[GRLUG] GRLUG meetings

[Szymon Machajewski]

The challenges I've noticed with GRLUG meetings are:

1. low attendance
2. lack of presentation volunteers

I suppose meeting in an informal atmosphere and simply talking is one way to get information on the topic you are interested in (if you have the personality to do it).
I believe having an agenda with specific topics being discussed is important.  Those who are interested in the specific topic will get what they need, and those who are not interested right now will get a preview and a stretch of the mind (otherwise called learning) for the future.

I think it is important to advocate Linux and open source technology to both professionals and amateurs.  Learning specific things each time we meet makes the technology more practical.  There is an outstanding expertise within GRLUG beyond the workstation and simple Linux installs.  Getting the media and installing Linux is as easy today as ordering the CD online (ubuntu) and looking up install move on youtube.  We need to provide a service to the GR area which will have a good value.  This value is a result of specific business problems (or personal computing problems) being resolved by specific technical steps.

Maybe we need to renew on Wiki the request list for presentation topics.  If compiz or beryl is hot and of interest maybe it will spark a meeting.  We need cool topics and people to talk about them.

If each meeting also includes a general discussion, that's fine. 


>>> "Michael Mol" <mikemol at gmail.com> 5/3/2007 11:15 PM >>>
On 5/3/07, Bob Kline <bob.kline at gmail.com> wrote:
> How about another number to indicate
> whether people will come to a meeting
> even if they can?

[snip]

I'll throw another monkey wrench in here and suggest that we consider
meeting regularly without necessarily having presentations lined up.
While I've certainly pulled a few interesting bits out of the GRLUG
meetings I've gone to, most of it is far outside my realm of
experience, and much of it isn't even necessarily interesting. (The
OCFS2 presentation from a while back is the only one I recall that
seemed particularly useful to a hobbyist like me.)

I'm certain I'd get much more out of GRLUG with aimless conversations
with individuals and small groups.  Talking about recent experiences
and experiments would seem more beneficial than looking for a local
expert on every topic we discuss.

I'm not saying presentations are a bad thing, but I feel a little less
formalization of meetings would let folks with Linux interest beyond
the professional get more out of them.

That brings to mind another observation: GRLUG meetings tend to
overlap with business hours.  While I'm sure this is to allow some
folks easier access to the meetings, wouldn't it preclude attendance
from working folks who can't justify it as a professional activity?
-- 
:wq
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