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Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Free Software Community Projects
From: |
Paul Robinson |
Subject: |
Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Free Software Community Projects |
Date: |
Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:06:36 +0100 |
On 14 Aug 2008, at 23:08, Dave Page wrote:
While this page is about people volunteering skills for a new
project, there
are already many free software / geek-oriented community projects in
Manchester, very few of which are working effectively due to lack of
awareness of each other and communication.
This started out as a post to GeekUp and it looks like in the cross-
post we've crossed wires and it's been interpreted that the project
we're talking about is about furthering free software - it isn't.
If VCS organisations come to the drop-in centre we're discussing
running once a month or so, and tell us they are using proprietary
technology we are *NOT* going to tell them to switch to free software
as a first course of action: we're going to help them do their job
better whatever tech they've chosen.
We'd like some people from there from the free software community if
the orgs are interested in exploring that option, but it's not a free
software clinic. If the free software community don't want to engage
with that project, fine, but I feel it's a lost opportunity for all.
Similarly the scheme to go and train kids, graduates and to help CPD
in the workplace will not be 100% focused on free software - it will
be a pragmatic introduction to how the industry currently works, we're
tech agnostic providing people are acquiring skills and insight and
interest. We hope they'll make their own minds up. Again, it would be
brilliant if the free software community want to be involved, but none
of these projects are about furthering free software at their core.
For example, there's a bunch of sysadmins working on a project at
the Zion
Centre who are lacking computers and internet connectivity;
Am I right in assuming this is the LTSP with 4 desktops there to
"provide access and information about free software to young people in
Hulme"?
a bunch of refurbed old desktop computers sitting in a warehouse in
Whalley Range, with nobody to do anything with them
What kind/age of computers, who do they belong to and why are they in
a warehouse? Is there a reason they're not already at Zion? Are MDDA
aware of this resource?
and an Internet connection and project room in the city centre
currently sat empty.
Whereabouts in the city centre exactly? What kind of a project room?
Is this a permanently allocated space, or just something there is
agreement on using occasionally?
If you combined some of the discussions on community projects, GeekUp,
Co-working and a whole host of other things we've been talking about
as a community for nearly two years now (with MDDA and Manchester
Digital involvement), there is clearly ways to bring all of this
together within a matter of days and get full utilisation of all of it
very quickly. If you can let me know more details I'll do what I can
to help you if you want me to.
I'm working on trying to combine the three. A lot of these projects
have the non-geek skills required, such as funding, project
management etc. but are lacking in equipment or help.
Where did they come from? Who is managing them? What are their
objectives? Have they spoken to MDDA? Have they Googled "Manchester
geeks" and *not* found a community of over 400 people willing to do
interesting things? :-)
I'm a little incredulous that resource is there and not being used. If
you'd like me to, I'd like to help you fix that. Quickly. But I need
to know exactly what kind of resources we're talking about.
--
Paul Robinson
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