[DM-MUG] Next meeting, or not?

[Matt Stanton]

Personally, I think social events are more fun when it's just a social 
event.  Most of the meetings in the past have focused on some limited 
number of points of interest, and if you have no need to learn about 
those points, then there isn't much reason to show up.  All a social 
group needs is a single point of interest... something everyone has in 
common.  Everyone will have something different that they are interested 
in learning from the group, and if the group is big enough, then there 
will likely be someone there to teach them what they want to know.  
Those who have no problems to solve will just strike up conversation 
with whoever else in unoccupied, and will be free to help anyone who is 
asking a question that falls into their expertise.

The linux users group generally has some sort of topic planned in 
advance, but everyone knows that if no one is interested, the group will 
break down into a giant social discussion that tends to follow what the 
group is interested in.  After the 'formal meeting' we generally walk 
down to a nearby restaurant/pub for food and drink and a much more 
social sort of setting.  It's fun to show up just to talk to people who 
are doing much the same thing you are doing, whether it be systems 
administration, just tinkering with linux, or trying to find an 
alternative to a commercial OS.

I think if the MUG followed the same course and did a better job of 
convincing their work buddies, families, and friends who use Macs to 
show up, then it would gain steam.  It's kinda funny how there aren't 
many Windows Users Groups around... Windows users are sort of common...  
But Mac and Linux users tend to be the odd men out, and likely have more 
talking points than windows users do.  I use all three OSes between my 
home PC running windows, my netbook and server both running Ubuntu 
linux, and my work computer being a Mac Pro.  The only real thing I 
would be interested in asking questions about on the Mac is how to get a 
VPN server set up on it without using OS X server.  But being in a 
casual environment to bounce around between conversations might give me 
a chance to learn little tidbits that I wouldn't even know that I might 
be interested in.

Since there isn't really a real social environment at any part of the 
meeting, most of you aren't really very approachable.  Being the 'new 
guy' and only having been in Des Moines for a relatively short period of 
time, I haven't been around long enough to decipher who on the list is 
who in the meetings (other than Ms. Herring).

-- Matt

On 3/20/2010 9:12 PM, Jon Thompson wrote:
> That's exactly what I am aiming for, although I don't know if J
> Michael McKoy would allow alcolhol.
>
> Anyhow, I have been very active as of late in the Des Moines startup
> community. The most popular meeting/networking events are where there
> are free drinks, and no set scedule, other than when to be there.
>
> On Saturday, March 20, 2010, Brandon Carlson<bcarlso at gmail.com>  wrote:
>    
>> I am a co-founder of a local user group. (Agile Iowa - A Software
>> Development group, http://agileiowa.org)
>>
>> One of the things that we do and I personally like is meet at a
>> restaurant/bar and have informal conversations about various Agile
>> development topics. It's nice to just get together around a couple of
>> beers and talk about what is interesting to us in the Agile world.
>> Sometimes the topic is about some things in the blogosphere that are
>> generating buzz, other times it's about challenges practitioners face
>> at work. Very informal. I've never attended a DMMUG meeting because I
>> have often felt that the topics are more focused on general computing.
>> What we find at the Agile meetings is that if 12 people show up, there
>> could be 3 different topics going on during the meeting and people
>> tend to re-arrange themselves around the topic that most interests
>> them that evening.
>>
>> My 2 cents.
>>
>> Thanks!
>> Brandon
>>
>> On Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 11:21 PM, Ray Bowler<rbowler at mchsi.com>  wrote:
>>      
>>> Jon,
>>>
>>> Thanks for bringing this up. Unless there are planned programs in
>>> advance most of us are not interested in a meeting.   I have been
>>> wondering about what we could do and this is the only suggestion so
>>> far. Do others have alternative ideas? If others would say they will
>>> be there I would certainly give it a try.
>>>
>>> Ray
>>> On Mar 19, 2010, at Mar 19, 20106:08 PM, Jon Thompson wrote:
>>>
>>>        
>>>> Here's my thoughts on the second meeting to get cancelled...
>>>>
>>>> The format of topic/speaker/presentation is dead. The writing has been
>>>> on the wall for a couple years now, and with two cancellations, I am
>>>> certain that more will be coming. DMMUG needs to change to survive.
>>>>
>>>> I want to offer a new format:
>>>>
>>>> I now have a live online radio show that broadcasts every Tuesday @8
>>>> PM on worldwidelocallive.com, from the Re/Max Studio in the
>>>> Kaleidoscope Mall downtown, which is a few blocks from Impromptu
>>>> Studio. The url for the blog and archives is
>>>> http://www.talkingmac.com.
>>>>
>>>> Anyone that would like to meet and talk about Macintosh, iP(x)
>>>> devices, and technology is welcome to congregate in the lobby of the
>>>> studio. My show will be playing through the radio, but you are welcome
>>>> to talk about whatever you wish between eight and nine.
>>>>
>>>> Every week.
>>>>
>>>> There's no requirement to sign up or show up, other than the fact that
>>>> the door is open*, the invitation given, and I will be there doing my
>>>> show. I may pull individuals into the studio from time to time, but
>>>> only if you wish to be on the show.
>>>>
>>>> This is an opportunity for fans of Apple products to get together for
>>>> the sake of getting together. If you choose to come once a month,
>>>> great! If you choose to come more, Great! If you would like, DMMUG may
>>>> be able to purchase (non-alcoholic) beverages and sponsor the
>>>> networking event coinciding with the fourth Tuesday of the month. Of
>>>> course, that is up to you, the members, but I raise it as an option.
>>>>
>>>> The invitation has been given. If the DMMUG collective doesn't want to
>>>> transition to this format, or would rather do so at a different
>>>> location, that's fine. My invitation still stands independently to
>>>> everyone. Bring a beverage, and plan on meeting friends of old and new
>>>> alike.
>>>>
>>>> *You'll actually need to get into the skywalk through the partnership
>>>> building (across from the Register on Locust,) as the doors to the
>>>> Kaleidoscope are locked at this time.
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>          
>>> Ray Bowler
>>> rbowler at mchsi.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>        
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>>      
>