To enhance your LISA conference experience, attendee events are planned throughout the week. Attend the very popular Birds-of-a-Feather sessions (BoFs). Mingle with your peers and technological luminaries during the receptions. Check back here for the latest additions to the activities schedule.

Social Activities
Welcome Get-Together and Conference Orientation
Saturday, December 2, 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m., Maryland Suite

Whether this is your first time at LISA or your twentieth, stop by the Welcome Get-Together and Conference Orientation to learn how to get the most out of the conference. The orientation includes an overview of Washington, D.C., an introduction to LISA, and an opportunity to meet your peers. Refreshments and snacks provided.

Vendor Exhibition
Wednesday, December 6, noon–7:00 p.m., Exhibit Hall A
Thursday, December 7, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m., Exhibit Hall A

Looking for the latest and greatest? Visit the Vendor Exhibition to find new technologies, products, and services. We encourage our exhibitors to bring their technical staff so you can learn about products and innovative services from knowledgeable vendors. Get in-depth answers to serious questions.

Take a Break at the Exhibition
Breaks will take place on the show floor (Exhibit Hall A) at the following dates and times:

Wednesday, December 6, 3:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 7, 10:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

Also, grab your lunch and then join us for an Ice Cream Social:

Thursday, December 7, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Happy Hour
Wednesday, December 6, 5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m., Exhibit Hall A

Join us at the Vendor Exhibition for snacks and drinks, and take the opportunity to learn about the latest products and technologies.

Special Event During the Happy Hour!
Splunk will announce the winner of their Sys Admin of the Year contest during the Happy Hour. Don't miss it!

USENIX and SAGE Community Meeting
Wednesday, December 6, 8:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., Virginia A/B

Meet the USENIX Board and staff and find out about what's new with USENIX and SAGE. Dessert and refreshments will be provided.

Meet the Authors Session
Thursday, December 7, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m., Exhibit Hall A: Author Central next to Reiters Bookstore, Booths 106/108

While you're enjoying the Ice Cream Social, come to the Meet the Authors Session, sponsored by Reiters Bookstore, to meet some of your favorite authors, ask questions, and have your books signed.

Conference Reception: LISA Carnival of Fun
Thursday, December 7, 6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m., Salon 1/2

Join us for a dinner buffet and games at the LISA Carnival of Fun. Show off your bowling arm at the Skee-Ball lanes, mingle with colleagues as you root for your favorite swine in the pig races, or challenge other attendees to a show of strength at the Hi Striker. Collect tickets for winning at each booth, and enter the raffle for fabulous prizes. Mmm . . . cotton candy. See you there!

Birds-of-a-Feather Sessions (BoFs)
Monday, December 4
   7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m.
Tuesday, December 5
   7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 6
   7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 7
   8:30 p.m.–11:30 p.m.

Lead or attend a BoF! Meet with your peers! Present new work! Don't miss these special activities designed to maximize the value of your time at the conference. The always popular evening Birds-of-a-Feather sessions are very informal gatherings of persons interested in a particular topic. BoFs may be scheduled during the conference at the registration desk or in advance. Click here to view the current BoF schedule and for scheduling instructions.

Enhanced Birds-of-a-Feather (BoF) Sessions
Resources will be available to help facilitate a great BoF (even if you've never led a BoF before). Instant discussion lists will be provided to all BoFs so that attendees can easily continue their interactions after the session ends and keep the networking going throughout the year.

Vendor BoFs
Want to demonstrate a new product or discuss your company's latest technologies with LISA attendees? Host a Vendor BoF! These sponsored one-hour sessions give companies a chance to talk about products and proprietary technology—and they include promotional benefits. Click here for more information and a full schedule.

Work-in-Progress Reports (WiPs)
Friday, December 8
2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m., Maryland Suite

Short, pithy, and fun, Work-in-Progress reports introduce interesting new or ongoing work. If you have work you would like to share or a cool idea that's not quite ready for publication, send a one- or two-paragraph summary to lisa06wips@usenix.org. We are particularly interested in presenting students' work. There are only a few slots available: submit your work before the session fills up! A schedule of presentations will be posted at the conference, and the speakers will be notified in advance. Work-in-Progress reports are five-minute presentations; the time limit will be strictly enforced.

Click here for a current WiPs schedule.

USENIX Auction: Books from the Library of Their Author, John Lions, Autographed by UNIX and Linux Notables
Beginning December 1, 2006, original copies of John Lions's books UNIX Operating System Source Code Level Six and A Commentary on the UNIX Operating System (thirty years old, uncirculated, paperback) will be auctioned on eBay. The Commentary is signed by John himself, and both books are signed by seven notables in the history of UNIX and Linux: Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie, co-developers of the original UNIX system; Marshall Kirk McKusick, project lead for Berkeley BSD and the copyright holder for the BSD daemon; Eric Allman of Sendmail fame; Peter Salus, historian of UNIX; Mark Shuttleworth, head of the Ubuntu project; and, last but not least, Linus Torvalds, the architect and lead developer of the Linux kernel. These books were found in the basement of John's house after his death.

Want to bid? Details about the auction are available here. Find out more about and contribute to the John Lions Fund here.

LISA Bingo Is Baaaack . . .
Back by popular demand, LISA Bingo provides the perfect opportunity to get to know the LISA organizers and leaders of USENIX. Inside your registration packet you'll find a LISA Bingo Card with photos of many of the energetic bunch who organized LISA '06, led the training program, and keep the wheels turning at USENIX. Take a moment to chat with these folks and ask them to sign their photos. All you need to win is three signed faces in a row: across, up, down, or diagonal. The center space is a free space. Once you've completed the bingo, drop by the Membership Booth to spin the Bingo Prize Wheel. Prizes range from T-shirts through key chains to noise-canceling headphones and more. Don't miss out on the fun: Play LISA Bingo and spin to win!