BELUG meeting Tuesday, December 9th, 2025 at 6:30pm
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Steve Herber
Dec 8, 2025, 3:10:19 PM12/8/25
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BELUG: Supporting Linux and open source for 21 years.
The next BELUG meeting is Tuesday, December 9th at 6:30pm.
The Zoom link, with password, is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/131116407?pwd=OFkwZzZWMVhDdlhMTU91K2lOVkQvZz09
Meeting ID: 131 116 407
Passcode: 117647
The in-person location is at the North Bellevue Community Center:
North Bellevue Community Center
4063 148th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA. 98007
Please come early to help set up the room.
The meeting will be hosted by Jerry and Kevin. Thank you both.
The meeting will follow this format:
introductions all around
collect technical questions to answer later
a review of the previous meeting topics
our best answers to your technical questions.
We cover a wide range of topics for new and old linux users.
I hope you can attend this meeting.
A summary of the November meeting is below the signature line.
Thank you,
Steve Herber her...@herber.us cell: 425-281-0355
Software Engineer, UW Medicine, IT Services
The report from last month:
-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject:
Meeting assets for BELUG are ready!
Date:
Wed, 12 Nov 2025 03:28:08 +0000 (UTC)
From:
Zoom <no-r...@zoom.us>
To:
ko...@univention.com
[ZoomLogo6.png]
Meeting assets for BELUG are ready!
Meeting summary
QUICK RECAP
The Linux SIG meeting was led by Gerald Smith in place of Steve Herber, with
Kevin handling technical questions and managing the virtual platform. Members
shared their experiences with various Linux distributions, including Raspberry
Pis, servers, and tiling window managers, while discussing topics like internet
service providers, email providers, and home servers. The conversation ended
with discussions about Linux distributions in AI projects, tiling window
managers, and the upcoming in-person meeting scheduled for December 9th.
NEXT STEPS
Next steps were not generated due to insufficient transcript.
SUMMARY
Linux SIG Meeting Overview
Gerald Smith, the president of CAGS, opened the meeting by introducing the Linux
SIG meeting, noting that Steve Herber, the usual leader, is on vacation. Gerald
explained the meeting's structure, highlighting that Kevin, who provided the
Zoom platform, would handle technical answers, while Gerald would manage the
meeting flow. Kevin confirmed his role, and the meeting began with
introductions, including JP Cummins and Bill Fisher, who shared their Linux
experiences. The meeting was scheduled to start at 6:30 PM and was expected to
conclude before 8:30 PM, with Gerald noting the low attendance due to the
virtual format and the closure of the North Bellbia Community Center for
Veterans Day.
Linux User Experiences and Insights
The Linux Group meeting featured several members sharing their experiences with
Linux. Bill discussed his transition to using Raspberry Pis, while Marty, who
previously led the group for 12 years, is now observing due to reduced computing
needs. JP expressed frustration with Ubuntu LTS's limitations for developers,
preferring Arch Linux, and shared his switch to a Tiling Window Manager for
improved productivity. Ethan attended a recent Linux conference, highlighting a
talk on 3D printing, and Dave Compton described his ongoing use of Linux for
personal projects and server management. Kevin, who works at a Linux-focused
company, noted the preference for Linux among their Canadian clients.
Linux Server and Networking Discussion
The group discussed Linux servers and Kevin's work on a larger scale than Randy.
Bill shared his experience with the new Raspberry Pi 500, highlighting its
affordability and ease of use. Ethan inquired about using Wireshark for
capturing link layer debug protocol packets, and Kevin explained that it depends
on the network card's capabilities. Dave suggested Ethan try Wireshark, and jp
offered an alternative method using signal generators. The conversation
concluded with Gerald asking about Ethernet wiring in homes and Bill mentioning
his experience with MX Linux on a 32-bit Asus netbook.
ISP Experiences and Tech Updates
The group discussed their experiences with various internet service providers,
with most members using Comcast or similar providers. Bill shared his challenges
with porting a phone number from Ziply and his new Comcast service. Kevin
mentioned that the kernel 6.0 no longer supports 32-bit systems, suggesting it
might be time to upgrade. The conversation then shifted to a brief discussion
about digital photography tools presented at a previous meeting, but no one
reported trying them out.
Email and Home Server Discussion
The group discussed their email providers and server setups. Bill shared his
experience with analog photography and 110 cameras. Gerald inquired about
digital tools and email usage, with most members using Gmail, Comcast, or
Thunderbird. Ethan mentioned running his own secure email server. The
conversation then shifted to home servers, with several members, including
Ethan, Dave, Kevin, and Bob, confirming they use them for various purposes such
as file storage and backup. Dave explained his use of a home server for media
streaming and file sharing.
