[wlug_org] Installfest update

[Wood Brent]

--- Sam Cannell <sam@plaz.net.nz> wrote:
> On Mon, Mar 08, 2004 at 01:50:49PM -0800, Wood Brent wrote:
> > Silicon also have a well setup presentation room which we may be able to
> use.
> > It might be useful to have a PC set up with internet access, email clients,
> > Office suite all set up so anyone interested can wander up & see it working
> > without hogging the hardware area???? Any comments for/against this?
> 
> Sounds good.  What facilities does the presentation room have?


Seats, screen, reasonable projector, LAN connection. Prob worth a visit there
to nut such things out if we decide it may be worth progressing this??

> 
> > 
> > Silicon will segment their LAN so we have a private network, we'll need one
> box
> > as DHCP server on this, others as clients. It will NOT have internet
> access,
> > tho we will have some access to download stuff elsewhere on site if needed
> &
> > within reason (like drivers prob OK, but full ISO's not :-)
> > 
> > The server would be a good place for ISO's, etc....
> 
> I can bring my PC as I did last time - I had a Debian APT mirror and
> (iirc) Redhat ISOs then.
> 
> I've also got a 52x writer, so can burn off ISOs for anyone who wants
> them.

Sweet. Is the one gonna be enuff? If we pre burn a few Knoppix, Mandrake,
(whatever) CD's, hopefully we won't have a queue for the one box. 

Is anyone able to print WLUG branding on blank disks?


> 
> A couple of questions:
> 
> * What distributions do we want?  Should this be clearly specified now,
>   or should it be fairly loose?

I believe Mandrake 9.2, should be there. It is pretty universally recommended
for a novice install. What else is up for debate, but some LiveCD's would be
good. This generally means Knoppix. 

I'd like to leave personal opinions out, as they are held by people who are not
novices, and tend to massively underestimate the impact of both their own
familiarity/expertise and the difficulties novices have getting PC's up &
running.

Look at distrowatch, etc for recommendations & go with those. If individuals
wish to provide something different as an option for installees, I think it
needs to be managed, but not discouraged.


> 
> * Was everyone happy with the registration site I did last time, or
>   would something else be better?

It was a good idea, but I'm not sure the pre-registration covered many of those
who actually turned up. A book where installees can record some details on the
day, with a comment as to how useful/interesting it was & any suggestions for
improving it may be worthwhile on the day, then some lucky person can enter it
into a db. I guess I could carry out that role. Not too much of a strain on my
technical skills :-)

> 
>   Unfortunately due to a hard disk crash on the hosting server I was
>   using, I no longer have the source for that, but should be able to
>   re-create it fairly easily.

I think a nice page on the WLUG site, with links to sponsors, etc would be all
we need????


 
> > build CD of things like modem drivers, proprietary graphics drivers, etc
> for
> > use during the install
> 
> Good point.  That was one of the things that I don't think anybody
> thought of last time.


Hopefully we'll get better at this stuff with experience :-)


> 
> If everyone is happy with me using my machine as the server and given
> that I've got a decent speed connection at home, I'd be more than happy
> to grab all this sort of stuff and keep it on my PC until it's needed.

Fine with me :-)

 
> I'll grab the obvious stuff that comes to mind, but if anyone has any
> drivers or related support software to add to the list, flick me an
> email .. installfest.drivercd@plaz.net.nz

Can we organise some structured way of building a list of files/iso's/packages
you have collected, and making this available? Maybe a web page listing what
you have with an email link to the above address for suggestions?

Is an installfest wiki feasible or overkill?



Cheers,

  Brent