[NBLUG] General Meeting Announcement

WHAT: NBLUG General Meeting TOPIC: Sonoma State's ARS & Linux WHERE: Sonoma State Campus, Schulz Info Center, Room 1121 (See below for specifics) WHEN: August 14th, 2001 @ 7:30PM ---- --------------------------------------------------------- URGENT NOTE: This meeting >> IS NOT << at O'Reilly. Please read the section below labeled "Location and Directions" for information on this month's meeting location. --------------------------------------------------------- Greetings everyone! This month we thought we'd change it up and take the group on a field trip for our meeting. We'll be meeting at Sonoma State this month (more info about location and directions below). Mike (he presented in July along with Andru about network booting and Linux) will be talking about the Automated Retrieval System they have installed in the library at SSU. This system consists of shelves and a Linux controlled robot that retrieves books out of bins for people that request them. This should be pretty cool to see up close and personal. To get your geeks taste-buds watering a little bit, you can take a look at Mike's site for some pictures and info: http://mike.passwall.com/ars/ Here's a little more info I stole from an announcement Mike sent to the discussion list a few months back (I hope you don't mind, Mike): One word of warning: "NDA" ... SSU and I are under NDA for the project. Though I have full source code for the server side of things, I cannot comment on it, publish it, or describe the internal workings of their software. I also cannot go into much detail on the schematics of their robotic systems, or answer detailed questions on just what they have in the way of hardware. Last, I can't show you much in the way of memo's between the builder of the system and the university, the ARS manuals, or diagrams. However, I can discuss the general nature of the system, how we almost did not get this on Linux, but later came to be the first AS/RS (ARS) in the world (AFAIK) to use Linux as the OS of choice to control the system. I can also bring a VHS tape of the system running, and my own "personal" copy of their server software on my laptop in "demo mode" to show you the User Interface and options that our employees have for using the ARS. (I have permission from HK Systems to do this part.) What is the ARS? The ARS is an Automated Retrieval System designed to hold infrequently used or accessed books. 3 Large robotic cranes (1-3 tons each) tower three stories tall in a 3 story tall chamber with 3 aisles and 6 computer stations. Nearly 6,000 stainless steel bins exist in a 3 story tall rack skeleton. The system currently has about 250,000 items stored in it, and after compaction of items will likely have about 40-50% capacity in use. The cost of this system is about $2.2 Million, and is entirely controlled from one of 2 redundant Linux (x86 Dell PowerEdge) servers. SSU is the 3rd library to go live with an ARS. The first library was at CSUN, second at the University of E. Mich. Though UNLV started their ARS 1 year before us, they did not finish until after us and then start using it until about 5 months after we were open and in service. The presentation will likely mirror much of what I have placed on-line, but if you have questions beyond what is on-line, bring them to the presentation, or better yet, e-mail me so I may better prepare an answer for you. I'll try to answer your question directly in e-mail before the presentation and then put the Q and A up onto the site. Mike can be reached at dugan(a)passwall.com in case you'd like to pre-ask a question of him for the meeting. You probably saw the item at the top of this email that this meeting is NOT going to be at our normal meeting place. Here's the info on how to get to the meeting location. This info is courtesy of Mike who has graciously taken care of doing all the leg-work involved with making arrangements at SSU. If you have any questions about the meeting location, please feel free to contact yours truly at dustin(a)nblug.org and I'll do my best to get you info ASAP. The meeting will be at the normal time of 7:30. We ask that you not show up before 7:00PM. The location will be room 1121 in the Schulz Library. 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: http://www.nblug.org/schulz-library.gif -- 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. I think you can find free parking east of the main entrance (seen in the middle-bottom the map of the campus as the southern tip of the parallel vertical lines.) Free parking along East Cotati Ave. (places where you do not find "No Parking" signs along the north side of East Cotati Ave. are not too much farther than the "paid" parking spots. I do not suggest parking at the Taco Bell as they have been known to tow people. They may not be so strict later in the evening, but people should be warned of that as a risk. If you buy a parking pass, then you are permitted to park in the parking lots for "unreserved" members. Please to not park with a parking pass: Visitor Parking, Reserved Parking, Zones denoted "no parking", illegal parking spots. 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. Handicapped spots within the university also require parking stickers AFAIK. Well, that's all I can think to put into this announcement. It's pretty long as it is, so hopefully I've covered everything. Like I said, please contact me ASAP if you have any questions about the location. If you know folks who may not see this announcement, forward it on to them, or let them know that we will not be at O'Reilly. We hope to see you all there! -Dustin -- Founder & President The North Bay Linux Users' Group http://www.nblug.org/ dustin(a)nblug.org