KLUG Minutes 21-APR-1998

[CJGIDMAN@xxxxxxxxxx]

RE: Kalamazoo Linux Users Group
    Meeting Minutes
    21-APR-1998

Attendees: Bruce Smith, Bob Brown, Adam Williams, Brian Ritz, Scott Yellig,
           Rick Knowlton, Chris Gidman

(Attendees listed by seating order.  Each person was seated to the right
 of the person preceding him on the list.)

Presenter: Adam Williams
Topic:     Domain Names and Domain Registration
Food:      Bruce brought milk (and didn't drop it.)
           Adam brought brownies.
           Chris swiped popcorn from another room.

The meeting started as usual in the lobby of Building 298 as we waited
approximately 30 minutes to ensure that all arrivals would be able to
gain entrance to the building.  During this time there were various
discussions on sundry topics.  At 6:30 we moved the meeting upstairs.

Exciting News!  KLUG received its first piece of snail mail and the
KLUG web site (http://klug.armintl.com/) webmaster received its first
webmaster e-mail!  All in the same week! 

The snail mail announced the coming Linux Expo to be held on the campus
of Duke University in Durham, NC.  The Price ranges from $75.00 for 1 day
to $199.00 for three days.  However, if we scrounge up five people or more,
we get a 20% discount off the total price.  Nobody is arranging a bus.
Contact http://www.linuxexpo.org/ for more information.  (Note to groupies:
Linus Torvalds is the keynote speaker.)

The e-mail was an offer from SUSE for a free distribution of Linux.  Bruce
replied accepting the offer.  Hey, it's free!  If nothing else, the CD will
make a good coaster.

Bob opened a discussion about the Kalamazoo Public
Library's (KPL) meeting facilities.  Apparently nobody but Bob and Rick
had read the documents provided by Rick the previous week.  Basic conclusions
seemed to be that we can meet there once a month if someone is in "the
district" and we are "an organization" which doesn't discriminate.  No
decisions were made and no follow up actions were suggested.

INSTALLFEST! John Rollin's Book store has agreed to let KLUG hold a Linux 
Install Fest on their site!  They have a telephone hook-up if we need
dial up access.  We can set up two computers.  Rick volunteered to make up 
flyers announcing the Install Fest.  He will place these flyers at an 
upcoming computer show in Kalamazoo.  Adam volunteered to place the flyers 
at a show in Grand Rapids.  (Perhaps Rick could make the flyer available on 
the mailing list for others to place if they so desire.  What do you think, 
Rick?)  

               -=*> THIS JUST IN FROM DOWNTOWN PORTAGE! <*=-  
        
Since the meeting -- The firm date for the INSTALL FEST is 16-MAY-1998.
If you would like to participate please mail to this mailing list indicating
that you are available to help staff the table.  

               -=*> XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX <*=-


After general business had been handled, Adam gave an informative
presentation about domain names.  Adam has been through the process of
obtaining his own domain name "whitemice.org".  The details of his
presentation will be made available on KLUG's web page.  Here's a brief
outline of the topic:
        
        What is DNS?
                A service that resolves names such as klug.armintl.com
                  into IP addresses.
                A database that contains mail routing information.
        Who oversees DNS?
                Network Solutions Incorporated (NSI)
                National Science Foundation (NSF)
        Advantages to owning a domain name.
                Permanent address for electronic services (FTP, WWW, e-mail)
                Handle mail routing
                Virtually static IP address
                Formal internet presence (you look like a real company).
        Costs (Recently reduced to)
                $70.00 one time fee
                $35.00 annual fee (first two years must be paid up front)
                ISP may charge you filling out forms and setting it up
                  if you don't do it yourself.
                ISP will charge you $2-$15 for hosting the name
        How to Register
                Find an unused domain name (Good Luck!)
                        use 'nslookup'
                        use 'InterNIC' web site
                        use other web sites available
                Find a host (unless you are directly connected???)
                Submit the forms to NIC or your ISP.
        Warnings
                Beware of registration services that charge you much less.
                These folks register the name to themselves and charge you
                to use it.  If you own the domain name, you will get your
                invoice from InterNIC.
                Be careful about registering trademarked names.  You can
                be sued and they will most likely win.  The owners of Gumby
                sued a young child out of his birthday present -- a domain
                name with "gumby" in it.
                Registering under .edu is illegal if you are not a 4 year
                institution.  (I further imagine that registering under
                .gov and .mil is forbidden)

Side note: .org is for organizations and individuals, not just non-profit
           organizations as I once thought.  Apologies to those of you who
           already knew that.

This topic opened up a really confusing discussion about internet connections.
In an attempt to answer the question "When are you ON the INTERNET?", Bob
solicited mild snickering while he drew confusing pictures on the board and
theoretically routed mail through his server in "the can" using two 28.8K
modems and two ISPs to get his point across.

Bob purported that logically, when you call your ISP, you are on the internet.
Adam and Scott countered that you aren't.  The difference seemed to be that
nobody's "routing designation" put his can in the middle.  Thus he wasn't
on the internet, per se.  However, Adam agreed that he was "ON" the internet
but he wasn't "IN" the internet.  In order to be "IN" the internet, you
must pass traffic through your system.  And, it seems that you have to have
the cooperation of at least two other ISPs to do this.

All in all, it was a very enlightening and entertaining discussion.

We concluded the meeting by berating Rick for not having his Linux system
set up yet.  He is experiencing problems with X-Windows and his PS/2 mouse.
The experts tried to resolve the problem, but without looking at the system
they had some difficulty.  It was suggested by Bob that he pipe the output 
of startx to a file and send it to this mailing list.

It was a great time!  Food was great!  It was educational and downright fun.
Be sure to join us next Tuesday at 6:00 PM when we will be ambitiously
performing a double install.  Richard Harrison and Richard Dunbar will be
bringing their PCs to have the latest and greatest version of Red Hat
installed.  Come see what's new!  Bring your questions, problems, comments
or advice.  All are welcome and best of all, it's FREE!

See you next week.