Linux Distributions and Server Plans
The group discussed various Linux distributions and their uses, with JP
explaining his preference for Arch Linux due to its control, rolling release
updates, and extensive software repository. Gerald inquired about Steve's plans
for the server-building group, which Ethan clarified would transition to a
website-building focus and publish meeting notes to increase engagement. Bob
mentioned looking forward to installing new services for the server group, and
Sanjiv shared that he uses Linux Mint and Kubuntu as his daily drivers but
hasn't explored new projects recently.
Linux Distributions in AI Projects
The group discussed various Linux distributions and their use in AI projects,
with Kevin explaining how Gentu can be stripped down to 60MB for specific
applications. JP shared his experience using Copilot and Cursor tools for AI
programming, noting that his work provides secure access to these cloud-based
tools. The conversation concluded with Kevin reporting positive experiences with
T-Mobile's over-the-air internet service, which he found to be comparable in
speed to Comcast, though with limited coverage.
AI in Development and Window Managers
The group discussed tiling window managers, with JP sharing his experience using
Awesome WM on Ubuntu, which he finds easier to configure than DWM due to its
Lua-based setup. Kevin expressed skepticism about using AI in software
development, preferring to train new developers through the company's
apprenticeship program rather than relying on AI tools. Gerald warned about the
risks of AI "hallucination" and emphasized the importance of maintaining human
oversight when using AI tools. The conversation ended with an announcement of
the next in-person meeting on December 9th at the North Bellevue Community
Center, where Gerald noted that Kevin might take on the role of meeting
facilitator.
AI can make mistakes. Review for accuracy.
Please rate the accuracy of this summary.
feedback good feedback bad
Edit summary Share
Thank you,
Zoom Support Team
https://support.zoom.us
LinkedIn
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Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Blog
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San Jose, CA 95113
+1.888.799.9666
? 2025 Zoom Communications, Inc.
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[ "OpenPGP_0x653D64596D56F734.asc") ~1.7 KB. ]
[ Unable to print this part. ]
[ Part 2, "OpenPGP digital signature" Application/PGP-SIGNATURE ]
[ (Name: "OpenPGP_signature.asc") 505 bytes. ]
[ Unable to print this part. ]
The next BELUG meeting is Tuesday, December 9th at 6:30pm.
The Zoom link, with password, is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/131116407?pwd=OFkwZzZWMVhDdlhMTU91K2lOVkQvZz09
Meeting ID: 131 116 407
Passcode: 117647
The in-person location is at the North Bellevue Community Center:
North Bellevue Community Center
4063 148th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA. 98007
Please come early to help set up the room.
The meeting will be hosted by Jerry and Kevin. Thank you both.
The meeting will follow this format:
introductions all around
collect technical questions to answer later
a review of the previous meeting topics
our best answers to your technical questions.
We cover a wide range of topics for new and old linux users.
I hope you can attend this meeting.
A summary of the November meeting is below the signature line.
Thank you,
Steve Herber her...@herber.us cell: 425-281-0355
Software Engineer, UW Medicine, IT Services
The report from last month:
-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject:
Meeting assets for BELUG are ready!
Date:
Wed, 12 Nov 2025 03:28:08 +0000 (UTC)
From:
Zoom <no-r...@zoom.us>
To:
ko...@univention.com
[ZoomLogo6.png]
Meeting assets for BELUG are ready!
Meeting summary
QUICK RECAP
The Linux SIG meeting was led by Gerald Smith in place of Steve Herber, with
Kevin handling technical questions and managing the virtual platform. Members
shared their experiences with various Linux distributions, including Raspberry
Pis, servers, and tiling window managers, while discussing topics like internet
service providers, email providers, and home servers. The conversation ended
with discussions about Linux distributions in AI projects, tiling window
managers, and the upcoming in-person meeting scheduled for December 9th.
NEXT STEPS
Next steps were not generated due to insufficient transcript.
SUMMARY
Linux SIG Meeting Overview
Gerald Smith, the president of CAGS, opened the meeting by introducing the Linux
SIG meeting, noting that Steve Herber, the usual leader, is on vacation. Gerald
explained the meeting's structure, highlighting that Kevin, who provided the
Zoom platform, would handle technical answers, while Gerald would manage the
meeting flow. Kevin confirmed his role, and the meeting began with
introductions, including JP Cummins and Bill Fisher, who shared their Linux
experiences. The meeting was scheduled to start at 6:30 PM and was expected to
conclude before 8:30 PM, with Gerald noting the low attendance due to the
virtual format and the closure of the North Bellbia Community Center for
Veterans Day.
