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Quad City Linux Users Group
Meeting Minutes 5/14/2014
Bettendorf Library

People in attendance:
Tom (does Linux clusters), Chad (linux admin), Alex (VP of QC LUG), *New Guy* (linux admin), Aaron (President of QC LUG – Linux Unix Team), Brad (Unix / AIX), Brian (desktop user, long time member), Ryan (Secretary), Joshua (Linux desktop support), Harley (hobbyist), Jim (using Linux for a long time), Lee (treasurer), Travis (PR Manager QC LUG / Linux Admin), Tom (lots of laptops).

Have a job, need a job:
Deere has some opportunities that may or may not be available (yellow badges, contractor position) – send resume to Aaron.

Another job for $14.50 an hour Linux experience required – ask Aaron, but chances are you don't want to touch this job with a 28.9 foot stick.

Java Developer – Ask Ryan. He doesn't have any real details or a company name, but he can get that if you are interested. 

Old Business Highlights (as viewed in the QC Lug Minutes): 
We are still planning on doing a Linux Tech Showcase – we will do a dry run or “Mock Showcase” with hardware next month. We are going to bring in different distributions and hardware to get these things running like they were made for it. We will use the entire session to run through what we want to accomplish while partaking in the libations that are available through the establishment. 

Things we need to bring to next month's meeting:
Travis: 2 Computers, Monitor, Blank Discs and a switch
Aaron: 3 Extension Cords, 3 Power Strips
Brad: Extended Power Cables
Ryan: 6 foot table
Jim: Debian Disc
Brian: Distribution Discs, Hardware
Alex: USB Sticks – Preloaded, DVD+R Media, SPARC workstation
Hardware, peripherals
Tables
Power Strips

Its going to be pretty much the best event of the day that we hold it on – we are thinking we will host the Linux Festival with a target audience of college students. We can stalk IT faculty to promote the event and perhaps even host the event on separate college campuses. The possibility of a raffle is a way to raise some money, gather some interest, and give away a linux beast.

The Wiki is LIVE – sign in using google's single sign on and you will have an account created. If you've got our root password, go ahead and grant yourself some additional privleges. If not, politely wait until someone with the power decides to share that power with you. 

Side note: Travis uses Linux because he doesn't like paying for software licenses – prime example is the unactivated spreadsheet software – we eventually got it opened up with LibreOffice. Lots of questions were asked, few were answered... Long story short – here we are with smiles on our faces. 

BUILDING LINUX FROM SCRATCH presented by TRAVIS
Travis reiterated his love of Windows and all that it has to offer – hence he likes Kubuntu due to it's similarities to Windows. 

He used Impress to create his slideshow – he hated it pretty bad. 

Linux From Scratch is a book that starts pretty similar to any other book (table of contents, introductions, so on and so forth) with the exception that you can find it online for free without fear of getting hit with terrible fines and / or time behind bars. www.linuxfromscratch.org

Why build LFS (Linux From Scratch)? Get to know your OS, customize entirely, have a light weight / non-bloated version that does what you want it to do. There some prep, construction of temporary systems, building LFS, and setting up boot scripts. If you're new, but able to utilize the copy and paste function, you can get this done in a few days. If you want you understand what you're doing, take the time to read the book – you might actually grasp the why as well. Patience is not a virtue for Travis... Had he read the documentation, he would know what files should be there and which ones shouldn't. He prefers the Trial and Error method – struggle through it until you can't take it anymore and then ask someone else (preferably someone who knows how to read the documentation) for assistance. There's lots of ways to do things – do what's easiest unless you're a masochist. There are tips and tricks to make things easier – you might want to learn those earlier than later if you want to speed things up. However - you may not make as many mistakes or learn as much by using shortcuts (doing it the right way).

He had a time lapsed video demonstration building the temporary system accompanied AC/DC's Back in Black - if you missed it, he'll be selling the VHS for $3.72 each - exact change only please - Pennies are appreciated. Presentation brought to you by OpenShot.

There's a portion where it wants to use a package manager, but if you are a true enthusiast you will skip that portion so you don't ruin all that you've built thus far. Now we continue with copy and paste - you'll get more out of it if you read and understand what and why you're doing things.
You'll need to do some cleanup as well by deleting some of your previous work to make your new work worth while. But it is a free country... you can do whatever you want. You don't have to follow instructions or anything.

He tried to show us another compelling video demonstrating Boot Scripts, however he inexplicably deleted the edited version - he was able to show us the unedited version. It was not near as exciting as the first video, but he did narrate and answer questions during this portion of the exhibition. We eventually got to his first boot. We heard his lessons and hardships with Ethernet interface - Open SSH, and awesome sauce. He will post the slides sooner than later somewhere on the interweb.

Join us next Wednesday at Icons in Rock Island for the Board Meeting at 5:30 PM
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