Group: Manchester/2009-03-09/Minutes

Manchester Free Software Minutes

19:30 (meeting delayed), Monday 9th March 2009

Attendance: Lucy, Michael, Tim, Yuwei, Dave, Matthew L (later)
Apologies: Paul, Simon, Matthew

Last Meeting

The minutes of the 9th February 2009 were read and approved.

Room Booking

March confirmed at MDDA. Waiting to hear from MDDA about future bookings. Booking issues at MDDA are because they are awaiting funding information for the new tax year and an increase in the number of people wanting to use it.

ACTION: Lucy to contact MDDA about future room bookings.

Speakers

Dave had no progress on speakers.
Lucy chased up Simon(?).
Lucy said Dan Lynch from Linux Outlaws wants to do talk and will get back to her.
Michael chased up Chris Warburton of Sheffield Free Software Society, looking to do talk September/October.
Tim had no extra progress but has got identi.ca speaker, Jon Sprigs, who develops SMS identi.ca app.
Tim hasn't chased Microsoft guy.
John Adams has detailed talk but has no title.

ACTION: Dave to chase up his potential speakers.
ACTION: Lucy to chase up John Adams about talk title.
ACTION: Lucy to get confirmation of Dan Lynch from Linux Outlaws about talk.
ACTION: Lucy to speak to Matthew L about speaker Matthew L knows.(?)
ACTION: Michael to find out start dates for Manchester Uni and confirm Chris Warburton talk date.
ACTION: Tim to chase up Microsoft guy.
ACTION: Yuwei to chase up friend who uses free software to make art and films.
ACTION: Team to arrange talk dates and fill in calendar.

Manchester University Free Software Society

Discussing Chris Warburton as speaker lead onto discussion about setting up of a Manchester University Free Software Society. Matthew L mentioned he could contact his peers at Man Uni.

ACTION: Matthew L to approach peers about setting up Man Uni FS Soc.

Books

Matt Lee was chased. Books have arrived and are being stored by Michael. They are mostly technical and not sure of market. But on plus side have lots of copies of the non-technical "Free Software, Free Society". Matthew L said that students would love the technical books.
Discussed what price to charge. One suggestion was what amazon market place charge which is expensive. Another suggestion was to do $1=£1, so $20 book would sell for £20. Yet another suggestion was to convert $ to £ at the exchange rate. Uncertain as to what was decided, if anything
Michael said that books should be storage should be distributed. Lucy and Dave offered to store a small box each.
Will sell books at Oekonux Conference.

ACTION: Lucy to emails lists (ManLUG, MFS) and Matthew L with details of books we have.
ACTION: Matthew L to attempt to sell books at Man Uni when he gets book details.
ACTION: Michael to contact list about others taking some books to store.
ACTION: Michael to contact Lucy and Dave about storing a small box of books each.

Banking

Matt M not present so banking section was deferred.
AFFS issues discussed and concerns that we don't want to get in the same situation.

ACTION: Matt M to produce business plan and complete bank account forms.

Marbella Cafe

Michael (and Simon) attended a future of Marbella meeting and Michael spoke to Janey afterwards. There is currently no space or date for a cafe and can't see one for the near future. Janey wants to have office space with a drop in centre with a computer cluster but no space or date yet.

ACTION: None.

The Arcspace Project

Michael emailed Vicky Sinclair of Arcspace the with groups mission statement.
Arcspace has a venue, its St Wilfreds, a church which is near Efewe. They are planning workshops. Fringe event at Futuresonic. Arcspace has picked up 5 workstations which should be powerful enough to run standonly rather than as thin clients. They want to attach printers to them. Given the power of the machines and how they will be used we will go for standonly install rather than LTSP. Vicki wants us to run free software workshop.

ACTION: Lucy to speak to Vicki to clarify what we will do (free software) and will not do (non-free software). And the requirements for power and Internet.
ACTION: Lucy to email out workshop dates. (18th or 25th April).

Oekonux Conference

Yuwei described conference. First time in non-German speaking country. 25th-27th March at Man Uni. Free Software and P2P. €2000 budget but this is not enough. Failed to get funding due to political nature of conference. Need stewards to help out. Want donations. A cake sale was suggested. MFS to sell stickers and books on a stall.

ACTION: Michael to bring all books to conference and others to help running of the stall.
ACTION: Lucy to send Yuwei a PDF on free software to print out.
ACTION: Yuwei to print leaflets for MFS for the conference.

Green Party Conference

Nigel Rolland is the same person who took leaflets to Labour Conference. Discussed getting leaflets and CDs for him to take to conference. Matthew L offered to print out leaflets.

ACTION: Tim to give 150 tri-fold leaflets he has to Dave to give to Steve Durant from Manchester Green Party.

Chairperson Elections

Lucy said details are the same as before with dates + 6 months. Lucy interested in standing again.

ACTION: Lucy to contact Paul Waring about being the independent vote counter. ACTION: Lucy to send out dates and details to mailing list.

Any other business

Dave sent email to library about SFD but not had response. Discussed using library's public wifi to avoid issues of using the library's private network.
Discussed contacting Manchester schools and BBC about venue for SFD.
Dave brought up EU elections and impact on free software issues such software patents. Tim mentioned that theyworkfor did a Q&A on this. We should contact free software groups detailing party/candidate stances on free software issues.

ACTION: Dave to look into providing Ubuntu and 'Communicating Securely and Anonymously over the Internet' workshops and send details to list when details known.
ACTION: Dave to contact FSF about logo license.
ACTION: Dave to chase up library.
ACTION: Dave to write up press release on software patents.(?)
ACTION: Dave to write a template letter about software patents to be signed by MFS and other local groups.
ACTION: Dave to contact groups around UK about party/candidate stances on free software issues when we have them.
ACTION: Tim to contact Open Rights Group about EU elections and party/candidate stances.

Next Meeting

Next meeting would have been 13th April but this is Easter Monday so rescheduled for the Monday before.
Monday 6th April 7pm at The Waterhouse.