[Sussex] A new look to our web site

[Mark Harrison]

I've sent the file to Steve offlist as requested.


However, given that I've asked him to retain the formatting I originally
used, rather than apply a "SLUG Format", I thought that I should explain my
reasoning for this on-group.


It is part of my role, as the "xAP project manager" to promote
interoperability through the use of Open Standards. This means that I need
to balance the needs of all the consituents - software developers, hardware
manufacturers, end users, retailers, and "observers" equally. xAP, as an
Open Protocol, does not place restrictions on whether software developers
should release products under particular types of licences. Developers are
welcome to do so under GPL, closed source or anything else they see fit.

The presentation I gave included various slides / parts of slides put
together by many people for multiple purposes. One of these purposes was,
hopefully, to give LUG members a view of what the state of the art was in
home automation.

However, it must be recognised that a large number of people contributed to
the slides, and some of them did so because they viewed it as a way of
promoting xAP, and thus their own xAP-compatable products.

I am keen to ensure that all xAP "marketing material" retain our logo and
URL as part of the slide template. I am, of course, delighted that the SLUG
website should see fit to host a copy.

I am happy for a modification to be made that added a SLUG logo _as well_.


To turn to the general principle - as many of you know, I am a professional
public speaker (professional in the sense of - "get paid for".) The normal
practice is that if a speaker is being PAID to give a talk, the organisation
paying may require a particular presentation template. If, on the other
hand, the speaker is not being paid, then it is general practice that they
should be allowed control of the formatting to promote their own cause /
product / service / ideas.

I realise that my presentation to SLUG was slightly odd in that I was
presenting as a member of the organisation, rather than coming in from
outside to present TO the organisation.

I am very pleased to see that the approach Steve has taken is to let me, as
the presentation author, decide whether I wish to retain my original
formatting, or adopt the LUGs. This approach is not only on solid legal
grounding, but ensures that presenters feel "well treated" by the host
organisation.

Regards,

Mark


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Dobson" <steve at dobson.org>
To: "Sussex Linux User Group" <sussex at mailman.lug.org.uk>
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2004 11:12 AM
Subject: Re: [Sussex] A new look to our web site


> Mark / Nik / Geoff and anyone else who as given a presentation
>
> I forgot to ask for your open office presentations so I can load them
> on to the website.
>
> Please just *privately* e-mail them to me (or the URL) and say if your
> would mind if I changed the style that I've come up with (see the
> presentations pages on the website).  I need the SXI file for this.
>
> Steve