Official Publication of the STL!/unix/usr/group

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Online version: http://www.sluug.org/cronicle/

Table of Contents

• Next Meeting Details
• Tutorial:EMACS By Stan Baldwin
• Guru Gathering:Favorite Web Site(s) with Jeff Grigg
• Presentation: DVD Technology by Matthew Cowan from HEURIS
• Book Special(s):
• Upcoming Events
• Meeting Directions
• Article(s)
  • ITEC 2000 Volunteer Progress!
  • Linux SIG Chairperson
  • Quotations
  • Winner: Best Local Y2K Story
  • Personal Commentary
• Special Interest Groups (SIGS)
  • Linux SIG (SLUUGLS)
  • Computer Telephony Integration SIG (SLUUG CiTI)
  • Digital Alpha SIG
• Steering Committee
• Sponsors
• SLUUG on the World Wide Web
• SLUUG Administration is volunteer based.
• /usr/groups/other
• Contacts
• Submitting Articles to the SLUUG CRONicle
• SLUUG PO Box

Wednesday, May 10, 2000 at 6:30 PM
Sunnen Products, 7910 Manchester

Abstract:

Uuuh, EMACS - Eight Meg And Constantly Swapping?

Biography:
We can tell the world, (or at least our little corner of it) that ...

This month's UNIX tutorial will be given by Stan Baldwin, a seasoned UNIX user and system administrator.

He has been using UNIX since the dark ages of PDP-11 and ADM-3A and having evolved from the primordial ooze of 'ed' thru the puberty of 'vi' and into the higher life form of emacs, he will be attempting to lift the rest of us to this pinnacle of the evolutionary ladder. Come and evolve with us "Leaving Puberty and entering Emacs".

Topic:

Favorite Web Site(s)

What's your favorite web site? Where to you go for the most useful information relating to your work and outside interests? Print a few pages from your one "best" web site, and share your experiences on how the site helps you. The results will be compiled for inclusion in the newsletter.

This Gathering of Gurus (GoG) is an informal discussion group of people with similar degrees of experience and common interests for open discussion. They would rather talk with peers than sit quietly and listen to the tutorial. Anyone may attend, and discussion is encouraged.

Ideas for future discussions are welcomed; please send mailto:jgrigg@mail.sluug.org

Title of the Month The 25% discount special will be on any EMACS, Linux book and any NutShell book 10% discount on all other books.

All regularly priced titles are 10% off retail cost at the general meeting. (Excludes featured, or specially priced or promotional items)

The O'Reilly and Associates line of books is available at each monthly general meeting as a convenience to our members.

Each month features a book related to that month's presentation or tutorial topic.

The STL!/unix/usr/group meets the 2nd Wednesday of every month at Sunnen Products, 7910 Manchester Blvd, just east of Hanley on Manchester.

Directions From Downtown

1. Take 40 West to the Hanley exit.
2. Turn left (south) onto Hanley.
3. Turn left (east) onto Manchester, then turn right ASAP into the Sunnen Products driveway.

See map at http://www.sluug.org/info/sunnen.html

(NOTE: A security guard from Sunnen is scheduled to be at the door from 6:20 PM to 7:20 PM to allow entry. After 7:20, the door will be unattended and attendees may not be able to enter.)

The SLUUG Steering Committee meets the Tuesday following the general meeting at 6:00 PM in the 2nd floor training room of Daugherty Systems, One City Place in Creve Coeur.

The SLUUG Linux SIG (SLUUGLS) meets the 3rd Thursday of every month at the Indian Trails Public Library.

See map at http://www.stllinux.org/linux/directions/

ITEC (Information Technology Expositions and Conferences) Expo 2000:

This year's ITEC Expo will be at the America's Center downtown on TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY, the 23rd and 24th of May. The show runs from 10am to 4pm each day.

Our participation at ITEC allows us to let a lot of people know of the group's existence. Every year people that have been living in St. Louis first learn about our group from the ITEC booth.

* Our O'Reilly & Associates books will be sold there. The ITEC show sales volume generated is one of the reasons we continue to be able to offer the ORA books at our meetings.

* ITEC Volunteers Training
All ITEC volunteers should be at Sunnen Products at 7:00PM on 5/10/2000 for a 30 minute booth instruction meeting. (This will occur simultaneously with the tutorial and the Guru Gathering at our regular meeting.) This meeting will be especially important for those who have signed up for book sales.

We know that Sunnen meeting space and privacy will be stressed as we have simultaneous meetings, but we will have better success at the regular meeting where many members will attend anyway. * Even though free tickets for the members should be available at our 10 May SLUUG general meeting it is recommended that you pre-register.

Refer to http://itec.asmcorp.com/ for general show info. If you pre-register indicate "SLUUG member" in remarks.

We have had considerable committee activity preparing for the ITEC show. Up to date information can be gathered best from our mailing list. Along with these efforts general SLUUG (and Linux SIG!) member volunteers are needed to step up planning and finding tutorials and presentations for the monthly general meetings that follow. That is what we must do to keep new and old members coming back month after month.

We still need our booth #1535 and presentation room #125 to be staffed by our membership. If you can come to the show, plan an hour (or more ;-) to work our booth. Even one hour will give someone in the booth a break. It can be quite an enjoyable time. But the booth is not all of where we still need help, we always need volunteers to do other things.

