[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Notes from today (26 Jul 1996)'s meeting.
These are the minutes from today's meeting, which was largly devoted to
the Linux-IL Amuta thing. There is a prettier HTML version of this which
Ira should put up as soon as he gets a free minute (: This version is a
Save As Text of the HTML which is why it looks like there's actually some
formatting.
If you have any comments/complaints about the text (not the Linux-IL
context), please direct them to me and not the list. I'm sure there's a
million typos in it (I misspelled "Ariel" about 5 times...), blame Ira and
Shay for raiding my coke supply (:
=========================================================================
Linux-IL Meeting #6
At least we think it's #6
Topics:
* Forming an Amuta
* Installation parties
* Linux-IL FTP site (ftp://ftp.linux.org.il)
* General Meetings (more an afterthought than a discussion)
* A surprise visit from a Sela representative (Well it surprised
me...)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I apologize for not remembering everyone who was at the meeting. There
weren't that many people over ( about 15 I think), and since we didn't
really decide anything major, I guess we'll live.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Linux-IL Amuta
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: It is important to mention that the intention is NOT to turn Linux-IL
into an AMUTA, but for Linux-IL members to form an AMUTA. That is to say,
nobody is suggesting replacing our mailing-list, but rather creating an
AMUTA in addition to the list. Nobody will be forced to join this AMUTA, and
being a member it will NOT have anything to do with being on the mailing
list.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shay Rojanski presented the major points in favour of the Amuta as well as
chairing the meeting. Harvey J. Stein delivered the major points against it,
as well as forcing us all to speak English (you live in Israel Harvey! Learn
the native tongue! If we can speak Russian so can you!)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reasons for/against the AMUTA
Note: Items preceded by an "X" are items which have been discarded.
For Against
X Help push Linux to industries
and government.
o Official status will
help; you can use it as * An Amuta is pricey (although we
a backing. are uncertain as to how pricey)
o We weren't able to get * THere are legal obligations
any equipment for shows o What are our legal
(not easily anyway) - obligations?
but will being an Amuta o Not everyonre has to have
help? these obligations.
* Easier to organize o There is a possiblily of
trade-shows and other legal problems; Harvey
activities. suggested a few, mainly
* Money handling would be money-related.
simpler; it would pass to the * Problems with minors (Heh, what
Amuta and not through else is new?)
individuals. * Less freedom/democracy.
* We could get tax exemptions * Might deter new users.
for purchases. * There is a question of trust -
X Government funding. Who's going to run this thing?
* Group discounts.
* Consortium to organize
projects.
The Vote: Should we go ahead and check out all aspects (legal, financial
etc) of an Amuta?
Other than Oleg who requested to abstain before he left, everyone agreed.
Yes, this is a rather wimpy vote. My idea I'm afraid, but we had to reach
some conclusion.
I just noticed, we never said who exactly is going to check into it...
anyone?...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Installation Parties
I think I should explain the term "Installation Party", as it seems I had it
wrong. I thought it's a group of people who go out and install Linux.
Actually it means a lot of novices gather together at a specified place
along with an expert or two. They can all bring their computers and Linux
CDs and all of them install Linux together. In addition, someone brings over
some biscuits or something so that we can call it a party. The advantages
here are that, since you have a lot of people together, it's easier to help
them with common problems or with more individual problems if the experts
have time. And you get free biscuits.
So far, two people have volenteered to handle installation parties:
* Shay Rojanski will handle the Jerusalem area.
* Amos (last name? Oops) said he'd handle the area between Yavneh and
Hadera.
If you would like to organize an installation party in your area, here's
what you'll need:
* A place to hold it at.
* With enough room for the masses of people.
* A few Linux CDs (Ira still sells them if you need some).
* An expert or two (could be you, of course).
* A local Ethernet with an NFS server with Slackware/RedHat exported on
it could help.
* A link to the Internet (just in case you need something).
* Biscuits.
These are just general suggestions, of course. You should announce your
party at least 2 weeks in advance, and I'd suggest getting people to want to
participate before that.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Linux-IL FTP site
The Linux-IL FTP site currently mirrors only Sunsite's Linux-kernel and
Linux-documentation trees. This is due to disk-space limitations. Jonathan
from Tcltek, who will forgive me for forgetting his last name and missing
the caps, and who's machine the FTP site resides on, has commited to getting
at least 6 Gigs of diskspace online within a few months. When this happens,
most of Sunsite will be mirrored aswell as parts of tsx-11, xfree and so on.
What exactly will be mirrored remains to be discussed.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
General Meetings
We should hold general meetings on a regular basis, especially since we can
have a more-or-less regular meeting place (See Sela, below). "General" means
we talk about general, technical issues, NOT administrative ones. People can
give lectures about their aspects into Linux and so on. The point is to have
fun and be more of a 'group'.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Surprise Visit
At some point during the argum^H^H^H^H^Hdiscussion, Ariel Cohen from Sela
came in to give us answers to the questions Linux-IL members had presented
to Sela during their meeting a few months ago:
* Sela can provide us with a meeting place about once a month.
* Linux-IL needs for hardware can be discussed when the need arrises,
probably on a mutual usage basis (example given was if we need a
Web-server, Sela will donate it and in return the machine will also act
as Sela's web-server).
* Common projects (such as trade-shows) can bve discussed.
* Individual projects can be given a helping hand (I don't really
understand this, but...)
* Sela are always looking for lecturers, and not only for Linux/UNIX. If
you are interested, contact Ariel at aco@sela.co.il, or FAX him at
03-6190992 (Attn: Ariel Cohen).
* Sela offers us one free course per year. No, not for the entire group,
just for one person.
* Sela asks to be mentioned as a sponser in out publications (and website
probably).
---
Follow-Ups: