* List: alug@stu.uea.ac.uk

Kevin Taylor of the Northants LUG raises some interesting points, I think. He's OKd me sending this on to the list. I'm in touch with linuxuk.co.uk now, waiting to hear about "Linux Day".

----- Forwarded message from kevin.taylor@ind.alstom.com ----- From: kevin.taylor@ind.alstom.com Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1999 09:02:17 +0100 Subject: Re: Anglian LUG setting up

I'm emailing you to ask what you're up to, to solicit any advice you may have to offer and to invite any of your members willing to travel to come to our meeting.

I would say the main thing is keep the momentum going.

I started the Northants LUG with a meeting of 3 people, including myself and a collegue from work ...

I think you need to decide very early on about when to meet, and how often. We have a main meeting every 2 months (we have had 3 so far) - where I arrange a 'talk' to kick things off.

We have just got to the stage where the people that regularly turn up would like to meet more often, so we have started a more informal 'interim meeting' in the months in between.

I think you need to set the dates and stick to them, even if you only get a few people.

My typical attendance is from between 5 to 8 people at the moment - but I have a few regulars and many more people on the mailing list.

We meet at my house in Northampton, as I have a large(ish) lounge. This seems to work really well.

I would strongly advise against doing anything that is money related - I do not charge entry, do not rent a hall, do not charge for coffee or anything - it is just completely informal.

The other thing to do is get a web site quickly, and send its address to any lists of 'lugs' that you can find.

Obvious ones to use : www.ssc.com/glue www.linuxuk.co.uk www.uk.linux.org www.linux.ukuug.org www.skygate.co.uk/linux.html www.redhat.com www.nllgg.nl/lugww www.lug.org.uk

The last one will set up a .lug.org.uk internet domain name for you if you wish - even if you have web pages elsewhere - then he can do redirection for you.

One final note - personally I would stay away from 'installathons' and advocacy - I just provide the group for existing users to come together - we are not out to convert other users on our own (yet ...)

By the way - are you aware of Linux Day 1999 ? Contact Jono Bacon (jb@linuxuk.co.uk) for details if you are interested in taking part.

Hope this helps. Keep in touch.

Kevin. kevin@northants.lug.org.uk -- +------------------------------------------+ Northants Linux Users Group internet : http://www.northants.lug.org.uk email : info@northants.lug.org.uk +------------------------------------------+

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