[Preston] A LUG needs a purpose

Sat Aug 6 12:37:34 UTC 2016

Hi Mark,
Preston Council has a makerspace that I wasn't aware of?!
Please could you prove a link to a website or something with more information on it?
Kind regards,Daryl Knight.

> To: guy at member.fsf.org; preston at mailman.lug.org.uk
> Date: Sat, 6 Aug 2016 13:29:20 +0100
> Subject: Re: [Preston] A LUG needs a purpose
> From: preston at mailman.lug.org.uk
> 
> Guy,
> 
> I've been put in touch with someone from Preston Council who is looking 
> to extend the use of their makerspace facility, which I will look into 
> over the next few weeks.
> 
> In terms of a backup plan, in the event that the above is not available 
> on the evenings during the week or comes at some cost, could you make 
> inquiries into the use of the facilities in the Media factory at UCLAN, 
> if there is anyone around?
> 
> It still feels like a monthly get together would be sufficient at the 
> moment, but there is a strong pull for something mid-week which would 
> fit around peoples other commitments (real life!). Its a bit catch 22 at 
> the moment with nowhere to meet in order to try and get something going.
> 
> I'm away on holiday for the next couple of weeks, but will try and keep 
> an eye on the mailing list.
> 
> Cheers
> Mark
> 
> On 14/07/16 19:20, Guy via Preston wrote:
> > There you go - I told you: Very little prising required.
> > In Phil's case, just a light application of coconut oil was more than
> > adequate. :-)
> >
> > But as the man with the orthopedic shoe said - I stand corrected.
> > As Phil said - it was indeed traditionally Wednesdays, not Tuesdays as I
> > first thought, for PLUG meetings.
> >
> > But I'm afraid I can't make this Saturday, unfortunately.
> >
> > Whilst I'm on I would like to make you aware of these guys:
> > http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/raspberry-jam-2308520311
> >
> > They seem to meet at the Media Factory (the "Lego Brick" building at the
> > Uni). They are nothing to do with me BTW, and I have never attended
> > their meeting. I recently bumped into long standing PLUGster Mark
> > Wallbank (who was having ciggy outside the Dog and Partridge). He
> > informed me of this group.
> >
> > Whilst running a raspberry pi is a reasonable noble pursuit, we should
> > not lose sight of the fact that these devices are classed as "fatally
> > flawed" in the context of software freedom by the FSF, due to the
> > proprietary binary blob one needs to even boot them up in the first
> > place :-)
> > https://www.fsf.org/resources/hw/single-board-computers
> >
> > Enough militant FSF ranting from me.
> >
> > Enjoy the Saturday meeting, and hopefully I'll catch up with the group
> > at some future event.
> >
> > Guy
> >
> >
> >
> > Phil Robinson via Preston:
> >> Ahhhh my eyes, my eyes! I've been under that rock for a long time now. Hope
> >> you are well Guy and others.
> >>
> >> The domain was indeed as dormant as the group, consider it reactivated. We
> >> did have a very good turn out in the glory days, the envy of many other
> >> LUGs. Didn't we used to meet on Wednesdays though? I never could do
> >> Tuesdays.
> >>
> >> Anyway, I'm glad to see some potential activity again and maybe a new lease
> >> of life for PLUG.
> >>
> >> Phil Robinson.
> >> On 13 Jul 2016 1:50 am, "Guy via Preston" <preston at mailman.lug.org.uk>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Hi Mark (and others),
> >>>
> >>> https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TlsZq2qUQ8M/UKY8iLgsSmI/AAAAAAAAAxA/2CwSmy5HtHQ/s1600/plug.gif
> >>> https://lug.org.uk/node/91
> >>> https://prestonlinuxusergroup.blogspot.ch/
> >>>
> >>> PLUG was originally founded in 2001 by Phil Robinson. (He had the
> >>> prestonlinux.com domain registered, but it seems to have lapsed now.)
> >>>
> >>> I used to organize the meetings in the mid noughties as I worked in IT
> >>> at UCLan (and still do) and could get a room booked at Uni (and still
> >>> could).
> >>>
> >>> I stopped organizing meetings in 2008 as my wife gave birth to twins and
> >>> I didn't have the time. I seem to have a lot less free time nowadays
> >>> than I used to.
> >>>
> >>> The group has been dormant since then, pretty much.
> >>>
> >>> I think to run a PLUG as anything other than a drinking society (not
> >>> that there is anything wrong with that!) takes effort and organization.
> >>>
> >>> I was occasionally disheartened when someone had freely volunteered to
> >>> present on a topic, donating their time and expertise, and the audience
