When: April 15,, 2026 7:00PM EDT (6:30PM for Q&A) Topic: What is and Isn't Linux Presenters: Chris Allen Location: Online: https://meet.jit.si/blu.org Meeting will be recorded, but not live streamed. Recordings will be posted: https://blu.org/video/ Summary: A discussion of what is and what isn't Linux Abstract: Linux Desktop environments are often compared to MacOS and MS Windows environments, but in reality Linux is just the Kernel. The desktop environments, developer toolchains, and application software are separate from the kernel, and many of them also run on a variety of other UNIX platforms. Chris reviews various hardware architectures, the history of C and UNIX, the GNU toolchain, the Linux kernel, and the low-level components that make the kernel usable. For further information and directions please consult the BLU Web site: http://www.blu.org Our meeting recordings are found on the Video tab: http://blu.org/video/ -- Jerry Feldman<gaf.linux@gmail.com> Boston Linux and Unixhttp://www.blu.org PGP key id: 6F6BB6E7 PGP Key fingerprint: 0EDC 2FF5 53A6 8EED 84D1 3050 5715 B88D 6F6B B6E7 _______________________________________________ Announce mailing list Announce@lists.blu.org https://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/announce
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Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Boston Linux VIRTUAL Meeting Wednesday, April 15, 2026 - Open Source Business Crash Course
When: April 15,, 2026 7:00PM EST (6:30PM for Q&A) Topic: What is and Isn't Linux Presenters: Chris Allen Location: Online: https://meet.jit.si/blu.org Meeting will be recorded, but not live streamed. Recordings will be posted: https://blu.org/video/ Summary: A discussion of what is and what isn't Linux Abstract: Linux Desktop environments are often compared to MacOS and MS Windows environments, but in reality Linux is just the Kernel. The desktop environments, developer toolchains, and application software are separate from the kernel, and many of them also run on a variety of other UNIX platforms. Chris reviews various hardware architectures, the history of C and UNIX, the GNU toolchain, the Linux kernel, and the low-level components that make the kernel usable. For further information and directions please consult the BLU Web site: http://www.blu.org Our meeting recordings are found on the Video tab: http://blu.org/video/ -- Jerry Feldman<gaf.linux@gmail.com> Boston Linux and Unixhttp://www.blu.org PGP key id: 6F6BB6E7 PGP Key fingerprint: 0EDC 2FF5 53A6 8EED 84D1 3050 5715 B88D 6F6B B6E7 _______________________________________________ Announce mailing list Announce@lists.blu.org https://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/announce
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Boston Linux VIRTUAL Meeting reminder,, tomorroew, Wednesday, March 18, 2026 - Exploring the A.I. Chip Landscape
Topic: Exploring the A.I. Chip Landscape
Presenter: Shankar Viswanathan
Location: Online: https://meet.jit.si/blu.org
Meeting will be recorded, but not live streamed. Recordings will be
posted: https://blu.org/video/
Summary:
A roundup of the various AI chips on the market and under development
Abstract:
"The talk will be a "literature survey" of different AI hardware: both
chips used in the datacenter as well as on user devices."
Bio
Shankar Viswanathan is the lead performance architect for AMD's
Strategic Silicon products. He has worked on the design and
verification of several generations of AMD processors. Most
recently, he was on the design team for the SoCs that power game
consoles such as the PlayStation5 and the Steam Deck. His
general interests like at the intersection of performance and
security in hardware platforms.
*Attachments:
*https://www.nextsilicon.com/insights/elads-blog-heterogeneous-harmony
For further information and directions please consult the BLU Web site:
Our meeting recordings are found on the Video tab: http://blu.org/video/
--
Jerry Feldman<gaf.linux@gmail.com>
Boston Linux and Unixhttp://www.blu.org
PGP key id: 6F6BB6E7
PGP Key fingerprint: 0EDC 2FF5 53A6 8EED 84D1 3050 5715 B88D 6F6B B6E7
_______________________________________________
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Announce@lists.blu.org
https://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/announce
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Boston Linux VIRTUAL Meeting Wednesday, March 18, 2026 - Exploring the A.I. Chip Landscape
Topic: Exploring the A.I. Chip Landscape
Presenter: Shankar Viswanathan
Location: Online: https://meet.jit.si/blu.org
Meeting will be recorded, but not live streamed. Recordings will be
posted: https://blu.org/video/
Summary:
A roundup of the various AI chips on the market and under development
Abstract:
Details to follow
Bio
Shankar Viswanathan is the lead performance architect for AMD's
Strategic Silicon products. He has worked on the design and
verification of several generations of AMD processors. Most
recently, he was on the design team for the SoCs that power game
consoles such as the PlayStation5 and the Steam Deck. His
general interests like at the intersection of performance and
security in hardware platforms.
