Special Guests for 2005
Jon “Maddog” Hall
Michael P. Eubanks
Gerald Carter
Adam Gautier
Greg Bledsoe
Jon “Maddog” Hall
Jon has been in the computer industry since 1969, using Unix since 1977, and Linux since 1994. Few speakers can match the presence of Jon 'maddog' Hall, especially as a speaker at a technical conference. Simply put, Jon is a maven on IT issues and is admired by myriad geeks and hackers the world around. He is a geek's geek. Jon has been speaking before groups advocating Linux for over 10 years, and for years prior became very well known speaking at UNIX events. Jon is insightful, funny, whimsical, and most important, he knows the technical issues he speaks about.
He has been a software engineer, systems administrator, product manager, marketing manager and professional educator. Jon has been the Executive Director of Linux International since 1995, the first four years as a volunteer. Jon has been employed by VA Linux systems, Compaq Computer Corporation in the Digital UNIX Marketing group and Bell Laboratories among other companies.
Maddog, as he prefers to be called, has an MS in Computer Science from RPI (1977) and a BS in Commerce and Engineering from Drexel University (1973).
Jon has taught at Hartford State Technical College, Merrimack College and Daniel Webster College. He still likes talking to students over pizza and beer (pizza optional). Later he became Department Head of Computer Science at Hartford State Technical College, where his students lovingly (he hopes) gave him the nickname 'Maddog'.
Jon is the author of numerous magazine and newspaper articles, many presentations and one book, "Linux for Dummies". He also serves on the boards of several companies, and several non-profit organizations, including the USENIX Association.
Jon now spends most of his time traveling the world speaking on the benefits of Open Source Software.
http://www.li.org/who/bio.php?name=hall
Michael P. Eubanks
Mike Eubanks is a Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
He has a BS in Computer Science, an MS in Software Engineering, and a bunch
of other credentials not worth mentioning. Eubanks worked professionally as
a computer programmer developing software on various platforms from 1990 to
1998. He has been investigating computer crimes for the FBI since he left
industry. He has been a Unix user since 1988 and regularly utilizes Linux
in an investigative capacity for its raw power. He doesn't read newspapers
or other fictitious writings.
Gerald Carter
Gerald (Jerry) Carter received his Masters degree in Computer Science from Auburn University, where he continues to pursue his PhD. He has been a member of the SAMBA development Team since 1998 and his involvement with UNIX systems and network administration of UNIX began in 1995. Jerry currently works for HP, working on embedded printing appliances. He has published articles with various web-based magazines and teaches instructional courses as a consultant for several companies and conferences. Gerald has also written books for SAMS Publishing. His web site is http://www.plainjoe.org/.
Adam Gautier
Adam Gautier is currently CTO of Upstream Enterprises, dedicated to delivering turn-key business solutions based on upstream open source software across a myriad of industries. Adam is also past Technical Director for Intuitive Search. In that role Adam managed the design, development, and production of a internet mapping, routing and road-travel product for the Internet. As Chief Software Architect for Canopy International, an NEC Company, Adam was the architect and manager developing a mathematical model to describe digital data degradation between integrated enterprise systems. Adam delivered leading-edge tools to facilitate the company's goal as a true systems integrator. Prior to his time at Canopy, Adam delivered technology solutions including: satellite communication and navigation systems, GIS systems, embedded solutions, enterprise solutions, banking systems, and 5-nines computing systems. A partial list of his clients includes: Abbott Labs, Wonderware, Open Applications Group, Phelps Dodge, Ford, and SouthTrust Bank.
Greg Bledsoe
Greg Bledsoe is Director of Mission-Critical DataCenter Integration for a major defense contractor (name withheld due to National Security concerns). He is first cousin to Linus Torvalds, and U.S. Ambassador to Elbonia. He has successfully completed the Elbonian Government conversion from abacus and index cards to a central Linux Terminal Server Project DataCenter serving over 15,000 desktops. He has received the Elbonia Royal Rudabega award for Outstanding Research (E.R.R.O.R.) in recognition of a streamlined just-in-time departmental pizza delivery system, which saved the government well over $12.00 (USD) in fiscal year 2003. He occupies a cubicle directly next to Open Source advocate RMS, and spends his spare time composing bagpipe opera scores for nursing homes. (NOTE: Please do not crowd closer than three feet to Mr. Bledsoe, his position requires a personal laser defense system under autonomous control of Elbonian security agents, who will be mingling with event attendees. Thank you for your consideration.)