[SC.LUG] MFS Meeting. Tue, 16 Apr. "BeagleBone Black: intro, setup, projects and alternatives"

Fri Apr 12 08:27:41 UTC 2019

Please forward this notice 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

* 15 minute slot 1: Intro to small computers & ARM
* 45 minute slot:   Setting up
* 15 minute slot 2: Wi-Fi router
* 15 minute slot 3: What it can't do and alternatives

* Date: Tuesday, 16th April 2019 (3rd Tuesday of the month)
* Start time: 19:00
* Finish time: 21:00

* Location: Manchester Technology Centre
  - https://mspl.co.uk/campuses/manchester-technology-centre/
* Address: Oxford Road, Manchester. M1 7ED.
  - By the Mancunian Way flyover.
  - https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=18/53.47222/-2.23792

== Details ==

=== Introduction ===

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 this you'll need to bring paper OpenPGP fingerprint slips, see
`gpg-key2ps` from the `signing-party` package (or equivalent in your
GNU/Linux distro):
https://packages.debian.org/signing-party

=== Schedule ===

19:00-19:05 Introduction and key signing
19:05-19:20 Intro to small computers & ARM
19:20-19:25 Short Break (5 minutes)
19:25-20:10 Setting up
20:10-20:25 Long Break (15 minutes)
20:25-20:40 Wi-Fi router
20:40-20:45 Short Break (5 minutes)
21:45-21:00 What it can't do and alternatives

=== Topic details ===

The topics in this month's meeting will cover BeagleBone Black, a small,
low cost, low power computer.  We will introduce it, then show setting
it up, work through an example project and finish with what it can't do
and alternatives.

If you want to follow along then bring a laptop, a BeagleBone Black and
a micro-SD card (4G or bigger).

* https://beagleboard.org/black/

==== Intro to small computers & ARM ====

This talk with introduce small computers and ARM.  Particularly how they
differ from people's normal experience of Free Software on Intel/AMD
based laptops and desktops.

==== Setting up ====

In this talk and demo we will take users from having the BeagleBone
Black out the box to having it setup as they want and using it.  You're
welcome to follow on.  We will discuss uses and projects of the
BeagleBone Black.  Included will be where to find more help and projects
so you can continue to learn after the meeting.

==== Wi-Fi router ====

In this talk we configure a BeagleBone Black to be a Wi-Fi router using
a Wi-Fi USB dongle that has Free Software firmware.

==== What it can't do and alternatives ====

The BeagleBone Black isn't suitable for all projects and we'll discuss
what the BeagleBone Black can't do.  We'll also discuss similar but more
powerful alternatives.

== Location ==

The meeting will take place at our new venue of Manchester Technology
Centre, details above.

== Transport ==

=== Parking ===

Please research and decide where to park before heading on your journey
and have a Plan B.

There are paid parking lots around the venue, they are marked by a blue
P in OpenStreetMap centred on Manchester Technology Centre:
https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/53.4722/-2.2379

Most of those parking lots are owned by NCP:
http://www.ncp.co.uk/

In some of the side streets in the venue surrounding area 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.  This is probably only a good
option if you know the area.

If you can't decide where to park then ask me for advice.

=== Public Transport ===

Closest train stations to the venue are:

* Manchester Oxford Road (MCO) train station
* Manchester Piccadilly (MAN) train station

For other public transport see OpenStreetMap using the "Transport" layer
centred on Manchester Technology Centre:
https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=15/53.4722/-2.2379&layers=T

== 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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