Missoula users

[lunaz]

Is there anyone in Missoula who's involved in / starting a group? I've been calling around off & on to computer support places but having no luck. :(

[gaebriel]

I've been thinking about it ever since one of my clients asked if we had one. I've spoken with a couple people that seem interested. Once we get it started perhaps more people will show up? Are you still interested?

[lunaz]

Yep! :D

[cfmcguire]

With a little promotion, and a meeting place, I think that people will show up. Rather like AA.

[lunaz]

hah!

[gaebriel]

nice. :) As long as we don't have to go through any 12-step program I'm game. We could start by meeting at a coffee shop or something. Both the library and the university have meeting rooms available... Any preferences?

[lunaz]

any place i can get a ride to or take the bus to. :P
wtb laptop... :P

[opsimath]

If there is a place and a time open I would like to join

[Worzie]

lunaz, I highly encourage you to start the MissoulaLUG. I also offer space for you to host the site or at least utilize it as a portal to your LUG site. If you haven't seen http://MontanaLinux.org yet... check it out. We have the BozemanLUG, BillingsLUG here and the HelenaLUG also utilizes us as a portal. I look forward to hearing your progress!

[lunaz]

cool; i'll look into it. ty :P

[jsgarvin]

Whoohoo!

I just found out about this. Been using Linux on and off for several years, exclusively for just over a year now, and Ubuntu for several months. Would love to get together occasionally with other Ubunters (?) to learn/teach/promote/chat.

My preferences would be a week night, 6:00 or later. First and Second Tuesday and Second Wednesday of each month are taken for me with other group meetings, and I'm usually climbing a mountain or something on weekends.

Break Espresso downtown is a great place for these kind of meetings. Big tables for groups, free wifi, and since they don't have much for food, they don't mind if you bring food over from Worden's, Taco Del Sol, or any of the other downtown eateries (as long as you buy your beverages from Break).

Either way though, it looks like there's more than one interested person, so lunaz... pick a time and place and I'm sure at least some of us will show up. Let's get together and make something happen.

[lunaz]

woohoo! more ppl!
i would love to start something; can even buy the missoulalug domain & host a site. :P

who's interested/what times/days?
weeknights are good for me, after 6pm.

what about 9/5/07 @ 6:30pm, break espresso?

[jsgarvin]

what about 9/5/07 @ 6:30pm, break espresso?

That works for me!

[holotone]

I second that emotion :)

Perschnaps we should notify the OpenMissoula (http://www.openmissoula.org/) foks, as well?

[holotone]

Also, fwiw, I'd contacted the Montana Ubuntu LoCo coordinator (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=386925) for more info a few weeks ago, but no word back yet - Is this still on?

[jsgarvin]

Perschnaps we should notify the OpenMissoula (http://www.openmissoula.org/) foks, as well?

That's a hell of an idea, Cole. I heard about them a while back, delicious'd the page and then promptly forgot about them. This time I subscribed to the RSS feed, so hopefully I'll keep up.

I don't see a "contact us" link on the site anywhere. I have my suspicions on where they might be hosted though, and suspect you might therefore have some inside contact info. If I'm right, then I nominate you to make first contact. ;-)

[holotone]

I don't see a "contact us" link on the site anywhere. I have my suspicions on where they might be hosted though, and suspect you might therefore have some inside contact info. If I'm right, then I nominate you to make first contact. ;-)

I'll shoot Monte (OpenMissoula founder and local all-around poverty lawyer badass) a message pointing him this way :)

[jsgarvin]

@holotone: Sweet.

@lunaz: Ever had that "I think I just created a monster" feeling? :-)

[lunaz]

yes...
but it beats staying home! :) and meeting more ppl=good

[psymin]

I'm interested in attending as well. I hope you all encourage users of any distro to attend ..

[jsgarvin]

I'm interested in attending as well. I hope you all encourage users of any distro to attend ..

My personal opinion on this is that we should first take Worzie's suggestion and try to establish a MissoulaLUG. Then, if they desire, users of different distro's could form their own little sub groups to talk about distro specific stuff. But the LUG would serve as an excellent foundation for the distro groups to start from.

[lunaz]

sounds like a plan to me. :)

just to let you all know tho, i'm really really new at all this linux stuff. :P

[jsgarvin]

just to let you all know tho, i'm really really new at all this linux stuff. :P

Cool. Relatively speaking, so am I. But obviously waiting on the really experienced Linux users in Missoula to start the LUG hasn't worked out so far, so.... we'll just do it ourselves and maybe even let them join. ;-)


Hey Worzie, if you're still reading this thread, got any recommendations? I've briefly skimmed through the LUG HowTo at Linux.org, but I'm not sure all of that really applies to us yet.

