On Wednesday 09 Jul 2003 10:02 pm, Colin Hards wrote:
First I would like to know if anyone reading this list has any affinity for the ideas I'm proposing. If no one here wants organised talks / lectures, which implies a slightly more formalised structure to ALUG meetings, then so be it. Unless there are others who would attend these and would enjoy them then clearly there is no little point anyone bothering further.
Yes, this is something that I would like to see hapening too although, as Keith points out in another mesage, these things will take time to happen because of other committments. So please don't get frusrtrated if a series of talsk does not materialise within the next few weeks or even months.
I don't know much about linux but I am trying to get some regular meetings organised in the Norwich area. Evenng meetings to start with, since that is something that was suggested for people who find weekend meetings difficult to attend because of families etc.
I am also thinking of becoming involved in aranging some regular weekend meetings as well. I have found that although the UEA has advantages as a venue, the actual room booking etc is rather haphazard simply because there isn't anyone who can do it regularly. IMHO it would be better to arange something regular and in advance at other venues in the area.
Once we then know that there will be a meeting in, say, six months time, at a known venue, then we can start planning in advance what best fornmat and content to have for the meeting.
There is a further point which I have raised before. ALUG covers a very large geographic area and I think we need more frequent meetings in different areas of the region.
It seems to me that there are few people with the time, dedication and spare petrol money to make a 100 mile round trip to a meeting. I certainly don't for example. So if there is a meeting 50 miles away this weekend then I am very unlikely to go but if there is another meeting next weekend just down the road then I am more likely to go.
In other words, because of the geographic spread, IMHO meetings held during the same month but far apart are not in competition with each other since few people are likely to travel to far to them anyway.
I would like to have meetings in the Norwich area - including Syleham which is not so far away - at least every three months and, for the reasons above, I don't think that that would detract from other meetings held the same month (but on a different date of course) elsewhere in the region.
Any comments? Syd