Re: [activities] President's report, 2010-2011

I'll talk with my Sydney Uni and UNSW friends, see what they can do (People
wouldn't come all the way to Macquarie... right?)

On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 1:18 PM, James Polley <[email protected]> wrote:

> The committee is always interested in venue offers. Please feel free to
> have any interested groups approach us with details of what they can offer
> On Apr 8, 2011 10:20 AM, "Samuel Marks" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > If it was only a funding problem, then all you need is for the on-campus
> > Computer Student-Group host the event, they get free room hire.
> >
> > They may also help advertise it, which will bring in a new dynamic of
> > interested students
> >
> > On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 9:59 AM, James Polley <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> The rooms we'd previously allowed to use gratis were suddenly going to
> cost
> >> us hundreds of dollars a month.
> >>
> >> I wasn't around at the time either, but I believe thus was related to
> VSU
> >> and the union suddenly needing to find alternate funding
> >> On Apr 7, 2011 11:36 PM, "Samuel Marks" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> > Perhaps the business focus of SLUG should be changed back to a student
> >> > focus... I wasn't part of SLUG when it was at UTS, so maybe someone
> can
> >> > enlighten me as to why we moved (not that I don't like Google HQ, just
> >> that
> >> > our President wants more members...)
> >> >
> >> > On Thu, Apr 7, 2011 at 9:16 PM, James Polley <[email protected]>
> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> President's Report 2010-2011 by Sridhar Dhanapalan
> >> >>
> >> >> Experimentation and minimalism have been the themes of the 2010-2011
> >> >> period. We
> >> >> started 2010 (prior to the 2010 AGM) by utilising the many rooms
> >> available
> >> >> to
> >> >> us at Google to hold meetings with many streams at once; we ended in
> >> early
> >> >> 2011
> >> >> by having simple brief meetings, with just one speaker followed by
> >> >> socialising
> >> >> in the pub.
> >> >>
> >> >> = Statistics =
> >> >>
> >> >> Prior to the 2011 AGM (ie, for the 2010 year), we had 34 financial
> >> members.
> >> >> This is around the same as a year ago, but represents just over 60%
> of
> >> our
> >> >> membership in 2009. Importantly, this number of financial members was
> >> not
> >> >> sufficient to meet our costs during 2011 financial year - but our
> >> >> treasurer'sreport will cover this in more detail.
> >> >>
> >> >> Mailing lists (lists.slug.org.au) continue to be a major part of
> SLUG.
> >> >> Compared to figures from the previous two years (in brackets), the
> >> numbers
> >> >> of
> >> >> subscribers have been increasing, although the rate of change has
> >> slowed:
> >> >>
> >> >> announce = 452 (402) (332)
> >> >> slug = 787 (778) (732)
> >> >> activities = 221 (210) (200)
> >> >> slug-chat = 231 (227) (218)
> >> >> coders = 190 (172) (155)
> >> >>
> >> >> Also important is the #slug IRC channel on Freenode.
> >> >>
> >> >> = Minimalism =
> >> >>
> >> >> To quote from my email announcing my candidacy for president over a
> year
> >> >> ago:
> >> >>
> >> >> I do believe there's a place for an organisation very much like SLUG,
> I
> >> >> just
> >> >> don't think it makes any sense for that organisation to be called the
> >> >> Sydney
> >> >> Linux Users Group; nor do I feel that SLUG, as it currently exists,
> >> >> adequately
> >> >> serves the needs of the people I've just talked about. SLUG is slowly
> >> >> dying a
> >> >> natural death; I want to be President so I can help ease the
> >> >> suffering and pain
> >> >> and ensure that its death is swift, painless, and serves a purpose.
> >> >>
> >> >> Through the year I had discussions with many people in the community,
> >> both
> >> >> en
> >> >> masse at meetings and in private. These discussions revealed a broad
> >> >> consensus across several areas.
> >> >>
> >> >> Many people feel that SLUG could use more meetings - meetings with a
> >> more
> >> >> specific focus on more technical areas were mentioned; weekend
> daytime
> >> >> social
> >> >> events were suggested. However, no-one has yet stepped forward to run
> >> any
> >> >> of
> >> >> these meetings...
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> Another common theme was that the name SLUG should be retained.
> >> >>
> >> >> In discussing the differences between SLUG and other similar bodies
> such
> >> as
> >> >> Linux Australia, there was consensus that SLUG's main differentiator
> was
> >> >> it's
> >> >> focus on the local - it's a forum for people to meet local people
> with
> >> >> similar
> >> >> interests, for people looking for local jobs, and so on.
> >> >>
> >> >> Lastly, there was general agreement that the fact that our membership
> >> >> numbers
> >> >> aren't high enough to pay cover our expenses was a concern.
> >> >>
> >> >> To address all of these concerns, several motions were passed at the
> EGM
> >> >> held
> >> >> immediately prior to the AGM. The committee will be approaching Linux
> >> >> Australia
> >> >> and asking them to take over the running of the regular Sydney
> meetings,
> >> >> and
> >> >> then winding up and leaving the Sydney FOSS community in the hands of
> >> Linux
> >> >> Australia.
> >> >>
> >> >> = Conclusion =
> >> >>
> >> >> As one of the oldest Linux user groups in the world, the SLUG
> community
> >> has
> >> >> shown a remarkable degree of persistence and adaptability. Hopefully
> the
> >> >> work
> >> >> we've done over the last 12 months (and are doing over the next 12
> >> months)
> >> >> will
> >> >> help the community to grow in size and strength.
> >> >> --
> >> >> SLUG Activities
> >> >> Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Samuel Marks
> >> >
> >> > Degree: Bachelor of Information Technology
> >> > Emphasis: Majoring in Software Technology
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Samuel Marks
> >
> > Degree: Bachelor of Information Technology
> > Emphasis: Majoring in Software Technology
>



-- 
Samuel Marks

Degree: Bachelor of Information Technology
Emphasis: Majoring in Software Technology

-- 
SLUG Activities
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