[linux-users] Linux Usage and College Updates

Tariq Sachleben sachleben.t at husky.neu.edu
Mon Dec 5 04:35:53 EST 2016


To briefly address context, there's a faction of us (Class '20) who are
fairly avid about Linux and have multiple machines running one flavor or
another at a time. Everyone else runs a naturally mottled mix of MacOS and
Windows, occasionally both simultaneously. Relatively few fan-persons whose
dedication to one system over all others could be a rubbing point.
Actually, the current Linux Faction is probably the most pretentious, but
we just want to proselytize.

> Is lists.ccs.neu.edu system still used for current classes/activities?
Regarding this list, I think I'm the only current student who's subscribed.
Most everyone has moved on to newer technologies, eg Signal and its ilk.
The eldest single technology I can think of that's still in wide-spread
usage is the venerable GPG, but only to facilitate secure communication
with certain professors. I'm unsure of the activity level of other lists.

> IIRC, this list was for the young/new Linux-based unix lab in 2003-2004?
> Are all the unix labs now 100% linux?  Is there still a Solaris
> contingency on campus?
Of the three labs, 102 is fully Linux, while 210 and 212 run Windows. That
said, all three labs are in a slow process of retirement, and in a few
years it'll probably be
bring-your-own-machine-we-can-provide-spare-monitors (already started, I
should mention).
Solaris, like the venerable OpenBSD before it, has fallen to the side of
common usage. Personally, Solaris ranks highly in terms of esoteric
Operating Systems I'm interested in trying. However, I still need to get
comfortable compiling daily-usage programs on my own...

-----

Amongst other random news bits that may be of interest, CCIS Crew was
"retired" a few years ago thanks to waning interest and bureaucracy, taking
a fair amount of operational diversity with it. Additionally, talking with
the new director of IT, it sounds like the college is considering exporting
its web services offsite. I know rack was down, end of last week for
maintenance upgrades, meaning things are still hosted locally for the time
being, but I've heard murmurings that there's a strong push from on high to
move to Docker or AWS technologies.
As a (lackluster, disappointing) replacement to Crew, NUHacks has popped
up. Tl;dr: Hacks pretends to be a space where people can come together and
work on personal projects. My sense is that the people there who get things
done would have gotten (and do get) things done regardless. Lately, Hacks
has been trying to give "prompts" for events, and some interesting projects
have been brought together as a result. Of course, as with 90% of Student
Groups, I don't think there's the leadership amongst the younger classes
necessary to maintain current quality, let alone grow.

----

Rambly? Yes, ostensibly.
Complaining? Not yet, no. Just a brain dump for the moment. Crew wasn't
breathing when I got here, and I don't know CPR. It's upsetting to see a
corpse, but I'm not experiencing grief.

~T
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