[mjewell]

I'll shoot Monte (OpenMissoula founder and local all-around poverty lawyer badass) a message pointing him this way :)

Thank you for starting a LUG!! Count me in. I will be there whenever subject to prior commitments. There should be coffee though and a place to plug in.

As an aside, I am struggling to complete the last step of migrating my law office and the Montana Justice Project (affiliated with openmissoula) to FOSS. Last step? Replacing Quickbooks with GnuCash. Its kicking my *** because I've been doing my bookkeeping and payroll by hand until I can figure out enough basics to complete the switch.

But . . . when its done, every bit of code in my office will have been replaced by FOSS. I began this process in 2000, and I was a complete novice. Thanks to help from people like my brother Ryan and Cole and others, its almost done.

Yes, please lets set a LUG meeting. Where and when? Let me know how I can help.

[mjewell]

any place i can get a ride to or take the bus to. :P
wtb laptop... :P
lunaz do we have a date and location yet? Let me know if you want help. It sound like you need a spot near the bus line. I think the northside would be a cool place --- maybe at northside community development corporation on Stoddard if Bob would let us? There's also the public library and anywhere that has coffee.

[mjewell]

Oops - sorry. I see that the first meeting of the Missoula LUG is at Break Espresso at 6:30 on Sept. 5th, 2007. See you there.

[holotone]

Here's the event @ Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=4561388611)

Spread the word!

[jsgarvin]

Here's the event @ Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=4561388611)

Hmmm, gotta have an account just to view it. Viewing a page for a meeting I already know about doesn't seem like sufficient justification to share my email address with YASNS (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=define+YASNS), so.. I'll just take your word for it. ;-)


Spread the word!

Yessir!
http://montana.craigslist.org/grp/400272586.html
And I submitted it to missoulaevents.net, but can't post a link until it gets approvaled.

[jsgarvin]

Some people may also be interested in skimming the LUG HowTo before the meeting...

http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/User-Group-HOWTO.html

[lunaz]

update, i nolonger wtb a laptop; picked up the acer aspire 3680 @ walmart for $400ish. got ubuntu on it & all's good so far but wireless.... working on it.

[lunaz]

update again! i got wireless working, dunno how, eth1 just showed up & my belkin thing has a use now..

is it possible to change the time to 7:30? my roommate has a meeting for school that night. she just found out about it today.

she's interested in this too. if that's not doable i'll find a way there & she'll be a lil late.

[jsgarvin]

Congrats on the wireless. Getting wireless working on Linux is often a major accomplishment. If this was the Scouts, you'd be gettin' some kind of achievement badge for sure.

I think that since we've already got the meeting published in several places, it wouldn't be wise to change it now. Otherwise, some people may not see the change, show up at 6:30 and proceed to vote the rest of us out of the club for being late (and last time I swore I'd never let that happen to me again). ;)

[lunaz]

ya, i'll get there by 6 30 then, but roommate will be a bit late. :)

[Worzie]

jsgarvin, thanks for taking the lead! I just got your PM. Not sure why I haven't been seeing all these thread posts as i have posted to it once.

Anyway I shall post your LUG info to MontanaLinux.org. I had been talking with lunaz I believe it was about starting the MissoulaLUG. I'll pass this info back out again. If you register the domain missoulalug.org, we (montanalinux.org) can point that URL to a drupal book page just like I have setup for anyone going to BillingsLUG.org does. You might also think about starting an email list for announcements as well. Very common for LUGS. I suggest using mailman. If you have any trouble finding a host, please get back to me and we can look into options.

Todays LUGs don't necessarily serve the purpose they used to. They are more a social group... not the installfest/fix your Linux box here group. Try to assign tasks and don't try doing everything yourself. You'll end up doing that soon enough ](*,)

Also jsgarvin, I would sign up for an account at montanalinux.org and after we have activated it, create some calendar events. There is a volunteer time slot folks can look at future meeting dates and sign up to do talks... opposed to stacking chairs. :roll:

Good luck to your group... looking forward to attending one of these days.

[jsgarvin]

jsgarvin, thanks for taking the lead!

WOOHH! Taking the lead?!?!?!? Lunaz started this whole messy business. I'm just standing behind him gently pushing in a direction that I hope resembles forward. ;-)

Since most us haven't even met yet face to face. I think it might be a little premature to designate anyone a leader or spokesperson. I'm sure we'll get there though.


Anyway I shall post your LUG info to MontanaLinux.org.

I saw that, thanks.


If you register the domain missoulalug.org, we (montanalinux.org) can point that URL to a drupal book page just like I have setup for anyone going to BillingsLUG.org does.

I think you're getting a little ahead of us... or maybe just gently pushing in a direction that resembles forward?


You might also think about starting an email list for announcements as well. Very common for LUGS. I suggest using mailman. If you have any trouble finding a host, please get back to me and we can look into options.

