(poll) What kind of meeting do you want?

[Paul Mora]

On 4/22/05, Pavel Zaitsev <pavel-XHBUQMKE58M at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> We do not have the facility for free at this time. Currently we
> are trying rectify our much less then legal status. Incidentals,
> if you have read for the power at the show must be paid out
> of the pocket. There is no return on investment.

I don't see why you should have to "pay" for space for a facility for
regular meetings.  There are surely companies friendly to Linux and/or
TLUG that you could approach to provide space for these meetings. 
Pick any one of the big companies at Linuxworld (HP, Novell, etc.) and
approach them for some space.  Has this been tried?  Also, with a huge
member base, I'm sure someone either works somewhere or knows someone
that has space that their company may be willing to donate for a
meeting on a monthly or bi-monthly basis.
 
> That is going to be ironed out within 2-3 weeks, as the turn out
> at the show was great we can now plan for things that *DO* cost
> in Toronto, which are free everywhere else in Canada. Like rooms
> for meetings, usage of parks for group picnics. Unfortunately
> Toronto as a whole is not liberal with money, because in some
> part its culture and in some its city lack of money(as I was
> explained). So things cost in this city... If you wish to provide
> sufficent space accessible to TLUG members, be our guest.

I already do.  I provide the space in the auditorium at the IBM Canada
head office for the NewTLUG meetings every two months.  I provide the
projector for the speakers, if it is required.  Now mind you, it is
easy to do, since I work for IBM in the Education Services division,
who uses the auditorium.  But still, I'm sure that other people on the
TLUG list must also have such connections, either directly with their
company, or they have friends, or whatever.

Things do not have to cost.  You just have to look harder.  Same thing
goes with parks and picnics.  I'm sure that there may be companies
willing to allow you to use some space on their property to hold an
event, for little or maybe even no charge.
 
> Lack of formality has come to immediate attention this Linux
> world , those responsible are working out details as we speak.
> Should be done in couple of weeks, not entirely unreasonable.

That's the best news I've heard so far.  If it actually happens, I applaud you.
 
> <Flame retardant suit here>

;-)  I don't want to sound like a total complainer/whiner here.  But
I've been saying this stuff for years, and every year I hear the same
stuff, and every year nothing gets done.  If you really want to go
forward, you need to get people willing to actually do what needs to
be done, not just talk about it.

> Thats SO Torontonian. Stop projecting your complexes onto
> everybody else. People who want to go out will , and will have
> great time. If you don't want to, or don't have great time
> meeting people that may/do have similar interestes you're
> welcome to reserve to yourself. No one will have problem with
> that.

<rant>
Yeah, well last I checked, the T in TLUG stood for Toronto.  You may
not like or agree with the attitude, but you have to DEAL with them,
not deride them or ignore them.  Make the club more accessible, more
friendly, and people will come.  Not everyone has that lovely
lackadasical, care-free go-with-the-flow self-righteous west-coast
attitude.
</rant>
 
> That is being rectified. This kind of thing is common on every
> forum, just sit back and take it philosphically. Shit happens,
> there will always be stupid people, know your purpose. And
> know this, complaining on public forum does score only negative
> karma, if you are into that sort of thing. Instead say something
> constructive.
> Maybe there is too much of a westcoaster in me. There we tend
> not to focus on depressing things, just solve them. As in VanLUG
> and VLUG.

Like I said, it's really come along way, and the list right now is
real good to it's members; I can't remember the last time I saw a real
flame over a question asked.  But there needs to be some policy put in
place, I think, to prevent it from happening again.

I'll let the "westcoaster" and "karma" stuff slide for now... ;-)
 
> That will be squared out very soon, most likely will take
> very standard form, as any other public organization. Fact
> that we had alot of registrations, motivated a group of
> us to get our act together.

It's about time.  Glad to see you're taking this a bit more seriously
than others had before you.
 
> >What about a swap meet?  We can all get together, bring all the
> >computer crap we have stored in our closets and basements, and trade
> >with each other!  Just like the old TPUG swap meets of my youth; they
> >were great!
> >
> >
> I'm in except that i don't have any old stuff :-(

Yeah, but I'd bet that many other TLUG list members have
treasure-troves of old Pentium, SCSI, ARCnet and other computer
hardware sitting in their garage or basement, waiting to be liberated.
 
> >Also, what about a summer barbeque?  A social gathering, somewhere
> >like Center Island?  Burgers, hot dogs, pop, and Linux?
>
> That costs money, to organized a picnic in public park. Can
> be organized at someone's house, who has sufficent size back
> yard.

Yeah, and this is something that people would likely contribute a
couple of bucks to.  This is something that the money could go
towards.

pm

-- 
Paul Mora
email: paulmora-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org
--
The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://tlug.ss.org
TLUG requests: Linux topics, No HTML, wrap text below 80 columns
How to UNSUBSCRIBE: http://tlug.ss.org/subscribe.shtml