Linux User Experiences and Insights
The Linux Group meeting featured several members sharing their experiences with
Linux. Bill discussed his transition to using Raspberry Pis, while Marty, who
previously led the group for 12 years, is now observing due to reduced computing
needs. JP expressed frustration with Ubuntu LTS's limitations for developers,
preferring Arch Linux, and shared his switch to a Tiling Window Manager for
improved productivity. Ethan attended a recent Linux conference, highlighting a
talk on 3D printing, and Dave Compton described his ongoing use of Linux for
personal projects and server management. Kevin, who works at a Linux-focused
company, noted the preference for Linux among their Canadian clients.
Linux Server and Networking Discussion
The group discussed Linux servers and Kevin's work on a larger scale than Randy.
Bill shared his experience with the new Raspberry Pi 500, highlighting its
affordability and ease of use. Ethan inquired about using Wireshark for
capturing link layer debug protocol packets, and Kevin explained that it depends
on the network card's capabilities. Dave suggested Ethan try Wireshark, and jp
offered an alternative method using signal generators. The conversation
concluded with Gerald asking about Ethernet wiring in homes and Bill mentioning
his experience with MX Linux on a 32-bit Asus netbook.
ISP Experiences and Tech Updates
The group discussed their experiences with various internet service providers,
with most members using Comcast or similar providers. Bill shared his challenges
with porting a phone number from Ziply and his new Comcast service. Kevin
mentioned that the kernel 6.0 no longer supports 32-bit systems, suggesting it
might be time to upgrade. The conversation then shifted to a brief discussion
about digital photography tools presented at a previous meeting, but no one
reported trying them out.
Email and Home Server Discussion
The group discussed their email providers and server setups. Bill shared his
experience with analog photography and 110 cameras. Gerald inquired about
digital tools and email usage, with most members using Gmail, Comcast, or
Thunderbird. Ethan mentioned running his own secure email server. The
conversation then shifted to home servers, with several members, including
Ethan, Dave, Kevin, and Bob, confirming they use them for various purposes such
as file storage and backup. Dave explained his use of a home server for media
streaming and file sharing.
Linux Distributions and Server Plans
The group discussed various Linux distributions and their uses, with JP
explaining his preference for Arch Linux due to its control, rolling release
updates, and extensive software repository. Gerald inquired about Steve's plans
for the server-building group, which Ethan clarified would transition to a
website-building focus and publish meeting notes to increase engagement. Bob
mentioned looking forward to installing new services for the server group, and
Sanjiv shared that he uses Linux Mint and Kubuntu as his daily drivers but
hasn't explored new projects recently.
Linux Distributions in AI Projects
The group discussed various Linux distributions and their use in AI projects,
with Kevin explaining how Gentu can be stripped down to 60MB for specific
applications. JP shared his experience using Copilot and Cursor tools for AI
programming, noting that his work provides secure access to these cloud-based
tools. The conversation concluded with Kevin reporting positive experiences with
T-Mobile's over-the-air internet service, which he found to be comparable in
speed to Comcast, though with limited coverage.
AI in Development and Window Managers
The group discussed tiling window managers, with JP sharing his experience using
Awesome WM on Ubuntu, which he finds easier to configure than DWM due to its
Lua-based setup. Kevin expressed skepticism about using AI in software
development, preferring to train new developers through the company's
apprenticeship program rather than relying on AI tools. Gerald warned about the
risks of AI "hallucination" and emphasized the importance of maintaining human
oversight when using AI tools. The conversation ended with an announcement of
the next in-person meeting on December 9th at the North Bellevue Community
Center, where Gerald noted that Kevin might take on the role of meeting
facilitator.
AI can make mistakes. Review for accuracy.
Please rate the accuracy of this summary.
feedback good feedback bad
Edit summary Share
Thank you,
Zoom Support Team
https://support.zoom.us
X
YouTube
Blog
Zoom.com 55 Almaden Blvd
San Jose, CA 95113
+1.888.799.9666
? 2025 Zoom Communications, Inc.
[ Part 1.1.2, "OpenPGP public key" Application/PGP-KEYS (Name: ]
[ "OpenPGP_0x653D64596D56F734.asc") ~1.7 KB. ]
[ Unable to print this part. ]
[ Part 2, "OpenPGP digital signature" Application/PGP-SIGNATURE ]
[ (Name: "OpenPGP_signature.asc") 505 bytes. ]
[ Unable to print this part. ]
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