Not a huge turnout - only 1 person who doesn't normally come to the 2nd Thursday Norwich meets. We wondered if this might be due to it being outside UEA term time, but then there's not usually a large turnout of UEA undergrads at any time, is there?
Attendees were:
Eli (who kindly organised it), James + Kaz, Ashley, Brett, Adam, Kirsten, me.
Discussion topics included MiniITX boards and rackmounts, interrupts on highly pipelined CPUs, change giving algorithms for soft drinks machines, the annoyance factor of people who blindly suggest Cisco for all networking bits, networking problems we have known, Nethack vs Angband, DVB (ie Freeview and the like) and Brett's car.
There were a couple of laptops present (that didn't even get turned on), but no other kit - I presume all the people who've been wanting kit meets in Norwich where unable to make it? Those present thought that a nice beer garden would have made a more suitable venue given the lack of kit, at least until it started raining.
As UEA term time is over it was thought that we should take the Norwich Internet Cafe up on their very kind offer of a venue for the next Sunday meet. We don't seem to have any more meets organised for the rest of the year though, except the regular social meets?
J.
On 2004-06-28 12:16:35 +0100 Jonathan McDowell noodles@earth.li wrote:
outside UEA term time, but then there's not usually a large turnout of UEA undergrads at any time, is there?
If you could find some UEAers to promote it with a few well-placed notices and trying to spread the word on campus, possibly that could change?
[...] no other kit - I presume all the people who've been wanting kit meets in Norwich where unable to make it?
Maybe scared off by the recent "we don't like to fix kit" comments? Add to that the apparent lack of desire to see or do demos. (If people do want kit and demos, (re)post any ideas now!)
[...] We don't seem to have any more meets organised for the rest of the year though, except the regular social meets?
NAFAIK.
On Tue, Jun 29, 2004 at 12:56:00AM +0100, MJ Ray wrote:
On 2004-06-28 12:16:35 +0100 Jonathan McDowell noodles@earth.li wrote:
outside UEA term time, but then there's not usually a large turnout of UEA undergrads at any time, is there?
If you could find some UEAers to promote it with a few well-placed notices and trying to spread the word on campus, possibly that could change?
Calling all UEAers... Calling all UEAers... (oh, hang on, if they're on the list, they already know about it, don't they... Maybe they could be vocal and tell us who they are, what they do, and what *they* want from meetings... oh, and of course, at least stuff their head in a meeting sometime, even if only one of the socials)
[...] no other kit - I presume all the people who've been wanting kit meets in Norwich where unable to make it?
Maybe scared off by the recent "we don't like to fix kit" comments? Add to that the apparent lack of desire to see or do demos. (If people do want kit and demos, (re)post any ideas now!)
That's not entirely the view expressed... What is upsetting is the people that you spend hours trying to get running and then you get stuck at some stumbling bloke, like, say, a winmodem, and then you get no thanks at all for the effort spent, just a complaint that blah piece of hardware doesn't work. Yes, there are lots of people that are thankful for any help with their hardware or software setup, there's just some people, in the past, that have been ungrateful that puts some people off kit meetings. As for demos, well, weren't we supposed to have a demo/talk on the alug website tools on Sunday? Weren't you one of the many that didn't turn up? Weren't you going to give that talk? (I know you didn't turn up, you told me to make your appologies via sms, I don't know *why* you couldn't turn up, but as you seem to be the one making the large prods towards more kit meetings and talks, it seems strange that you don't even turn up to one that was organised).
<!-- SNIP -->
Right - that's that for now. I don't mind *what* happens, I'd like structured talks and demos, but, then again, hanging around in #alug all day at work gives me a fair amount of background on the subjects that can be topped up with very little googling... And the socials finish it off in a slightly more disorganised, but more personal way, with the advantage of comfy seats and beer.
Right - that's really it for now.
(Oh, can't make second thursday social this month, got to go back to sunny suffolk and sort the car :/)
On Tue, 2004-06-29 at 10:01, Brett Parker wrote:
On Tue, Jun 29, 2004 at 12:56:00AM +0100, MJ Ray wrote:
On 2004-06-28 12:16:35 +0100 Jonathan McDowell noodles@earth.li wrote:
outside UEA term time, but then there's not usually a large turnout of UEA undergrads at any time, is there?
If you could find some UEAers to promote it with a few well-placed notices and trying to spread the word on campus, possibly that could change?
I'm happy to put up notices but not many(if any) students will see them this time of year ;). Ill put up some posters/notices at the beginning of next year but I'm no good a designing them. Maybe if we had two types of poster one aimed at SYS/CMP people who want to know more about Linux and another one telling people there is an alternative to MS(get some non techy types). Also we should try and get something about ALUG into the newsletter(rabbit?) that every first year gets under there door.
Calling all UEAers... Calling all UEAers... (oh, hang on, if they're on the list, they already know about it, don't they... Maybe they could be vocal and tell us who they are, what they do, and what *they* want from meetings... oh, and of course, at least stuff their head in a meeting sometime, even if only one of the socials)
Ive been to a few meetings just not recently(or since I've been at the UEA) i cant get to any Sunday meetings unless there still going after 6pm. I always mean to turn up to the social meetings but i never seem to get around to it or i forget about it on the day. I don't really know what i want from the meetings, demo's or talks would be good as a focus point and normal kit fixing/helping is always good.
