Group:Manchester/2008-03-18/Minutes

Minutes of Meeting on 2008-03-18

No fixed agenda. The topic was a very general “what are we going to do and how?”

Attendees: Tim Dobson (TimD), Andy Halsall (AndyH), Alex Hudson (AlexH), Rob Kendric (RobK), Dave Page (DaveP), Simon Ward (SimonW), Jonathan (jonathanD), and others.

Minutes taken by SimonW.

Other Free Software Groups

• AndyH mentioned getting a similar free software group going in Sheffield.
• DaveP said there was a wider goal of getting more free software groups going around the country.

Free Software Groups vs other groups

• Less technical, more about using and working with free software.
• Core Aim: Promote free software.

Venues

• MDDA — hears in June about getting more funding. Otherwise we may need an alternate venue.
• RobK said he would ask about a lecture room/theatre at MMU.
• DaveP suggested town hall + Town Hall Tavern.

ACTION: RobK to ask about lecture room availability at MMU.

Speakers

• Need to research. None felt “in” to the free software world enough to suggest who to ask.
• AndyH suggested keeping a list of possible speakers.
  • DaveP later suggested a public wiki.

Topics

• Free software (primary)
• Media?
• Culture?
• DRM?

• Specifically:
  • BBC iPlayer person.
  • Somebody from BBC about Dirac.

Free Software Group Tasks

• Finding people [to speak/advocate]
• Publicising
• Getting people to listen

Advocacy

• Examples: Software Freedom Day events, handing out leflets
• DaveP suggested getting together some bootable CDs or similar into
• the Central Library for Software Freedom Day. [This has already been suggested on list].

• • The aim is to get the public using free software.
  • Not necessarily setting up an organisation to support, but more a publicity stunt to keep visible.

• AlexH: Get the low hanging, high impact fruit
• AndyH: [things like leafletting, publicity stunts] not a good approach
• AlexH: They are not the only things you do.

• DaveP: Need to get people involved and keep them.
• AndyH: How many people are interested in the first place?
• AlexH: Two things needed:
  1. Enough mass.
  2. How many … ? [Illegible]

Free Software Foundation

• Poor show in the UK so far.
• Not getting involved with something just because of the name (or lack of. E.g. Linux, without GNU.) — something we might want to avoid.

Business

• Get interest through Manchester Small Business
• Where can I find a directory of businesses supporting or providing free software?
  • [name of a directory] — AndyH thought it was mostly London based
  • RobK suggests Manchester seems to prefer local business

Actions / Responsibilities

• ACTION: RobK to ask about lecture room availability at MMU.
• ACTION: SimonW to ask Matt about things currently organised.

• AndyH — Speakers
• TimD — Web site, announcements
• DaveP — Venues, media relations

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