[GNHLUG] [DLSLUG-Announce] TONIGHT: A Surfeit of Sophistication - DLSLUG Monthly Meeting 2009-12-03

[Bill McGonigle]

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              Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Linux User Group
                       http://dlslug.org/
              a chapter of GNHLUG - http://gnhlug.org
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The next regular monthly meeting of DLSLUG will be held:

                Thursday, December 3rd, 7-9PM
at:            Dartmouth College, Haldeman 041
              27 North Main Street, Hanover, NH

               All are welcome, free of charge.

                           Agenda

5:30  Pre-meeting dinner at EBA's.  RSVP and bring cash.

7:00  Sign-in, networking

7:15  Introductory remarks

7:20  A Surfeit of Sophistication
        presented by Doug McIlroy

      Hidden complexity in the service of simplicity is no vice. But
      one's heart sags in the face of complexity that bubbles to the
      surface in hundred-page "man pages" and thousand-line makefiles.

      Software advances more often by sophistication (complication for
      the benefit of cognoscenti) than by simplification (making
      powerful technique accessible). Unix began as a great example of
      the latter, but its proliferation into Linux/GNU mainly
      illustrates the former.

      Sophistication, unfortunately, is the easy way to get noticed,
      while simplification is often subliminal. As an unabashed
      cheerleader for the underdog, I will try to redress the
      imbalance by looking at some incidents large and small of the
      the tug-of-war between these two poles.

      [originally the keynote speech at the Ohio Linux Fest - ed.]

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                       Driving Directions

       Please see the website for links to driving directions.


                          Refreshments

       We currently lack a refreshment sponsor.  If you or your
       company would like to provide or sponsor refreshments,
       please get in touch.

                             RSVP

       RSVP by replying to this e-mail so we can give any
       refreshment sponsor a count.

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                        Tell Your Friends

       Please pass this announcement along to anyone else who may
       be interested.

-- 
Bill McGonigle, Owner
BFC Computing, LLC
http://bfccomputing.com/
Telephone: +1.603.448.4440
Email, IM, VOIP: bill at bfccomputing.com
VCard: http://bfccomputing.com/vcard/bill.vcf
Social networks: bill_mcgonigle/bill.mcgonigle


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