[Beds] October News

[Neil Darlow]

Hi All,

As part of the LUG's activities I would like to initiate an monthly news 
bulletin to provide a summary of what LUG members have been up to, on a 
monthly basis.

This bulletin will be delivered through the mailing list and I'll do my best 
to word it so that mail filters don't categorise it as Spam.

Obviously, this month there is little in the way of news to relate but I 
would like to solicit opinion on why the LUG seems to be drawing so few 
members to the meetings and explore alternatives.

As you are probably aware, it was my intention to have meetings on a monthly 
basis so that members can meet in public and share their ideas. We've had two 
meetings where four, or so, people have turned out but I'm sure there is 
potential to do better.

Are Bedfordians adversed to meeting in pubs and consuming alcohol? Are they a 
naturally shy bunch of people? I think the answer to these questions is No, 
so what is keeping people away? This is your chance to air your views on why 
you don't attend meetings. If there is a general feeling that something is 
missing from the format of the meetings, I will make an effort to address the 
problem but please advise me what it is.

Relating to the meetings, my wife is presently undergoing a pregnancy with a 
number of complications. Consequently, the time I will have available for LUG 
meetings etc., in the short term, will be limited. If someone wishes to 
volunteer to manage the arrangements for the November meeting I would be 
extremely grateful. If there are multiple volunteers we can arrange a rota. 
I'm happy for members to take on this sort of responsibility for the benefit 
of the LUG as a whole.

We have an IRC channel which receives very little use (although I maintain a 
presence by using a dircproxy connection and there is a semi-intelligent Bot 
to keep an eye on the channel). Would members feel more comfortable about 
holding a regular meeting online? I don't see an online meeting as a 
substitute for a real face-to-face or hands-on meeting but it may encourage 
more participation from members.

Let me add that I took on the management of the LUG with the intention of 
bringing people together. I know we're a talented bunch of people and we have 
a lot to share between ourselves and the wider community. Please help me to 
keep the LUG alive and achieve this goal.

Regards,
Neil Darlow M.Sc. - LUGmaster
-- 
Open Standards/Free Software Consultants http://www.darlow.co.uk/
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1024D/531F9048 1999-09-11 Neil Darlow <neil@darlow.co.uk>
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