Re: Rekindling interest in London LUG events

On Tue 01 May, JLMS wrote:
> 

> 
> The thing would be to establish a charity, social enterprise or a
> similar set up that keeps running regardless and that has the
> capability of paying 2 or 3 staff and a small venue, then all Linux
> geekery could volunteer whenever they would have time (coordinated by
> one of those theoretical employees) or use the venue for devious
> experimentation, it would become the hub of Linux life in London, Red
> Hat, Ubuntu, SuSe could come begging for  visibility there....
> 

   I have been trying to get the local Ealing Council and/or the Park Royal
Partnership involved. I am well known to several years of local councillors
and my MP, I was allowed a five minute chat to a Scrutiny Panel meeting a
couple of weeks ago which sparked interest among the public attendees, but I
still have work to do explaining to other councillors.
   "Park Royal" spreads over several London Boroughs and claims to be the
largest business area in Europe, and the Park Royal Partnership can call on
official EU and government backing.
   There are obviously Health and Safety issues. If you are teaching
needlework you supply blunt scissors and needles, woodwork requires blunt
saws and chisels, mistakes in car maintenance can result in death so you
teach car maintenance with the bonnet welded shut, and likewise you weld the
computer covers on and threaten dire consequences if anyone attempts to find
out how they tick.
   There are still too many people who believe that the answer to everything
is to supply new leased laptops, easily damaged, running only Microsoft,
plus an expensive storage and charging rack, with expensive security doors
for the storage area to try to stop them walking. These are being supplied
to almost every local community facility.

-- 
Chris Bell www.chrisbell.org.uk
Microsoft sells you Windows ... Linux gives you the whole house.

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