[SLUG] Scalby School meeting

[Ian Eade]

-----Original Message-----
From: scarborough-bounces at mailman.lug.org.uk
[mailto:scarborough-bounces at mailman.lug.org.uk] On Behalf Of Phil
Kershaw
Sent: 22 February 2005 07:35
To: 'Scarborough Linux User Group'
Subject: [SLUG] Scalby School meeting


I don't understand what is going on here folks. Or is there some agenda
going on that I am not aware of? Last nights meeting was an unmitigated
disaster. When I approached Tim Hutchinson with regard to the
Scarborough Linux group using the facilities at Scalby School, he agreed
as a favour from one professional colleague to another, with the added
bonus of no cost to the group. Last night 3 people turned up, one of
them a friend of mine who came along to give moral support. Tim is a
lovely chap but it was still very embarrassing trying to explain to him
the total lack of interest.

A question for the group to consider. 
Do we have the structures in place and the membership to use a facility
like scalby school responsibly? By this I mean, is the membership big
enough to have decent meetings? Are we able to organise a yearly meeting
calendar with talks and activities arranged in advance? Or do I cancel
the arrangement and we stay with dark, cold and uncomfortable rooms in
pubs.

Regards

Phil

-- -------------------------------------------

Pull a chair up, get a large coffee and breath deeply...

I have not being able some recent meetings due to illness but last night
I turned up at Scalby School at 7:20pm under the impression that a SLUG
meeting was in progress. Bearing in mind that there is no information on
the mailing list nor on the website regarding the specific time and
location within the school I chose to wait outside and catch people who
I recognised.

After a seemingly endless wait in the cold and dark I never saw a
familiar face, a car that I knew or anything else to suggest that a
meeting was in progress.

Given that Scalby School is a large building with more than 1
entrances/carparks and wandering around within the school grounds is not
feasible given that it is essentially private property I had no option
but to leave.

Congratulations to Phil and everyone else who organises these meetings
but without making sure that people can get to the right place without
undue problems largely negates the effort that has been put into setting
up the meeting.

I think it is wrong to complain over apathy or meeting agendas, after
all the meetings are only what you yourself provide/contribute so if you
choose to complain rather than spend time in bolstering the efforts of
those who regularly attend then you only have yourself to blame for the
situation that you yourself have helped to create.

I should imagine that each person subscribed to the mailing list could
provide a talk/demonstration relating to some facet of the OS world. If
things get really desperate I will bring photographs and a biography of
the penguin that I adopted, a tenuous example maybe but better than
complaining about lack of action and not doing anything and better than
complaining about lack of attendance and not turning up.

Knowing that everyone likes suggestions I propose that each person on
the mailing list who is in a position to attend a meeting consider what
facet of OS they could talk about then privately submit their ideas
someone who could develop these ideas and ultimately a calendar of
events could be drawn up. Further to this the person who updates the
website could then provide details of the meetings with the proposed
agenda for all to see. 

Just to raise my head further above the parapet and tempt more incoming
fire from snipers I would be willing to help people in developing any
ideas they have and in compiling/maintaining the calendar of events. If
I am treading on anyone's toes in a drunken elephant like stylee then I
apologise and point out that its hard to know who does what when the
"who-does-what.shtml" page on the SLUG site has gone.

Ian









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