I would like to see a Blender demo as i cant seem to get my head around how it works.
Dennis
On Tue, Jun 29, 2004 at 01:56:03PM +0100, Dennis Dryden wrote:
On Tue, 2004-06-29 at 10:01, Brett Parker wrote:
On Tue, Jun 29, 2004 at 12:56:00AM +0100, MJ Ray wrote:
On 2004-06-28 12:16:35 +0100 Jonathan McDowell noodles@earth.li wrote:
outside UEA term time, but then there's not usually a large turnout of UEA undergrads at any time, is there?
If you could find some UEAers to promote it with a few well-placed notices and trying to spread the word on campus, possibly that could change?
I'm happy to put up notices but not many(if any) students will see them this time of year ;). Ill put up some posters/notices at the beginning of next year but I'm no good a designing them. Maybe if we had two types of poster one aimed at SYS/CMP people who want to know more about Linux and another one telling people there is an alternative to MS(get some non techy types). Also we should try and get something about ALUG into the newsletter(rabbit?) that every first year gets under there door.
Sounds like a plan, that man. Of course, the students not being there at the moment is a pain, but I'm sure that when they get back we might have some interest.
<!-- Some Snippage -->
I would like to see a Blender demo as i cant seem to get my head around how it works.
Ah, I never did figure the blender interface, so, erm, it might be nice if someone that knew about it could show us how it works. I played breifly a while back, but haven't touched it since (then, at the same time, I was writting some povray files by hand, too... much fun). Since then I've seen some more promising developments in the 3d market, not least of all K-3D (http://k3d.sf.net/) and aqsis (http://www.aqsis.com), which both seem to be nice projects. K-3Ds interface appears to be a lot simpler to use than blender and it comes with some rather nifty demonstrations. Aqsis is a rendering engine based on the Render Man specification, and seems to be rather good.
If there is anyone out there playing with this sort of stuff, bash up some notes, throw us a URL, or better still, make a presentation and come show us at the next kit meeting.
Dennis
Thanks,
On 2004-06-29 13:56:03 +0100 Dennis Dryden ddryden@ntlworld.com wrote:
I'm happy to put up notices but not many(if any) students will see them this time of year ;).
I hereby bestow upon Dennis Dryden the ceremonial title of ALUG UEA Publicity Plasterer (monetary value: 0p, non-redeemable in shops). Please complain at the appropriate time that you need a poster or other artwork. ;-)
I would like to see a Blender demo as i cant seem to get my head around how it works.
I've noted that in http://www.alug.org.uk/contrib/?DemosOfferedDemosWanted but can anyone give more info on Blender, or offer to demo it?
On Tue, Jun 29, 2004 at 01:56:03PM +0100, Dennis Dryden wrote:
I'm happy to put up notices but not many(if any) students will see them this time of year ;). Ill put up some posters/notices at the beginning of next year but I'm no good a designing them. Maybe if we had two types of poster one aimed at SYS/CMP people who want to know more about Linux and another one telling people there is an alternative to MS(get some non techy types). Also we should try and get something about ALUG into the newsletter(rabbit?) that every first year gets under there door.
Yes, and it would be useful to have an ALUG Linux demo / installfest (I don't think we've had one this year yet) just after the students arrive back. Maybe we can distribute more of those Knoppix live cds.
We could have a few brief talks by both non-technical and technical people evangelising Linux.
--
Ashley T. Howes, Ph.D. http://www.ashleyhowes.com
"Once you have flown, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, there you long to return." - Leonardo da Vinci
On 2004-06-29 10:01:53 +0100 Brett Parker iDunno@sommitrealweird.co.uk wrote:
[...] As for demos, well, weren't we supposed to have a demo/talk on the alug website tools on Sunday? Weren't you one of the many that didn't turn up? Weren't you going to give that talk?
Yes, yes, yes.
(I know you didn't turn up, you told me to make your appologies via sms, I don't know *why* you couldn't turn up, but as you seem to be the one making the large prods towards more kit meetings and talks, it seems strange that you don't even turn up to one that was organised).
I'm not going to publish why I didn't turn up. I did try to let you all know, using the only contact I had to hand (there wasn't one in the meeting announcement). Even so, I didn't think there would be much interest from the people going, as it wasn't mentioned in the meeting announcements, nor was the web page mentioned. Was I wrong?
Anyway, I want to *see* interesting kit and demos, not just try to show all the time. The Norwich meetings mainly consist of sitting around chopsing and - while I like you, Brett - it is over two hours driving or just under four hours public transport for a few short chats during the evening, unless I can combine the trip with other purposes. Now things here are busier, I'm more tired than I was.
If someone wants to offer kit and demos (Linux-FT is "heritage", eh?), please do so now for Syleham.
