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Linux + Sci-fi + Detroit = Penguicon3.0
AciDive writes "Everyone's favorite Michigan based Linux and Scifi convention is back for another year. Penguicon is pleased
to announce that this years guests will include: Cory Doctorow, Kevin Siembieda, Nat Torkington, Joan D. Vinge, Dr. Peter Salus, Eugene "ROD" Roddenberry Jr, Kathe Koja, Joey deVilla, Cathy Raymond, Alice Taylor, Eric Raymond, Jeff "Hemos" Bates, Rob "CmdrTaco" Malda, Howard Tayler and Luke Ski. Pre-Registration for Penguicon will be open until Friday April 8, 2005, and yes if you miss the pre-reg date you can register at the door. Penguicon has a full schedule of Linux and Sci-fi related panels slated for this year so don't miss it (we have panels for everyone from the beginner to the l33t h4x0r).
Penguicon will be held on April 22-24, 2005 @ the Novi Sheraton in Novi Michigan." I don't usually plug local stuff, but this show is a truly unique blend of Linux & Scifi and one of my favorites. This will be my third year speaking, and I'm really looking forward to it. I'll post more in my journal as I figure out scheduling. At the very least, we should pack the hotel bar with Slashdot readers for some quality beer time after my session.
Bah, this has got nothing on Bi-Mon-Sci-Fi-Con.
Be there AND Be square.
we have panels for everyone from the beginner to the l33t h4x0r
Based on my experience, those considering themselves "l33t h4x0rs" are beginners.
I'm a big tall mofo.
[...]and Luke Ski
walker.
Come on, I know I'm not the only one who added that when I read his name.
I cringe at the thought of how many gallons of Mountain Dew and pounds of Doritos are consumed while this is going on...
> I dunno if I would want to sit around drinking beer with some of the weirdos around here...
but think of the trolling opportunities!
Well at least it wasn't South Lyon, but surely there must have been a more exciting location in southeast michigan for a conference to attract people from across the nation than Novi. On the extended drive from the airport, visitors will get a good view of the concrete/asphalt jungle that is the suburban sprawl of Detroit and Oakland County
I make my face look like this and concerned words come out.
and watch the KDE vs GNOME flamewars come to fisticuffs after a couple beers. Nothing like a bunch of nerds slapping each other. Oh well someone tape it for me.
The best education consists in immunizing people against systematic attempts at education. - Paul Feyerabend
I only recognized two or three of those names, and of those two or three, only one can actually contribute anything to a speech.
Linux + Sci-fi + Detroit = Flying Car?
There are 01 kinds of cars in the world. The General Lee, and everything else.
All of the Slashdot kiddies that had such fun at my expense a year ago will get another chance, in person: I'll be there, with costume. I'll even be doing a panel (tentatively scheduled for Sunday at 1 PM) on what the last year has been like for me.
Disinfect the GNU General Public Virus!
As if this city didn't smell bad enough already!
As Detroit is about 40 miles away from Novi.
If someone says he and his monkey have nothing to hide, they almost certainly do.
At the very least, we should pack the hotel bar with Slashdot readers for some quality beer time after my session.
I can see it now...
Miller Lite
Color: +2
Taste: +1
This beer modded Hot Waitress! +10
Crow T. Trollbot
YOU MIGHT BE A GEEK:
....you might be a card-carrying hard core geek. :-)
-If you pronounce unix commands
-If you get agitated everytime you hear someone use the term "information super highway."
-When you heard the Ricky Martin song, "She Bangs" you thought "#!"
-If you think the GUI was the downfall of computing.
-If you consider reading "the news" is going to "Slashdot."
-If you've ever used the words "grep," "sed," and "awk" in a sentence.
-If you've ever been in a heated debate with someone over "vi" versus "emacs."
-If you just picked one of the above.
-If you know who RMS is.
-If you've ever looked at a household appliance and wondered, "Can I install minix on that?"
-If your sp3llin9 b3ginz to l00k l1k3 th1$.
-If your entire wardrobe is made up of IT vendor T-Shirts.
-If you have ever attended a LAN party but left because they didn't have a gigabit switch.
-If you've ever attended a movie opening in costume.
-If you own a Batleth or know someone who does.
-If you've ever uttered a word in Klingon.
-If you've ever argued with someone regarding Kirk or Picard being the better Captain.
-If you can name more than 3 planets in the Star Wars movies.
-If you're not offended by the term "BitchX"
-If you know what a "Tardis" is.
-If you've ever dressed as a Sci-Fi/Fantasy character at a Rennaissance Festival.
-Actually, if you dressed up as anything at a RenFest.
-If you kept a journal of all the things changed or left out of the Tolkien novels while watching the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
-If you've ever used "geek code" in your e-mail signatures
-If the value of your comic book collection exceeds your annual income.
-If you attend any sort of convention plugged on Slashdot.
I might know what I'm talkin' about, but then again, this is Slashdot...
YOU MIGHT BE A GEEK IF:
:)
-If you've ever tried to explain the difference between a "cracker" and a "hacker" to anyone
-If your tan comes exclusively from CRT radiation.
-If you've ever been used by a woman for your "computer hacking skills" rather than your nunchuck or bow hunting skills.
-If you downloaded the leaked copy of the new "Dr. Who" show.
--I'll write more
I might know what I'm talkin' about, but then again, this is Slashdot...
As a life long Detroiter, I am motivated to respond to the spate of anti_detroit sentiment in this thread. First off- SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN IS NOT DETROIT! Detroit ends at Detroit's borders. Novi is not Detroit. Dearborn is not Detroit. Ann Arbor is not Detroit. Get it? Driving from DTW to Novi has NOTHING to do with Detroit (except for the name and county of the airport)! A lot of Linux/ IT/ open source types tend to be drawn to artsy-fartsy/academic cities like Ann Arbor/ Royal Oak (Michigan) or places like San Fransico or Seattle. But some of us live comfortable lives in nice homes on large lots in all the cities surrounding Detroit, even cities directly bordering Detroit. We have real, regular jobs paying well in either IT or automotive related companies. Someone has to do the work, rather than sit around making petty judgments on city reputations. If you were born in a northern climate, you actually LIKE short periods of snow and cold, taking advantage of long dark days to do indoor projects, or snowmobile or ice fish, etc. Someone else in this thread mentions the ludicrous prices paid for paltry living spaces on the West Coast. Well, anyone is free to pay social/cultural status premiums all they like, however unreasonable. Funny thing is, "Detroit" (i.e. Southeast Michigan) has some of the wealthiest neighborhoods and homes in the nation, closer to "Detroit" proper than Novi, in the Bloomfields or Grosse Pointes. While I won't disagree that Detroit decayed from its heyday in the 1940s and 1950s, the developments of the past 10-15 years in the downtown area proper have made significant strides. The Fox, Comerica Park, Ford Field, new Science Center, African American Museum (excellent), the DIA (Detroit Institute of Arts), the casinos (though I don't gamble), and more developments have improved the downtown a LOT. There is a LOT more to do, but things are better than they've ever been in my lifetime (30 something). And singling out Detoits worst grafitti and decay ridden areas as an example of SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN is like taking the WORST areas of New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago to characterize those cities. Yes, the proportion of bad areas to good is higher in Detroit, but that's not the only point. ...And when all of you are dying of thirst and withering away, YOU CAN'T HAVE OUR FRESH WATER (no comments on GRrat Lakes pollution, please...)