[Fsuk-manchester] Social Meet at the start of the month?

[Dave Page]

From the minutes of our last meeting:

> It was suggested that having these meetings before the regular talks
> made it difficult for many people to get into town in time for the
> meeting, and that an alternative solution might be to hold separate
> meetings, combined with a social event, to allow more people to get
> involved.

While most discussions concerning the future of Manchester Free Software 
take place on the mailing list, a lot of stuff to do with organising 
speakers and events and venues etc. take place at the monthly 
meetings - the agenda is proposed on the wiki, then finalised and 
discussed at the meetings, and the minutes fed back to the mailing 
list.

Meeting before our monthly speakers leaves little time to get through 
our busy agendas (though these meetings aren't really the right place 
for debate - that's what the mailing list is for) and rather limits 
attendance to people who can be in the city centre at that time.

I propose that we should organise some kind of social event seperate 
from the speakers, and have the meetings before those - that way 
there's less pressure to run off to the main event, and more people can 
attend.

When
====

The first week of the month has the #manlug [1] currybeer [2] so I 
suspect that the second week might be better. Meeting on a not-Tuesday 
might be preferable, since some people already can't make our Tuesday 
events.

Where
=====

As for venue - we seem to be happy with the FAB Cafe for social events. 
It's cheap, central and geek-friendly. Again, suggestions welcome.

How
===

How we segue from the organisational-meeting into the social-meeting 
could be interesting. I know Simon was suggesting having seperate 
venues, but I think this would be too complicated. I suggest that we 
pick a time to start the organisational meeting (7pm), and a format it 
should take (working through the agenda, under the watchful eye of our 
Chair).

We should grab one of the well-lit corner tables (all the better for 
minute-taking), and anybody who just wants to come along for the social 
can stay at the bar or on another table. Once the meeting is done, the 
agendas and minutes go away and we all join in the social.

Again, suggestions and thoughts welcome.


Dave

[1] http://www.manlug.org.uk/
[2] http://www.currybeer.co.uk/
-- 
Dave Page <address@hidden>
Jabber: address@hidden