On Tue, Jun 29, 2004 at 02:45:16PM +0100, MJ Ray wrote:
On 2004-06-29 10:01:53 +0100 Brett Parker iDunno@sommitrealweird.co.uk wrote:
[...] As for demos, well, weren't we supposed to have a demo/talk on the alug website tools on Sunday? Weren't you one of the many that didn't turn up? Weren't you going to give that talk?
Yes, yes, yes.
(I know you didn't turn up, you told me to make your appologies via sms, I don't know *why* you couldn't turn up, but as you seem to be the one making the large prods towards more kit meetings and talks, it seems strange that you don't even turn up to one that was organised).
I'm not going to publish why I didn't turn up. I did try to let you all know, using the only contact I had to hand (there wasn't one in the meeting announcement). Even so, I didn't think there would be much interest from the people going, as it wasn't mentioned in the meeting announcements, nor was the web page mentioned. Was I wrong?
Have we got any real contact method for the group as a whole other than the mailing list?
Anyway, I want to *see* interesting kit and demos, not just try to show all the time. The Norwich meetings mainly consist of sitting around chopsing and - while I like you, Brett - it is over two hours driving or just under four hours public transport for a few short chats during the evening, unless I can combine the trip with other purposes. Now things here are busier, I'm more tired than I was.
*WHAT* Interesting things do you want to see? Giving such a vague outline means that no one knows what anyone wants, maybe it's time to get a list of things that people want demonstrated or talked about done? and perhaps even do some kind of structured meetings, but until the turnout is looking better, or we have some interesting topics that someone can talk about, then we're stuck, aren't we.
Maybe it's worth the interesting demos being published on the interweb so that people can view them at their own disgression, and feedback to the author and discuss points on the list?
If someone wants to offer kit and demos (Linux-FT is "heritage", eh?), please do so now for Syleham.
I would, but my kit is dying, and I've nothing to demo (most work has really been *work* recently, and so not really open source, or redistributable in any way, or come to think of it, interesting).
On 2004-06-29 15:11:22 +0100 Brett Parker iDunno@sommitrealweird.co.uk wrote:
Have we got any real contact method for the group as a whole other than the mailing list?
No. I'll add a note to http://www.alug.org.uk/articles/2003/howtomeet.html about contact numbers if it's not already there.
*WHAT* Interesting things do you want to see?
Personally, I am interested but mostly out-of-touch with audio and video editing and playback applications. Generally, I can demo networked things if anyone's interested.
Giving such a vague outline means that no one knows what anyone wants, maybe it's time to get a list of things that people want demonstrated or talked about done?
People have posted lists in the past, which were mostly ignored. If anyone feels strongly about stuff they've seen suggested in the past, please mention it again now!
Maybe it's worth the interesting demos being published on the interweb so that people can view them at their own disgression, and feedback to the author and discuss points on the list?
Maybe it's worth putting together a small (a5?) summary of what is being demo'd, including any useful URLs to look at for more info, run off a small number of copies, give one to whoever is writing the meeting report and keep one by the demo.
On Tue, Jun 29, 2004 at 06:00:34PM +0100, MJ Ray wrote:
People have posted lists in the past, which were mostly ignored. If anyone feels strongly about stuff they've seen suggested in the past, please mention it again now!
I can't find these lists in the archives, can you point me at which mails? I have asked in the past that people ask us for demonstrations and what they want and we didn't get much back in the way of requests. (From what I recall the things that people did want didn't have anyone who knew about the subject anyways and the people asking were unwilling to learn to share the knowledge, although that may have been a different lug)
Adam
On 2004-06-29 18:13:20 +0100 adam@thebowery.co.uk wrote:
I can't find these lists in the archives, can you point me at which mails?
For example, see the "Linux & education" thread last July: http://lists.alug.org.uk/main/2003-July/ http://lists.alug.org.uk/main/2003-July/015710.html
That one probably sticks in my mind because it wasn't ignored, oh no. It is probably still a good source of ideas for things to cover, though. Maybe they can be covered better/faster/easier in demos, but I like the new ideas which are being generated.
On Tue, Jun 29, 2004 at 06:55:30PM +0100, MJ Ray wrote:
That one probably sticks in my mind because it wasn't ignored, oh no. It is probably still a good source of ideas for things to cover, though. Maybe they can be covered better/faster/easier in demos, but I like the new ideas which are being generated.
Yes but I think we were waiting to hear back (at least I was) from people who wanted the talks about what they wanted and how they wanted it etc. looks like that didn't happen yet.
Adam
On 28 Jun 2004, at 12:16, Jonathan McDowell wrote:
Not a huge turnout - only 1 person who doesn't normally come to the 2nd Thursday Norwich meets. We wondered if this might be due to it being outside UEA term time, but then there's not usually a large turnout of UEA undergrads at any time, is there?
In other news... there was a huge turn out for Alton Towers.. Oh wait....... ;)
Craig
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adam＠thebowery.co.uk -
Ashley T. Howes, Ph.D. -
Brett Parker -
Craig -
Dennis Dryden -
Jonathan McDowell -
MJ Ray