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Red Hat Drops Linux Expo 2000
EricWright writes "Although this hasn't (apparently) hit major news outlets yet, the Raleigh News & Observer is running a story in the business section today that Red Hat has dropped plans to hold the Linux Expo 2000. Although I haven't seen anything at Red Hat's website, they have confirmed the cancellation, saying 'The Expo won't happen this year. This doesn't mean that the project is abandoned; it just means that it won't happen this year. We are very much interested in keeping it alive.'"
If you look on RH's events page, you'll find Linux Expo 2000 North America (Apparently there's one in Brazil too). It's being held in Montreal, Canada in the beginning of April. I have to wonder if Cowpland will be giving his keynote in French. The odd thing is that this has recieved NO advertising, not even from it's sponsors! If I hadn't been looking damn hard for where to register, I probably wouldn't have found out about it.
I'm really sad to see this happen to Linux Expo. Especially considering Raleigh's only what, a 2.5hr drive from me (Richmond, VA - check out RiVaLUG)..
It was a very fun event. I went to the second one skipped the third (they wanted too much money, no student price), and was at every one since. The first one I went to (the second one), was so cool. About 50 geeks in a classroom listening to John "Maddog" Hall talk about *GASP* Linux as a standard. :) I forgot what Alan Cox talked about. Lunch was provided in the cost of the event... there were maybe five vendors with a few boxes or promotional materials on foldup tables.
The Ottawa Linux Symposium probably is the closest in feel to the early Linux Expo's. Very technically centered. I think I'm probably going to take a few days off of work and hit that one.
I was holding out for this one because I wanted to go to a show put on by people that were important to Linux, not IDG that got into it for the money. My friends and I drove to the show in 98 from Iowa, ended up destroying my car, but loved it. I went back in 99 and got it in my budget for this year. I'll feel dirty going to a show put on by the people that domain-squatted linuxexpo.com.
I was/am looking forward to going there as I'll be nearby that week anyway.
--
Well, the first couple of Linux Expo's were merely a gathering of linux enthusiasts gathering in class rooms on NC State's campus one weekend. With the rise in popularity of Linux, and the growing interest within the computing industry, it became much more or a commercial endeavor.
Last year's expo was ~6 months in the planning, from what a TriLUG friend of mine told me, so it's not surprising that, with less than 3 months to go and nothing accomplished, Red Hat has dropped plans to hold it.
As to RH permanently dropping the expo, I kinda doubt it. The soundbytes from RHs spokesperson claim they are interested in continuing the expo in the future, but just dropped the ball this year. They must have been diverting all of their resources to the Cygnus take-over.
Eric
The News-Observer article quoted Carol Campbell as saying "I think in the end they decided they didn't have enough time to pull it together." Why can't they hold it later than normal? Seems like a cheap excuse to me.
Good point. Wouldn't it be better to have a joint venture with open participation? To have one company sponsor it helps perpetuation the popular perception of "Red Hat as Linux".
At least, this opens a void and a window of opportunity.
Geeky modern art T-shirts
The Raleigh N&O said that the local users group may try and pick up the slack with a less corparate expo. (More like the old ones, for the True Geeks(tm).)
:)
Damn it! This is the third disaster since I moved down to Raleigh (Floyd, BIG snowstorm, cancelling Linux Expo), it's almost like NC is conspiring against me!
Myddrin
For various reasons, I need to get myself registered and travel booked and so on for a Linux show this year. I'd been planning to go to Linux Expo, but with that one out of the picture, what should I go to instead? I missed Linux World in NYC, and Atlanta is too far in the future - if I pick that one, the money for the trip is likely to dry up before I get to go. What's a good Linux show to go to instead? preferably a week-long event with some real meat to it.
--
Disinfect the GNU General Public Virus!
This story has been on ZDNet for at least two days. Here it goes.
Besides, the Linux hype is winding down. Look at the Red Hat and VA Linux stock prices. VA Linux hit another new low today; they're down to 96. Red Hat isn't doing well, either.
The first couple got pulled together in a matter of weeks. I know with the increased size of the event it would be somewhat tougher, but not impossible. So I think that the reason is a little weak. I think it more than likely has to do with the money it would take to pull it off. Many more RH type companies in the mix now, along with many more large players like HP and IBM. I'll bet RH is hoping someone else just picks it up and RH can go back to being an exibitor rather than sponsor, it's substantially cheaper for essentially the same exposure.
More race stuff in one place,
than any one place on the net.
Does it HAVE to be sponsored by Red Hat? Can anybody else come and help out and get this underway? It's s tragedy to see something like this disappear...
:-)
Maybe one of those billionaires starting universities or donating to the UN would help out.
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it. - G.B. Shaw
>A friend told me last week that ALS is probably going to cancel their 2000 show
As one of the organizers, I can tell you that the 2000 ALS will take place as announced on the ALS website.
Levien
-- Levien de Braal
It should be noted, some people may get the Linux World Expo and the Linux Expo mixed up.. The Linux World Expo in CA and NY, twice a year, is still on, and they are not the same thing..
-- I'm the root of all that's evil, but you can call me cookie..
Donnie Barnes, a founding member of the LUG @ NCSU which hosted the first two Expos has posted an explanation on the Linux Expo website.
Also, the Linux Expo has joined forces with Atlanta Linux Showcase.
-Michael [Remove two parts of address to mail me]
We've been running with this idea the last couple of days. There is a lot of interest in setting up a Linux-oriented geek festival in the RDU area. I'm personally working on securing the location, and we're basically pushing for a large outdoor area with lots of open grassy areas to set up tents, volleyball, bands, etc. It's all very much up in the air right now.
Most of the discussion is currently taking place on the TriLUG mailing list. Other LUGs in North and South Carolina are being invited as I write this to help organize the event. We have our kickoff meeting next week where other LUGs will be invited to attend.
If Slashdot wants to continue running stories on the major developments I'd be glad to submit them if they'll get picked up and run.
Disclaimer - I'm not an officer of TriLUG or anything. Just one of the many tarheels that wants to preserve the tradition of annual geek congregation in the Old North State. Also one of the volunteers helping to organize this event.
Screw Micro$oft.
From the article : His column tipped off the local Linux users group, TriLUG. Its members started e-mailing each other, making plans to conduct their own Expo.
I'm in the RDU area, I attended the Linux Expo two and three years ago, but not last year, and thought that it was getting a little too corporate in '98, but was still definitely worth attending. I wish I had gone last year, to see what it was like. I can see it getting to be more like all the other computer expos and less like LinuxExpo should be.
SO.. Redhat's not going to organise it this year.. Fsck 'em! I think it's in the true linux spirit to route around damage and create our own expo. I'm willing to help in any capacity I can. There are enough Linux/Unix businesses and people in RTP to get something going, and I'm sure quite a bit of the rest of you Slashdot people would attend an expo built to be what WE want it to be, not what the corpses want it to be. Email me if you're in RTP.. or even if you're not. Let's get something together!
//Phizzy
"Most European technology just isn't worth our stealing," -- Former CIA chief James Woolsey, referring to Echelon
The 4th Annual Linux Showcase and Conference is once again going to be held in Atlanta and we hope that those of you planning to attend the Linux Expo can make it to Atlanta instead. We're working closely with USENIX to make sure that the technical conferences are of high quality and we're also working to keep the sense of community we have strived for in the past.
4th Annual Linux Showcase and Conference: www.linuxshowcase.org
Call for Papers: www.linuxshowcase.org/cfp
Blake Sorensen /p?
4th Annual Linux Showcase and Conference
October 10-14, 2000
Atlanta, GA