Shudehill tram and bus station,
and Manchester Piccadilly bus station are all fairly close to Madlab,
see OpenStreetMap centred on Madlab
<http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=15/53.4843/-2.2365>.

Manchester Piccadilly (MAN) train station and Manchester Central Coach
Station are not too far away either.

== More Information ==

Information about Manchester Free Software can be found on the
Manchester Free Software pages on LibrePlanet
<https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Manchester>.

Regards,
Mike.
MFS Chair.

-- 
FSF member #9429
http://www.fsf.org/register_form?referrer=9429
http://www.fsf.org/about
"The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a nonprofit with a worldwide
mission to promote computer user freedom and to defend the rights of all
free software users."

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