I've just completed my switch over from the (3y) ol' Compaq Evo N600c (running W2k) to the brand-new Dell Insipron 8600c (running ubuntu)

Waking up 3 lap-years of technology makes me:

1. run linux: Have been quite happy with my recent debian ventures, and I didn't want to wade into XP land (no real reasons in fact. If someone really needs to, then they can blame it on that dreadful teletubby look and feel) - and oh yes, Mac has a definite appeal, but didn't feel (yet) like worth the extra money (which is also why I opted for dell over ibm - the compaq was out after needing 3 new motherboards, a new keyboard and a new hard-disk during the lifetime of the previous one)
2. gaze at new speed rates again... ubuntu full install took something around 45 minutes, and a full blown cocoon build (no local.*.properties to exclude stuff) runs well under 4 minutes (was well over 50 on the previous one :-))

Some slight known issues still:

• probably some datafiles to be got via smbclient from the old machine when I need them
• my banking app indicates to have linux support (since written in Java) However the windows version distributes with a jre 1.1.8 from IBM, while the linux install doesn't... (anyone an idea on where I could still get that?) - needless to say the helpdesk sent me a polite email stating they only serve windoze users.
• Haven't succeeded at playing a DVD yet: some vague complaints about a missing libdvdcss that persists after installing such. -- Update getting the xine-ui package saved the day... really enjoying my 1900x1600 res now :-0 )

The high-impact event that marks my transition though is setting over the thunderbird files from using a slightly modified version of this explanation. In short my steps where:

1. Find the profile directory on the windows machine c:\\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\default\*.lst file) (e zip-smbclient-unzip that over to some ~/tmp) - From then all operations are on the linux:
2. Run the thunderbird profile manager: drop the default profile and create a named one with apointed to profile directory say ~/.mozilla-thunderbird/[username]_profile.slt
3. Run thunderbird once but escape and exit at the prompt of configuring your email account
4. Backup abook.map and prefs.js in the new created profile dir
5. Copy over the (files) prefs.js, abook.map, (and folders) ImapMail and Mail from the zip you stole from the old windows box
6. Use your $EDITOR of choice to change the paths in the prefs.js from C:\\whatever to /home/username/appropriate
7. Run thunderbird (you will need to re-enter some passwords and re-accept certificates which aren't included in the mentioned switch over)
8. Be happy

After all the great round-ups, nice words, posted pictures and seeing how everybody is getting home safely there really is only some personal memories to add:

• The evening at the VIP lounge of the Irish Pub is going to nest in my memory for a long time. Probably 'cause next year's version of the Silly Australian Joke Session will just extend the experience... A sure thing if we keep on forgetting the ones we heard the year before :-)
• Hackathon this year catched a good wind and brought the ship in the good direction, a lesson learned well for us over-organizers and a assurance that the community will flawlessly just find the best thing to do if you just provide them with the bare essentials: a room to chat, seats, powerplugs, connectivity and some flipcharts. In my personal case the snap return to actual cocoon coding since some time felt really good: Helping out our big italian friend to get the cforms binding to support namespaces (expect the joint work commited in the near future) made me feel useful. The fact that I had set my mind on doing something else just assures some fun for later.
• Another suggestion for next year's hackathon: let it start after lunch to go on until 10pm with the true geek-thing to do: pizza and beer for (walking) dinner! (but only if we can have the ribs on another night of course)
• This year I think the price for the best picture of ghent has to go to Michael (although it isn't holding the drama of last year's winner Yeah one would expect the tourist office starts recruting soon in our community.

It's not as much the people in fact. It's the friends. Thank you all for coming over.

Sigh, less then 48 hours ago, and I already miss it. Just when is next year?

It's got an own life now, but the historic start of this event really was about our first company-birtday.

Thx for the past years, dudes

Goodmornin' World.

9:02 Wifi is up peeps, we have a hackathon at hand!

Steven offers a preview to the giving-birth-pictures of outerthought's new baby.

And Bertrand shows the gt2004 participant with the highest mileage, kinda gives another meaning to the YMMV :-)

This evening, the missus and me are going to witness a concert of a joyful bunch of ol' geasers. We've got quite some albums lingering around, and the peeps have been on our wishlist for quite some time. You may now "Envy me!"

Honestly, if the answer wouldn't be 42, then this would be a darn close approximation.

Update The evening turned out to be a most enjoyable lesson into the Irish Philosophy of Live: "Since you can't take it with you, you might as well drink it!"

Lads and lassies, the room is filling up!

And while the counter is still going up, the getting-everything-ready-clock surely has started its countdown. A mild nervosity is getting us...

By the way: I'm not convinced that opening the doors earlier will lead to more or earlier registrations: I recognise a lot of late entries from hard-core returners that knew about coming over already in August or so (if not to say they decided last year). My guess: we're just in a last-minute-society. Organizing stuff like this naturally comes with this kind of suspense.

Those hard-core returners definitely show us that a large deal of the get-together-atmosphere really is about getting together, not about the topics or programme at hand. To me that sounds like a goal achieved. As steven mentions there is a large amount of new faces as well, hoping they enjoy the atmosphere as well.

Having access to the registration details I can offer some preview statistics. Don't ask for more: according to established routine the full details will be presented by Steven on the morning atfer the ribs!

• Largest delegation is not any more coming from Belgium (20). Q: Can you guess which country is taking the lead?
• Compared to last year there is at least a doubled count of people that take up intercontinental flights for this.
• 67 people have registered for the hackathon. Probably a large part of those will meet up here on sunday-evening.
• With 84 registered for the ribs I'm getting a tad worried about the image of our cocoon-community amongst vegetarians :-)

Hear hear. Nice story, Simon.

Over here, (not living that far from where Edith got executed) your story induced some fond memories of hiking up the beautiful Mount Edith Cavell, Jasper National Park (5 years ago, with wife and then 1y old daughter). Glad we missed out on the grizzly encounter that day.

Surely a spot where Simon could be taking some great pics :-)

Are reported to achieve great things when they set their mind to it.