InstallFest

Details:

Please note that this InstallFest is NOT at O’Reilly and Associates. It will instead be at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park. Please see below for information on the exact location and directions.

What is an InstallFest and who can come?

Instead of putting all of the usual “what is an InstallFest” info in this and future announcements, we have a link up on our website as to what a NBLUG InstallFest entails and how to participate. If you point your browser of choice to http://www.nblug.org/installfest/, you’ll be presented with all the info you ever wanted to know about what goes on at an InstallFest, and how you can get the most out of attending one.

Anyone is more than welcome to attend. If you need help or just want to hang out and talk, you are more than welcome to show up. They are always totally free; you might want to bring a few dollars for pizza, however.

How do I sign up?

We will again be taking signups for this InstallFest, so please be sure to visit that URL if you plan on attending. People who signup and reserve a time slot, are first in line. We’ve found that by taking signups, we can help more people in a timely fashion. We can also make sure that enough helpers are available for those wanting help. If you need help at the last minute, you can still just show up and we’ll probably be able to help you, but it really helps us if you register first; preferably a week or more in advance so we have a chance to beg for more helpers if we need them.

What if I want to offer to help?

If you’re interested in helping out, please contact installfest@nblug.org; if you’ve successfully installed RedHat (or Mandrake or SuSE or Debian or FreeBSD or OpenBSD or YellowDog or …) before, you can probably help out. We can even use a bit of help from somebody helping people bring their heavy equipment in. Besides, it’s fun to come hang out with all the geeks. ;)

For helpers, the schedule is a little different:

8:00AM - Breakfast (optional) at an undisclosed (undecided) location. 10:00AM - Room open to helpers for setup 10:30AM - Installs begin (event start) 4:00PM - Installs should be done by now. 4:30PM - Installs must be done by now. 5:00PM - Room closed; alarms go off, doors lock, police show up.

We always need helpers, and we can usually use more helpers than we get. It’s a good way to “give back” to NBLUG and it’s a geeky good time.

(If you’re interested in helping out but can’t do an InstallFest, please consider giving a presentation in December or January or consider taking over as President; contact speakers@nblug.org about speaking or president@nblug.org about taking over as President)

— Location and Directions —

The InstallFest will take place on Sonoma State’s campus. We will be using room Schulz 1121, which is in the Schulz Information Center (aka, the Library). Directions and information on parking follow.

Here are some maps and directions that SSU makes available on their site:

http://www.sonoma.edu/university/maps.html

— Master index of all interesting direction-related info.

http://www.sonoma.edu/university/maps/schulzinfoctr.html

— Nice map of the campus with the library (Info Center) highlighted

Parking tips from Mike & Dustin:

http://www.nblug.org/location.html

— Similar to the map above, but Mike has highlighted the parking areas, and also drawn a path to get to the right part of the library from Cotati Ave.

Parking on Saturday is free. You may park in either Lot D or Lot J. Note that any lot that is marked as residence parking is OFF LIMITS at all times unless you have a proper parking permit.

If you need to park close to the building to bring your equipment in, there is 30 minute parking on the West side of Schulz and on the East side of Schulz there are two 15 minute spots. Once you drop your equipment off, you should move your car to one of the other lots mentioned above.

Handicapped parking is available in the reserved lot areas, and on the West side of the library near the library loading zone. Handicapped parking is labeled.