> >>> could be counted on one hand. The effort and organization requirements
> >>> are the same if 5 people or 50 people show up.
> >>>
> >>> But ... as Richard Stallman says - he fights the fight expecting to
> >>> lose, so any win is glorious. :-)
> >>>
> >>> We used to meet on the 1st Tuesday of the month, starting a 19:30 at the
> >>> Uni, then at 21:00 go to the Greyfriar pub.
> >>>
> >>> I would be prepared to attend / contribute to meetings etc, if they were
> >>> to occur, but I would say I have served my time as a primary PLUG
> >>> organizer.
> >>>
> >>> I also know there are a few of the old guard still reading this list.
> >>> Maybe some of them can be prised from under their rocks, blinking, into
> >>> the light of day.
> >>> :-)
> >>>
> >>> Regards,
> >>>
> >>> Guy Heatley
> >>>
> >>> Ken Walker via Preston:
> >>>> Sorry mate Saturdays not good for me as I'll be at grasshoppers at the
> >>> beer
> >>>> festival followed by my mates wedding.
> >>>> On 12 Jul 2016 20:46, "Daryl Knight via Preston" <
> >>> preston at mailman.lug.org.uk>
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>> Hi Ken,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> The date and venue are fine for me... but a 3 hour window is a bit vague
> >>>>> (guess I like precision a tad too much).
> >>>>> If someone could let me know what time they'd be arriving then I'll pop
> >>>>> along at the same time, to avoid sitting for up to 2-3 hours waiting for
> >>>>> people.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> - Daryl
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> ------------------------------
> >>>>> Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2016 19:19:15 +0100
> >>>>> To: bob.mclellan at gmail.com; preston at mailman.lug.org.uk;
> >>>>> keneawalker at gmail.com
> >>>>> Subject: Re: [Preston] A LUG needs a purpose
> >>>>> From: preston at mailman.lug.org.uk
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Bob, Ken, Daryl, Nick and Olly,
> >>>>> Thanks for the responses, its good to see that there is life out there
> >>> on
> >>>>> the old mailing list.
> >>>>> All your points are valid and very topical. Im especially interested in
> >>>>> Nicks views from inside the edtech sector and the opportunity this
> >>>>> presents. There could be a very beneficial relationship to be forged by
> >>> the
> >>>>> LUGs with the schools now having more direct control over their IT, but
> >>>>> having limited insight into alternatives beyond MS, Apple and Google; or
> >>>>> the downsides to these options that the marketing materials tactfully
> >>> avoid.
> >>>>> I also had a thought about coding, but using Sonic-pi, Scratch and
> >>>>> possibly Squeek or Turtle.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> It feels like there may be some interest in a meet up.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> If I suggested somewhere like Cafe Nero opposite the train station in
> >>>>> Preston on Saturday afternoon, dropping in/out say 2pm to 5pm would
> >>> that be
> >>>>> possible for anyone, or would an alternate date/venue be easier for the
> >>>>> majority?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Mark
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Sent from my ASUS
> >>>>> _______________________________________________ Preston mailing list
> >>>>> Preston at mailman.lug.org.uk
> >>>>> https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/preston
> >>>>>
> >>>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>>> Preston mailing list
> >>>>> Preston at mailman.lug.org.uk
> >>>>> https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/preston
> >>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>> Preston mailing list
> >>>> Preston at mailman.lug.org.uk
> >>>> https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/preston
> >>>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> Preston mailing list
> >>> Preston at mailman.lug.org.uk
> >>> https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/preston
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Preston mailing list
> >> Preston at mailman.lug.org.uk
> >> https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/preston
> >>
> > _______________________________________________
> > Preston mailing list
> > Preston at mailman.lug.org.uk
> > https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/preston
> 
> -- 
> Sent from my Linux PC | www.linuxmint.com | Mint 18
> ______________________________________________________
> 
> 
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