Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the Linux Symposium?

A. The Linux Symposium is a Linux developers conference that takes place every year in Ottawa, Canada. The main focus of the event is the Linux kernel and the technologies closely related to the kernel. There is no trade show floor at the Symposium and very little overt marketing presence.

Q. I am not a kernel hacker, will I be out of place?

A. While the general focus of the event is the Linux Kernel all your need to take advantage of the event is a strong interest in Operating Systems technology and development. Yes many of our attendees are kernel hackers; but many are just Linux enthusiasts; userspace hackers, and system administrators.

Q. Is there an announcement mailing list?

A. Sort of! We used to operate a separate mailing list for announcements but as of this year we have depricated the list in favour of sending out notifications to everyone who has a registration account in the system. You may choose not to receive email announcements by logging into your account and setting it to no mail.

Q. I am in high-school, does the student rate still apply?

A. Yes. All we ask of students is that they bring a valid student ID from a government sanctioned educational institution when they come to pick up their event registration package (badge, etc).

Q. I'm coming alone and would like to share the cost of hotel, is there any way to help coordinate this?

A. Yes, you can email hotel-sharing@OURDOMAIN.org and we'll help you find some other people in the same situation. Sharing is a great way to keep costs low.

Q. How much does it cost?

As you can see, we would very much like people to register early, it allows us to produce various items in advance and helps eliminate the last minute rush to get things finished.

Q. Where do I mail the cheque?

A.While we prefer payment by Credit Card our address is:

Linux Symposium
55 Byward Market Square
2nd Floor North
Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 9C3
Canada

If paying by cheque or money order please be sure that the instrument is in Canadian Dollars. This will prevent minor accounting nuisances caused by incorrect conversion.

Q. I am having difficulty completing my registration, who can I talk to?

A. You can send an email to registration@OURDOMAIN.org and they will be able to help you out.

Q. What happens if I need to cancel my registration?

A. If it is before July 1st we can give a refund. After July 1st we have already printed all of our materials and you will need to find someone to transfer your registration to. If you registered early this is usually not too difficult as the registration price after July 1st is twice that of the early registration.

Q. I am considering bringing my non-technical spouse, is there much for them to do?

A. It is our custom to issue guest passes to visiting spouses if they're only dropping in to see you while you're at the event. The Symposium is right in the heart of the Ottawa tourist area with many museums, galleries, and other organized tours and ample shopping and dining within several minutes walk.

Q. What is the legal drinking age in Canada?

A. In Ontario (the provice that Ottawa is in) the legal drinking age is 19.

Q. What is this OURDOMAIN.org stuff?

A. Well, if we post any valid email address it gets added to many spam lists so this just means you'll have to determine what domain to put in the OURDOMAIN.org space using logic.