* We have a calendar dedicated to scheduling volunteers. The URL is at http://www.when.com
The Group Login ID is 'ITEC'
The password is 'ITEC'

The ITEC Committee looks forward to hearing from you.

Members should send mailto:itec@mail.sluug.org for details.

Matthew Feldt is moving to Cleveland and announced his imminent departure from the Linux SIG. He will continue to work with Firstar and will be in St. Louis often.

Matt asked the Linux Special Interest Group if anyone would be interested in assuming the role as chair and Matthew Porter volunteered. Matthew appears to be quite enthusiastic and technically competent. He has also offered assistance in the past so is believed to be responsive in administering the group. Additionally, Steve and Kara Pritchard have also volunteered. Because of their involvment with other Linux user groups they are highly favored. Matthew Feldt will begin the transition of the SIG over to hopefully the best working combination of Matthew, Steve and Kara.

We are all sorry that Matt is leaving. He has done a fantastic job with the Linux SIG, and we are sure that anyone who takes over after his departure will long benefit from the hard work he has put into making the SIG such a success. We've often been envious that the Linux SIG attendance usually exceeded the general Unix meeting.

Despite a rather inadequate summation of the story by the editor Ed Wehner's story was selected as the winner. The prize was a most appropriate copy of the O"Reilly book "Year 2000 in a Nutshell".

For your enjoyment his story is presented as follows:

It was about 11:30 PM New Years Eve. I was on my way to work to "baby sit" the systems during the roll over to 2000. I decided to pick up a soda on my way into the office. Usually I stop by the Texaco Station on the corner of M & P by my house. Unfortunately, they were closed due to the Holiday. There are a couple of convience store further down M so I headed off on a quick hunt.

After finding an open Convience Shop, I went in and filled up my 32 OZ cup. I got in the car and started heading for work. Suddenly I saw the all too familiar red and white lights in my mirror. I pulled over and the officer politely introduced himself and asked for my license and insurance card. Being equally as polite I produced them for his examination.

"Did you realize you were going 8 miles over the speed limit on M?" He asked.

Staring in disbelief at my speedometer, I replied with a weak apology for my dastardly deed.

He examined my documents briefly and inquired about my point of origin and destination. I explained that I had stopped to get a soft drink and was on my way to work. He paused for a minute, looking at the paperwork, and returned to his car, presumably to check the authenticity of my documents.

In a short time he returned with his clip board and my documents.

"Are you really going to work?" he asked. Probably not convinced that I was telling the truth.

I explained that I worked with the computers at my company. It was like a light suddenly went on in his head. It was quarter till midnight on the infamous Y2K roll-over night! What disaster might strike of he delayed my arrival at the appointed time?

"Oh, You need to get to work don't you?" I could sense the apprehension in his voice.

I nodded politely.

"We'll let it go this time, please watch your speed over here. Now go fix your computers!" He handed me back my License and Insurance card then motioned for me to be on my way.

I thanked him and resumed my journey to work to save the world from the destructive consequences of the Y2K bug.

This was the first and probably last time my profession got me out of a traffic ticket. Oh to be a Doctor!!! :)

Ed Wehner

The following PERSONAL COMMENTARY expresses personal opinions and SLUUG exerts no more editorial control over such content than does a public library, bookstore, or newsstand. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, or other information or Content expressed herein are those of the respective author and not necessarily supported by SLUUG. SLUUG does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content, nor its merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose.

The things most people want to know are usually none of their business.
- - Mark Twain

ANY OPPOSING COMMENTS MAY BE MADE BY SENDING mailto:editor@mail.sluug.org for consideration for future publication.)

As our membership grows, we have had some inquiries about the possibility of having Special Interest Groups in several areas. If you are interested in starting or participating in a SIG for System Administration, Networking, C, Object Oriented Programming, a specific vendor, etc., please call Dave Mills at 230-5151, extension 103, or contact any officer of the group.

Visit the Linux SIG home page ( http://www.stllinux.org/linux/ ) for the latest meeting details.

Indian Trails Public Library
8400 Delport Drive
(at Midland)
(314)-428-5424

For more information on SLUUGLS refer to the WWW home page for the group at http://www.stllinlux.org or contact Matthew Feldt by mailto:linux@www.feldt.com

The CTI SIG is no longer having regular meetings and is currently using a web-board format.

The Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) Users Group is a non-profit organization open to developers, end-users, sales people, and others who share the common interest of melding the telecommunications and computing worlds.

For more information on SLUUG CiTI contact Tony Zafiropoulos by mailto:tonyz@ctitek.com or (314)878-9855.

The Digital Alpha SIG is for those interested in Digital UNIX and the DEC Alpha architecture. Visit the Digital Alpha SIG's home at http://www.sluug.org/~newton/asighome.html for more information.

The SLUUG Steering Committee meets the Tuesday following the general 2nd Wednesday meeting at 6:00 PM in the 2nd floor training room of Daugherty Systems, One City Place in Creve Coeur. The guard can direct you to the meeting location. Anyone is welcome to attend. If you would like to become more involved in the planning of SLUUG, feel free to join us at the next Steering Committee meeting. Meetings usually last 1.5 to 2 hours.

    St. Louis UNIX Users Group
    P.O. Box 411302
    Creve Coeur Post Office
    St. Louis, MO  63141-9998