The growth of Linux has spawned conventions big and small across the world. Just last week, Linuxworld finished up in Boston, but for people wanting a more "down to Earth" convention, the Southern California Linux Expo (SCALE) seemed to be a good bet.

SCALE is in its third year of operation. This two-day Linux expo, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center attracted several hundred visitors, who attended informative talks and took a gander at approximately three-dozen vendor booths.

This year, getting to the Expo was an adventure in itself. Most of the nearby roads were closed, because of the Grammy awards. Nearby rooftops had LAPD SWAT snipers equipped with .50 caliber guns. There was even a cheerleading convention held at the Los Angeles Convention Center at the same time.