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

Sure, well contact me anytime within the next year if you change your mind.

=]

On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 3:48 PM, Tim Ansell <[email protected]> wrote:
> I would definitely support the running of a "SLUG Students" or something
> similar at Uni Campus doing things that are more relevant for students, but
> I don't have time to run it myself.
> I'm not saying that I wouldn't support moving the normal SLUG meetings back
> to a Uni Campus, just that there is also another possibility.
> Tim
>
> On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 2:21 PM, Samuel Marks <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> 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
>> Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
>
>



-- 
Samuel Marks

Degree: Bachelor of Information Technology
Emphasis: Majoring in Software Technology
-- 
SLUG Activities
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