[gloucs] meeting report (its a bit long)

[Guy Edwards]

Hi all,

Just to fill everyone in.....

Meeting
-------
The meeting was up at Nympsfield but it was cold, wet n'windy so the
turnout was smaller than normal (8) with a few new faces.

Paul Corner did a talk on real time Linux and CAD/CAM systems, so we got
to watch a multi monitor machine cutting shapes out of foam which I
quite enjoyed (although writing about it, it sounds somewhat different).
The venue was a little cold and maybe out of the way for you North
Gloucester people?

I'm not a programmer, but I was able to follow how the program worked,
and the problems with licencing and patents sounded interesting. Notes
from the talk will be up on the website by Friday probably and I got a
copy of the EMC program and real time Linux modified distribution for
the LUG if anyone wishes to borrow it. I'll also make sure I email Paul
Corner to say thanks from the LUG.  

Also a massive thanks to Paul Robertson <paul@jprassoc.demon.co.uk> for
not only putting up the guest speaker and all his equipment overnight,
but also for arranging the venue and paying for it, especially seeing as
he's not met any of us before.

It's probably an idea in future that when we meet at a venue that had to
be paid for, we all chip in some money at the beginning as it's unfair
on the person who arranges and pays for the venue to be left out of
pocket otherwise. Paul was far too polite a chap to complain but I
would've :-)

Website
-------
I'm going to put up a page that says what resources we have to lend out.
Eg books, distribution CDs etc and also to say that if there's something
someone wants for the next meeting then they can request it.

The install day page may become a link from the list of meetings on the
about page as it's been a while now. I was also going to suggest
condensing the jobs page into the bottom of the local business page as I
can't really spare the time to keep it updated, and it's just a list of
job agencies at the moment. 

I have the details of 6 companies on the local Linux business page (I'm
waiting for 10) but two of them haven't submitted any details about how
they use Linux yet. Sorry to moan but I have tried to contact you both
and if I don't hear back by the 1st then I'll take your companies off.
If anyone uses Linux at their company and isn't on the list being built
at http://www.gloucs.lug.org.uk/linux_consultants.php then I'd like to
hear from you.

Members, would anyone without their details like to submit them? also
Sean, Mark (T) and Mark would you like to have a thumbnail included? If
so just email them and I'll stick them up. Also there's the odd detail
missing at www.gloucs.lug.org.uk/members.php if you want to submit the
missing bits. I was also going to start playing with email addresses on
the site to avoid spam email address collecting bot/spiders.

Next meeting
------------
Tuesday 19th November?
At the Internet Cafe in Gloucester as normal?
Also would anyone like to say what they can give a talk on or would like
to see a talk given on?

Cheers,
Guy