Ubuntu Install Fest etc.

[Martin Owens]

Dear Brenda Collins,

> I'm on the planning committee for the Spring Conference, Cape Cod and
> Islands Library Association, to be held Mar 20, 2008.

I'm the leader of Ubuntu MA, we had originally decided to postpone the
installfest until the spring so as not to invite people to carry heavy
computers and monitors over the ice and snow of a boston winter.

Instead I will be pushing the organisation of a user party, where we
have a get together where the main aim is showing off some of the
interesting ways to use Ubuntu; demonstrations and gaming. We'll be
talkign in depth about this at our monthy meeting which is on Thursday
the 13th December this month.

> I want to know when and where on Jan 12 this installfest is being held, as I
> (and my husband, a software developer) would like to attend.

there is no place yet, it may be that we don't have a place to go to
even if we decided to organise the event since MIT (Steve confirm me
on this) is rather busy in January.

> I would also like to know of any libraries (public, academic, special,
> school) which have installations of Ubuntu in place.  I am curious to know
> of the experiences of NON technical persons (like librarians) + also how

Michael Selva runs a small computer lab at the Armenian school in
Watertown, MA. He's down as our Educational Liaison and has promised
to organise days where he will show the lab and share his experience
with other schools and libraries.

> they have handled virus protection etc.

When we find a virus that runs on Linux we'll come up with a solution
that kills it stone dead without the need for crippling the platform
with anti-virus software. The latest versions of ubuntu come with
AppArmor which prohibits the execution of virus like software
concealed in compressed and hidden documents. As well as the Gnu/Linux
platform being much more technically secure with segregated user
rights, even if a computer was to become infected with a hypothetical
virus, it wouldn't have the rights required to damage the workings of
the machine or spread it's self over the network.

To aid any security problems, all updates including full upgrades to
ubuntu are free of cost, allowing people to apply to the latest fixes
(all te software is free in fact) but it's worth noting that no user
is left in an extortable situation (i.e pay us or suffer security
problems situation)

> Depending on how feasible Ubuntu might be, it is possible we may want to
> include mention of Ubuntu in some way. OR a display or a table… I don't
> know.

We can at any time give you demonstrations or talk to you and answer
questions you have, either in person or in the mailing list or irc
channel. I can personally field telephone calls at 857 277 2117 if
your more comfortable with a telephone.

Best Regards, Martin Owens