Linux and Science Fiction

Linucon — what a great concept: A convention focused half on science fiction and half on Linux. As a fan of both who just attended the World Science Fiction Convention in Boston last month, I see huge similarities between the two constituencies. First, the obvious. If you blindfolded a random illiterate man on the street (illiterate, so he couldn’t read the session names, but reading is a crucial skill shared by both groups) and set him down in a corridor at either a Linux conference or a science fiction convention, the only way he’d be able to which kind of event he was at would be the presence of penguins at the Linux do and the unusual hall costumes worn by two percent of the SF fans. Physically, the two groups are the same — slightly older than average, tending toward long hair and beards (the latter only on the men). When you sit down in a room with them to discuss relevant issues, both sets of fans are passionate. They have strongly held opinions and they’re not afraid to share them. They’re also both highly intelligent and have good memories. Linux fans can cite arcane syntax for commands they last used months ago. SF fans can cite plot points of novels they read in their teens. More...