Yah, I've been thinking about that. I know at least one person who's interested but didn't want to sign up for the ubuntu forums just to express interest (they don't use Ubuntu <gasp>). I think a distro agnostic mailing list should one of our first priorities. Any reason not to just use Google Groups?


Todays LUGs don't necessarily serve the purpose they used to. They are more a social group... not the installfest/fix your Linux box here group.

That sounds good to me. I know how to spill beer on all kinds of OS's.




Try to assign tasks and don't try doing everything yourself. You'll end up doing that soon enough ](*,)

Also jsgarvin, I would sign up for an account at montanalinux.org and after we have activated it, create some calendar events. There is a volunteer time slot folks can look at future meeting dates and sign up to do talks... opposed to stacking chairs. :roll:

Good luck to your group... looking forward to attending one of these days.

Tasks? Talks? Now you're making it sound like Lunaz is going to have to do work! :)

[Worzie]

Since most us haven't even met yet face to face. I think it might be a little premature to designate anyone a leader or spokesperson. I'm sure we'll get there though.
Sorry I may have sounded pushy... you see I get commission :wink:


I think you're getting a little ahead of us... or maybe just gently pushing in a direction that resembles forward?
Yup, gently pushing =;


Yah, I've been thinking about that. I know at least one person who's interested but didn't want to sign up for the ubuntu forums just to express interest (they don't use Ubuntu <gasp>). I think a distro agnostic mailing list should one of our first priorities. Any reason not to just use Google Groups?
I trust this will be a topic for discussion at your meeting. It would be a great Linux project someone in your group should host. IMO using Google Groups would be the easy way out.

[holotone]

I trust this will be a topic for discussion at your meeting. It would be a great Linux project someone in your group should host. IMO using Google Groups would be the easy way out.

FWIW, Google Groups DOES run Linux ;)

http://toolbar.netcraft.com/site_report?url=http://groups.google.com

Besides, Linux shouldn't (and doesn't) mean more work. I say we go with the easiest, most elegant solution.

[jsgarvin]

Besides, Linux shouldn't (and doesn't) mean more work. I say we go with the easiest, most elegant solution.

I think I agree. In days of yore, "Running Linux" meant that you were running a server. Desktop Linux for the common (wo)man is finally coming of age though, so I don't really think it's necessary or beneficial to imply that we all are, or need to be, sysadmins.
I'd like people to choose to switch to Linux when/because it's the most appropriate option for their needs. And I don't think it would be inappropriate for us to choose a mailing list solution with the same criteria. If that paints us with "Montana's Kinder, Gentler LUG" stigma, then so be it. ):P
Plus, I think keeping the unnecessary work to a minimum now will help us concentrate on what is necessary to give this ball enough momentum to roll on it's own... whatever that is.

[lunaz]

:)
i just know how to break things!

i do have a home server with nothing on it, but getting a paid domain @dyndns is a bit pricey....

i dunno much about bloggy things, i always use to design my own stuff in html/css. it's been a couple yrs tho.

whatever's best, will look @ lug websites & see whats out there.

[jsgarvin]

:)
i just know how to break things!

That's the first step. Gotta break it before there's anything to fix.



i do have a home server with nothing on it, but getting a paid domain @dyndns is a bit pricey....

i dunno much about bloggy things, i always use to design my own stuff in html/css. it's been a couple yrs tho.

whatever's best, will look @ lug websites & see whats out there.

No worries. We'll have people that can help with that kind of stuff when the time is right. Let's just take things one step at a time.

[lunaz]

step 1: get up on time
step 2: tomorrow's wednesday
step 3: get ther on time!

ok i think i got it! :P

[lunaz]

here early; i work near so i just walked over when i got off.

i'm sitting along the wall where the customer service desk is. 2nd table between 2 mirrors.

if there's any issue feel free to call my cell: 531 1070

[holotone]

Curses! Had to miss this evening due to do chitlin' school obligations.. What's the report back from meeting #1?

[jsgarvin]

No... we didn't talk about curses (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curses_%28programming_library%29), this time but if you'd like to give a presentation on it at a future meeting, that would be cool. :twisted:

Overall we had 12 people show up, next meeting is planned for (someone correct me if I'm wrong) Saturday the 15th at 2:00pm downstairs at Sean Kelly's.

Lunaz has a long list of email addresses and she'll be setting up our google group and I assume post the link here so that anyone who didn't make the meeting can find it and sign up.

Overall, I was very pleased with the turnout and the variety of people who showed up.

Whether or not I'll be able to make the meeting on the 15th remains to be seen. I've got something scheduled for that day, but it may not happen so... finger's crossed.

[lunaz]

was a good turnout :)
will put up that google group when i get the list of names & addresses.

[lunaz]

google group is up!
http://groups.google.com/group/msla-lug