*Attachments:
*https://www.nextsilicon.com/insights/elads-blog-heterogeneous-harmony
For further information and directions please consult the BLU Web site:
Our meeting recordings are found on the Video tab: http://blu.org/video/
--
Jerry Feldman<gaf.linux@gmail.com>
Boston Linux and Unixhttp://www.blu.org
PGP key id: 6F6BB6E7
PGP Key fingerprint: 0EDC 2FF5 53A6 8EED 84D1 3050 5715 B88D 6F6B B6E7
_______________________________________________
Announce mailing list
Announce@lists.blu.org
https://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/announce
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Boston Linux VIRTUAL Meeting reminder, tomorrow Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - Open Source Business Crash Course
Topic: Open Source Business Crash Course
Presenters: Federico Lucifredi, Kurt Keville
Location: Online: https://meet.jit.si/blu.org
Meeting will be recorded, but not live streamed. Recordings will be
posted: https://blu.org/video/
Summary:
Open Source business models, trade-offs, and pitfalls
Abstract:
We review Open Source business models, trade-offs, and pitfalls for
entrepreneurs new to its promise and challenges.
Of course, you know Open Source and Free Software are a development
model, not a business model. Or maybe you don't, in which case this is
definitely the session for you!
Graduate from :Open Source -> Giant Ecosystem -> Profit" naive thinking
to understanding how product and project ecosystems work, and what's in
it for the business and its customers – as well as what tradeoffs come
in the bargain.
As VCs no longer accept open-ended business plans starting with Open
Source code, building an ecosystem, and unexplained profit as the third
step, a more nuanced view is needed for the next generation of
entrepreneurs. We review the fundamental structure of Open Source
business, illustrate the known mistakes that others have made before you
so you can actually avoid them, and dissect the fundamental strategies
to monetizing Open Source.
The aim is to chart a path for your business to grow harmoniously
alongside its project and Community, not in tension degenerating into
rivalry with it. Let us show you what is well understood, so you can
make new, exciting mistakes instead of repeating the old ones.
Bio
Federico Lucifredi is The Ceph Storage Product Management Director
at Red Hat, formerly the Ubuntu Server PM at Canonical, and the
Linux "Systems Management Czar" at SUSE.
For further information and directions please consult the BLU Web site:
Our meeting recordings are found on the Video tab: http://blu.org/video/
--
Jerry Feldman<gaf.linux@gmail.com>
Boston Linux and Unixhttp://www.blu.org
PGP key id: 6F6BB6E7
PGP Key fingerprint: 0EDC 2FF5 53A6 8EED 84D1 3050 5715 B88D 6F6B B6E7
_______________________________________________
Announce mailing list
Announce@lists.blu.org
https://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/announce
Thursday, February 12, 2026
Boston Linux VIRTUAL Meeting Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - Open Source Business Crash Course
Topic: Open Source Business Crash Course
Presenters: Federico Lucifredi, Kurt Keville
Location: Online: https://meet.jit.si/blu.org
Meeting will be recorded, but not live streamed. Recordings will be
posted: https://blu.org/video/
Summary:
Open Source business models, trade-offs, and pitfalls
Abstract:
We review Open Source business models, trade-offs, and pitfalls for
entrepreneurs new to its promise and challenges.
Of course, you know Open Source and Free Software are a development
model, not a business model. Or maybe you don't, in which case this is
definitely the session for you!
Graduate from :Open Source -> Giant Ecosystem -> Profit" naive thinking
to understanding how product and project ecosystems work, and what's in
it for the business and its customers – as well as what tradeoffs come
in the bargain.
As VCs no longer accept open-ended business plans starting with Open
Source code, building an ecosystem, and unexplained profit as the third
step, a more nuanced view is needed for the next generation of
entrepreneurs. We review the fundamental structure of Open Source
business, illustrate the known mistakes that others have made before you
so you can actually avoid them, and dissect the fundamental strategies
to monetizing Open Source.
The aim is to chart a path for your business to grow harmoniously
alongside its project and Community, not in tension degenerating into
rivalry with it. Let us show you what is well understood, so you can
make new, exciting mistakes instead of repeating the old ones.
Bio
Federico Lucifredi is The Ceph Storage Product Management Director
at Red Hat, formerly the Ubuntu Server PM at Canonical, and the
Linux "Systems Management Czar" at SUSE.
For further information and directions please consult the BLU Web site:
Our meeting recordings are found on the Video tab: http://blu.org/video/
--
Jerry Feldman<gaf.linux@gmail.com>
Boston Linux and Unixhttp://www.blu.org
PGP key id: 6F6BB6E7
PGP Key fingerprint: 0EDC 2FF5 53A6 8EED 84D1 3050 5715 B88D 6F6B B6E7
_______________________________________________
Announce mailing list
Announce@lists.blu.org
https://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/announce
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Next BLU InstallFest is at UMass/Boston on Saturday, February 21st
Saturday, February 21, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
We'll be in the University Hall, on the second floor, in Room 2110.
The campus parking garage has elevators under University Hall, and
Uass/Boston has a shuttle bus from the JFK/UMass subway stop.
https://blu.org/cgi-bin/calendar/2026-ifest74
--
John Abreau / Executive Director, Boston Linux & Unix
Email: abreauj@gmail.com / WWW http://www.abreau.net / PGP-Key-ID 0x920063C6
PGP-Key-Fingerprint A5AD 6BE1 FEFE 8E4F 5C23 C2D0 E885 E17C 9200 63C6
_______________________________________________
Announce mailing list
Announce@lists.blu.org
https://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/announce