[Sussex] Last and next Portsmouth LUG meetings

[Lisi Reisz]

The last Portsmouth LUG meeting on October 17th was an unexpected success.  

Matt Withers unfortunately had to cancel his talk at the last minute due to 
illness. I apologise to those who did not know.  I sent an email out within 
about 15 minutes of receiving one myself, having made a quick attempt to 
contact Paul to discuss it with him   I think that I clicked the sixth send 
button at about 23:40.

But it is an ill wind etc.  One of the functions of a LUG, in my view, is to 
help newbies; install Linux for those who want it but cannot manage the 
install themselves; help each other out with our problems: in other words to 
spread the word.  This takes time and it takes people:  those who need help, 
but also those in a position to give help; those who can impart knowledge and 
those who listen.  And it is valuable just to have Linux and FLOSS chat.  

There were more of us there than there would normally have been for a BaB 
meeting with no talk.  But the result was, in my view, and that of others who 
have commented to me, a particularly enjoyable meeting.  There was a great 
buzz about it.  When those who leave early, leave immediately after the talk, 
it inevitably breaks the meeting up, and others follow.  This time, when 
those who leave early left early, others looked up briefly to say goodbye, if 
they noticed them going, and carried on with what they were doing.  The last 
person, other than Paul and I, left at 6:15. \o/

So, next time there is a speaker-less meeting, do come.  Come to help and be 
helped. Come to chat and come to proselytise.

I myself was helped enormously this last time by Luke, and I very much doubt 
that I would have solved the problem on my own.  But it was very time 
consuming, and I am glad that people had not all disappeared.

Next time, Saturday 21st November, we shall have a talk by Dr. Jacek Kopecky.  
Jack will talk about the new Atom.io editor, of which Jack is one of the 
developers.  Jack is one of our members and is a Senior Lecturer at 
Portsmouth University.  Let's welcome him with packed room. I hope to put 
something more about it and him up on the web within the next week.

Do have a look at our website.  Paul Tansom has been working hard on it.  It 
still superficially looks the same, but it is evolving and has improved 
immeasurably since he took over.  Even where I interfere on the talks pages, 
it is only the content that I have any input in.  The design evolution and 
credit are Paul's.  But whereas before, if I wanted a speaker's name put up, 
I nagged Paul mercilessly, I now put the name up myself!

Lisi