[NYLoCo] Monthly Meeting - Topics and Discussion

[indigo196 at rochester.rr.com]

I would like to start using our mailing list to pre-discuss topics that will be covered in our monthly meetings. Our next Monthly meeting will be held on Tuesday January 19th 2010 8PM to 9PM.

First here are the current planned topics (more can be added):

1. Meeting times -- what dates and times would be best for 2010?

- Our meetings have not been well attended and I would like to change that. I understand that folks are busy and have other concerns, but participation is what will help grow the team and assist the LoCo to assist the members and their local FOSS related groups. I want to have a discussion on what times are best.

- To assist in this discussion please fill out the following Doodle Poll: http://doodle.com/egpvcdyyuaim3gd8 (the 'dates' are not important, but the day of the week and time are)

- We will then look at the Doodle poll results and make a final decision at the IRC meeting.


2. IFSA -- working with the IFSA on an install fest

- The Ithaca Free Software Foundation attends EdTechDay at Ithaca College with us and had members attend our release parties in Waterloo, NY. I have had some conversations with them about having an install fest / lightening talks event with them. I would like to get feedback for members near Ithaca as to the following:

A.  If you can attend as an expert installer or give a how-to presentation
B.  If you can donate some funds so that professional CDs can be purchased for users having Ubuntu install on their computer
C.  If you can provide any other support (help us find sponsors, location, etc)

note:  If you are from a different area or group and would like to work with us on holding an install fest or event please let us know

3. EdTech Day 2010 -- initial plans

- EdTechDay is an educational technology event at Ithaca College held in March. This year the date is Thursday March 25th. The event runs all day. Last year we had a booth and gave a presentation. This year I would like to do more, but I am waiting to receive feedback from the coordinators at IC to see if 'more' is possible.

- The main 'more' idea is to, with IC IT help, hold an all day hands-on with FOSS series. This would allow 15-30 attendees (depends on IC resources and lab space) to attend a 1.5 hour session that would go over a specific 'function' or 'application' in FOSS and then let the attendees use the program(s) discussed and ask questions. I would view this to require one 'instructor/presenter' and three assistants for answering questions.

- We also want to have a booth, but this year we hope to have an Ubuntu booth next to the IFSA booth. Last year we shared the booth and we were mobbed to the point attendees could not get to the booth through the sea of people that got their first. My hope is that by expanding the 'frontage' of the FOSS area by combining two booth slots we can more comfortably communicate the message to attendees. I already have some CDs, but again we will need funding to purchase more from on-disk.com

5. 10.04 Launch plans -- local / central / ?

- Launch parties can have two purposes in my opinion. One is to have Ubuntu users meet and celebrate a new launch (and discuss bugs / work arounds / etc). Second is to attract new users to Ubuntu at an exciting time. The last two launch parties have been central events - meaning one party for the LoCo at a central event.

-- opinion --
It is my opinion that the centralized events are more targeted at the celebration and less well-suited to enticing new users to Ubuntu. Local events are more likely to attract new users simply because they are 'close' the new users.

For this reason I would like to discuss the possibility of the following:

A.  Alternating centralized and local launch parties - we would hold several local launch parties for release 1 of the year, and one centralized event for launch 2 of the year (or vice-versa).

B.  Alternating the centralized event - do not always hold the centralized event in Waterloo

I really need to get feedback from you, the members, on your thoughts.

- Would it help Ithaca, Syracuse, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Albany, etc grow if we held Ubuntu launch parties in those areas?
- Do you enjoy getting together with your Ubuntu LoCo neighbors in a central location?
- Do LTS releases deserve special treatment? If so - what should be different?

I think the list should really discuss the release topic as there is too much to the topic to do it justice in a one hour IRC meeting.

--- end ---

I look forward to hearing from all of you on the IRC meeting topics and hope to see more of you at the meetings.

Thanks

Charles