[Beds] October News

[Lee Larcombe]

Hi Neil, (everybody)

As you are somewhat short of time etc at the moment, I am happy for any
meeting organisation to come through me. I think it is important for us to
form a more integrated group atmosphere. There are over 27 members
registered on the forum, and so far I have only met 4 of you.

Please voice you opinions about what you would like meetings to acheive.
Personally I am happy to have regular meetings as a social event, with only
"special" meetings occasionally. We all have different experiences and areas
of expertise, and this can be a valuable resource.

Lets get together and organise something for the near future. Let me have
some opinions and we'll try and arrange a meeting that more of you will be
interested in attending. If you have preferences for venues or locations
then please voice them. I know we have some members who live further away
etc, so we can try and cater for this.

Lee

----- Original Message -----
From: "Neil Darlow" <neil@darlow.co.uk>
To: "Beds LUG Members" <beds@mailman.lug.org.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 11:40 AM
Subject: [Beds] October News


> 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/
> ICQ: 135505456  E-Mail, Jabber, MSNM: see following GnuPG identity
> 1024D/531F9048 1999-09-11 Neil Darlow <neil@darlow.co.uk>
> GnuPG fingerprint = 359D B8FF 6273 6C32 BEAA  43F9 E579 E24A 531F 9048
>
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