Hi folks,

following a 2(3?)-year old tradition, it appeared like a good idea to me to hold another programmer's meeting here in Oldenburg this year, and as I hope that everyone else who attended it the last time(s) liked it as much as I did, I hope you crowds will come again. Besides, this is most definitely the last meeting of this kind I'll be able to organize as it looks like I'll start real-life work somewhere near March '99. So here it is, the invitation to the

3rd Linux/m68k (/ppc/i386/whatever) programmer's meeting in Oldenburg, Germany

Just like the last years, the purpose of this meeting is to get as much of the Linux/m68k core developers and active users together to discuss current problems, show off projects, exchange news, and generally to have fun. I already asked a few of you via IRC or privately about what time would fit you best, and now I hope that most others will be able to come, too.

Oldenburg, for those not knowing, is in the north of germany, some 40 kilometers from Bremen. The meeting yet again takes place in the rooms of our university's library, and up to 30 attendants should be no problem.

Also following old tradition, it should be no problem again to connect our machines to the Internet via the library's network (standard 10 MBit/s Ethernet). I know people liked this very much last year for transferring lots of software onto their harddisks, burning CDs etc.

As most of the items from the previous meetings are still valid for this year, I'll just do some cut&paste now:

It would be good if everyone takes all his networking hardware with him because even an internal network can be fun (as we noticed in Solingen '95). That's things like:

• Ethernet/ArcNet(uhm..) boards
• cabling (RG58, RG62, T connectors, terminators, SLIP cabling)
• serial terminals for debugging purposes
• PCs (where available) that could act as gateways/cross compile machines

What else you should take with you

• Your computer and monitor, mouse, keyboard, cabling
• other peripherals (CD-ROM, DAT etc.)
• technical documentation - 68030/040/060/851/881/882 manuals, VGA controller databooks etc.
• At least one triple plug for power to your machine (of course more where available - and mark it with your name)
• Long power cable reels where available.
• air mattress, sleeping-bag, cushion, ear plug if those next to you tend to snort :-)
• Clothes, tooth-brush, tooth-paste, soap, towel,
• programmer's food - fruit, chocolate, "Haribo", chips etc.
• soldering iron, tools, screw-driver, spare parts
• Please also take plate, knife/fork and your coffee mug/whatever with you.
• If you feel like it, you could bake a cake for everyone to enjoy (or other things typical for the place you come from - like beer ;-).
• road map and my maps as soon as I have them ready (see * Getting here).

Eating & drinking

Breakfast: I'll buy bread, buns, etc. for us for both days. Breakfast was sometimes a bit 'simplistic' last year, but you won't starve. :-)

Lunch: Everybody should buy for himself what he needs - be that junk food, going to a restaurant, or whatever.

Supper: I'll see what nearby restaurants we can rush - but I can imagine it will be much like last year, with a very nearby restaurant on Friday night and driving into the city center on Saturday.

Drinking: I'll be buying what you ask for - water, apple/orange juice, coke or whatever. Please fill out the form below and tell me your wishes.

Toilets/showers

Toilets are just next door. As for showers, we'll be able to use those of the sports department of our university. It's about 1 km away, but we all have cars, so that should pose no problem.

General things

• In the library's rooms smoking is prohibited. Please go outside for that.
• No drunkards. I won't mind people drinking a beer or two, but please stay reasonable. If someone starts going wild, I'll have him thrown out.
• Phone: I hope I can give out a phone number of the usher of library so if someone has to contact you urgently he can call that number. I don't yet have the number. I'll keep you informed.
• Entrance fee: No idea yet - this heavily depends on the number of guests. Expect something like 20 DM for breakfast/extra costs (like a little present for the usher).
• If we can get connected to the library's network and anyone starts misusing it (like trying to hack accounts or flood-pinging the network), I'll send him home immediately. I mean it! I'll be made responsible for any abuses of the services we might get offered. We haven't had any problems of that kind the last two years, but I always have to mention this.

Getting here

I'll dig out the old maps/images I prepared in '96 and make them available through my home page again in a few days. I'll tell you when and where they are available. Those without direct Internet access should mail me so I can send the maps to them directly.

Open questions

• It would be nice if we could again get a machine dedicated to networking/ firewalling/masquerading. Joerg (Dorchain), are you still with us? Do you think you'll be able to come again and bring such a pre-configured machine with you? And if not, anyone else willing to prepare such a machine?
• How about those guys who are still very active but have not visited Oldenburg yet - any chance, Andreas etc? :-)
• [..your question goes here]

If you want to make comments to the above part of this mail, feel free to send it to the list. Please do not send the form below to the list, however. Watch the Reply-To: line.

Please fill out the following form and send it back to ME (not to the list, please!). If you want to leave an item empty, do so by leaving the empty brackets, like this: [].

  Hi Frank,
  yes, I'd like to come to your programmer's meeting.
  
  [FILL_OUT] (date) at around
  [FILL_OUT] (time)
  and will stay until
  [FILL_OUT] (date).
  
  [FILL_OUT]
  
  
  [FILL_OUT]
  
  [FILL_OUT] (number of tables and sockets).
  
  
  [FILL_OUT]
  
  
  [FILL_OUT]
  
  
  along this route of cities:
  
  [FILL_OUT]
  
  no car/do not want to drive myself. I'm looking for a lift from
  somewhere near [FILL_OUT].
  
  [FILL_OUT] (suggestions: mineral water,coke,apple/orange juice,..)
  
  
  [FILL_OUT]

Hoping for a lot of responses,