We now begin our continuous coverage of YAPC. Yes, folks, starting now I'll be providing frequent updates of exciting YAPC happenings. For example, I'm about to start packing. Woohoo! Updates will last through the close of the conference and include talk summaries, interesting experiences, and whatever else I feel like including, at least until I get tired of writing journal entries.
Remember, if I fall off the face of the earth (or have so much fun I quit logging), you can find a wealth of YAPC use Perl; journal entries here.
As you're packing (last minute like me, I'm sure), don't forget the essentials. I like to make little to-do lists so I don't forget anything. For example, I have a list of things to remember to do to my laptop before I go. You might need to remember one of these, too, so here's my list:
- Do an apt-get so I've got the latest version of everything. Sorry Windows users. :) [Ironically, it looks like Debian just removed Evolution from their distribution, probably getting ready for a release. apt-get tried to remove my email client!]
- Make sure I've got my complete local mirror of the YAPC website, and that the links work. My gratitude to the people who brought me GNU wget --mirror.
- Download some maps of St. Louis, particularly driving directions maps so I can get from hotel to airport to WU, etc.
- Set up my Intel Linux machine on the DSL line so I can ssh in to it from the conference. Rather than checking my email through the conference network and risking security holes, it'll be better to encrypt everything between St. Louis and home.
- Test the ssh access from my university to make sure it's working and I'm not being bitten by ipchains or something. (Grumble, grumble, lessons almost learned.)
- Record my DSL IP address somewhere in my laptop files. [That could certainly come in handy if I want to access my home machine.]
- Download some stuff to read during travel time. For one thing, I'm planning on looking through the On Lisp book some of us were discussing in a recent thread here.
- Send some last emails. Tell people I'm going to be gone.
We'll now have a break in our coverage while I pack. :)
