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 Exhibit Hall Mexican Fiesta and the Conference Reception. Be sure not to miss the opportunity to vie for bragging rights—and prizes—at the Game Show. Check back here for the latest additions to the activities schedule. Social Activities Welcome Get Together and Conference Orientation Saturday, December 3, 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m., Golden West Whether this is your first time at LISA or your tenth, stop by the Conference Orientation and Welcome Get-Together to learn how to get the most out of the conference. The orientation includes an overview of San Diego, an introduction to LISA, and an opportunity to meet your peers. Refreshments and snacks provided. An Evening with MAKE Magazine Monday, December 5, 8:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., San Diego Join us Monday night for An Evening with MAKE magazine. The evening includes invited talks by Joe Grand on "Tweaking, Bending, and Making: Stories of a Hardware Hacker" and Bunnie Huang on "Hacking Silicon: Secrets From Behind the Epoxy Curtain" as well as time to check out the cool stuff they brought along. A free copy of MAKE goes to the first 100 attendees who come to the session. Click here for more information about the session. Also, check out a MAKE magazine sampler. Meet the USENIX Board and Staff and Hear about USENIX and SAGE Programs Tuesday, December 6, 8:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., San Diego Come meet the USENIX leadership and tell us what you think and how we're doing. Join us for dessert and refreshments and get an update. Exhibit Hall Mexican Fiesta & Meet the Authors Session Wednesday, December 7, 5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m., Golden Ballroom Join us at the Vendor Exhibition for Mexican food and margaritas, and take the opportunity to learn about the latest products and technologies. Update: While you're enjoying the Fiesta, come to the Meet the Authors Session at Booth 10, sponsored by That Technical Bookstore, to meet some of your favorite authors, ask questions, and have your book signed. LISA Holiday Office Party and Gaming Room Sponsored by Sun Microsystems, Inc., and USENIX Thursday, December 8, 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m., Atlas Ballroom Join us at the conference reception for an evening of merrymaking and testing your luck at the only Holiday Office Party you actually want to attend. Gone are the days of stale fruitcake and drunken renditions of "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer." Join your colleagues at the craps tables, try your hand at Texas Hold'em, or make a holiday wish for 21 while playing blackjack. We'll be spreading the joy with tasty treats and lovely libations. Raffle prizes and other surprises make this an evening of fun you won't want to miss. Birds-of-a-Feather Sessions (BoFs) Monday, December 5    7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 6    7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 7    7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. Thursday, December 8    8:00 p.m.–11:00 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. 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 Check out new products and discuss the latest technologies at the LISA Vendor BoFs! These sponsored evening sessions give companies a chance to talk about products and proprietary technology. Click here for a full schedule. That Technical Bookstore New Location: Grand Foyer Wednesday, December 7    noon–5:00 p.m. Thursday, December 8    10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Friday, December 9    10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Find out more about That Technical Bookstore here. Note: The Meet the Authors Session, sponsored by That Technical Bookstore, will take place at Booth 10 in the Vendor Exhibition, Golden Ballroom, Wednesday, December 7, 5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m. Work-in-Progress Reports (WiPs) Friday, December 9 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m., California 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 lisa05wips@usenix.org. We are particularly interested in presenting students' work. 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. LISA Game Show Friday, December 9 3:45 p.m.–5:30 p.m., Town & Country Once again, closing this year's conference is the LISA Game Show. Join us as attendees face off in a test of technical knowledge and cultural trivia. Want to play? Visit the Membership Booth on Thursday afternoon to pick up the qualifying questionnaire. Fill out and return it by Friday at noon. The top-scoring attendees will meet on-stage for the opportunity to become the reigning "Monarch of the Game Show." Don't miss out on the chance for LISA fame and glory. Oh, and did we mention the fabulous prizes? LISA After Dark The conference experience continues long into the night with LISA After Dark. Mingle with colleagues at the receptions, meet folks who share your interests at the BoFs, and then head to Charlie's. Located conveniently near the BoF rooms, Charlie's is the place for drinks and conversation, with the added bonuses of a pool table, wireless access, and a big-screen TV. LISA Bingo Is Baaaack... Last year LISA Bingo provided the perfect opportunity to get to know the LISA organizers and leaders of USENIX. We're bringing the magic back again. Inside your registration packet you'll find a LISA Bingo Card with photos of many of the energetic bunch who organized LISA '05, 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. Bingo Prize Wheel: Spin to Win Did you get a bingo? Take your completed card to the Membership Booth and give the Bingo Prize Wheel a spin. Prizes range from T-shirts through key chains to USB hubs and more. Every hour a new "Grand Prize" is added to the wheel until it's won. Don't miss out on the fun: Play LISA Bingo and spin to win! Solve My Problem Boards This year LISA will have Solve My Problem Boards distributed throughout the conference site. Attendees will be able to post a problem on an SMP board the way they might on a newsgroup or mailing list. As attendees walk by, they can read the problems and responses posted, compose their own answer, and tack it up. As the conference goes on, attendees may receive more and more answers to their questions. Popular topics on the boards may spin off their own Birds-of-a-Feather sessions for more in-depth discussion