LinuxExpo Report

So we're here, we're intact, and we've got our tickets to see Star Wars tonight. With the important business out of the way, I can finally give my first report from LinuxExpo- brace yourself for my quick summary.

It's a pretty interesting show. As tends to always be the case, I can't really escape the show floor and actually see anybody speak, but there is enough going on here to scream about.

We're sandwiched in the back between the Free Software Foundation and Debian. Its a nice wall of geekdom- the suits seem to be staying near the front where all the big companies with actual budgets and furniture are located.

All the big usual suspects are here (Red Hat, Linux Hardware/VA Systems, Compaq, IBM) plus accross from us is a company called Patmos (they have parallel systems and very comfy looking leather couches scattered throughout their booth). There are several vendors with massive clustering and parallel systems- practical ones for web serving and stuff instead of silly things like predicting the end of the world or weather.

Nobody is giving away really steller stuff (except the ALS boys with their excellent OS Wars T-Shirts).

The most entertaining news is the homeless Turbo Linux models (can someone send a URL with pictures?). They hired models to distribute promotional materials at the show- but they got thrown off the floor for doing it outside of allowed spaces. So they sent the models to the front of the local hotels. All those attractive women without a home- its enough to cause total insanity at a conference with so many geeks.

Less amusing, but still entertaining is the rumor of Legal Action between Linux Care and Red Hat. The former is distributing a parody of the 3com 'Simply Palm' ads with photo of a woman in a bra covering her backside with a Red Hat software box. The slogan reads "Simply Supported". Apparently the Red Hat lawyers sent cease and desist orders to the Linux Care lawyers. I'm waiting for a scan of the picture and the letter- that hopefully will be up soon.

Ah well, thanks for to the LinuxExpo folks for giving us a chunk of real estate to sit on at the floor. More as it happens.