April 10 2000 Nat Minutes

Date Monday, April 10th, 2000
Location Horticultural Hall, 31-33 Victoria Street, Melbourne 3000
Time 7pm
Agenda General Business
Item 1
- Planning for April 29 workshop
Item 2
- Fundraising
Other Business
- potential project with World Blind Union
Next Meeting
Minutes
Present: Kylie Davies, Bill McPherson, Peter Eckersley, David Totterdell, Patricia Fraser Apologies:

The meeting discussed the April 29 workshop aims:
# to deliver all the usable computers to the Hall
# to get rid of the unusable computers and monitors
# to set up possibly as many as 20 computers
The 20 computers are: 6 for the East Timor project, the 9 people on the CBV waiting list and 4 training machines, with perhaps a spare ready for the next requirement.

The workshop timing is to be from 12 midday through until around 5pm, which means that setup time should start at around 10am, to make sure trestles, power and computers are all in place.

Bill will begin moving the computers from Footscray across to have them all at HH before the 29th; Kylie, Bill and Patricia will approach Parks Victoria to make sure access to the front room is available before then, to allow enough storage space.

Patricia will be able to bring a trailer on the workshop day to take any scrap generated through testing on the day; Bill will take the known broken monitors away before then.

Power requirements for the workshop:

There are 7 power outlets in the main hall. We expect to need around 10 extension cords, 10 power boards and probably 10 double-adaptors. Anyone who can bring any of these should contact Kylie, Peter or Patricia so that we know what we will have before the day.

Network requirements:

Peter Eckersley can bring an 8-port 10mbit hub. Cabling (either UTP or coax) may be needed, a call is to go to the list for this. The server Tim has prepared will be available on the day for network installs on completed computers.
Peter has some install CDs and a clone hard disk which he will bring.

Hall layout:

Given that we can use the Hall trestles, it will be possible to do two longish runs of table, one down each side. One side will be for assembly and testing of systems, the other will probably be split into installation (using server) and projects. Sorting of extra components can be done on the stage area.

People:

Peter will put together a group to facilitate the process, so that the people who come can get a real go at the equipment and at all the tasks.

Because we have heaps to do and lots of space, it is thought that an invitation should go out to the LUV list, to MLUG and to Netizen, so that if others besides CBV list subscribers would like to attend they will know the workshop is on.

One email is to be sent this week as a warning/invitation, and another in the week prior as a reminder/invitation.

Catering:

Patricia will organise the catering, making sure there is tea/coffee, cold drinks and eats, along with things to drink out of and eat off.

Fundraising:

We have three ideas: a Geek Trivia Night, a Tux Ball and a Quake Day. We will organise the Geek Trivia Night first, to be held in around 6 weeks' time, with Kylie to check the availability of the hall in late May.

Ken Young has offered to help organise a Trivia night, and Kylie will ask him to form an organising group to get this event up and running. Considerations are catering, cost, invitations, questions, equipment, liquor licencing and prizes. Peter Eckersley will work on some questions, Patricia has offered to organise catering and find out about a BYO permit and licensing since it will be needed for other events anyway.

Peter suggested that we ask if a Tux Ball could co-incide with the next CALU, perhaps in place of the main dinner of CALU, and will report back when he has contacted people. This would see that event happening some time in October.

The Quake Day could be run after the Trivia Night, at an appropriate interval.

Other Business:

Patricia mentioned a query from the World Blind Union, who are hosting the world General Assembly in Melbourne in November. They need 20 networked workstations for admin, and a streaming audio of the programme for attendees in other countries who can't attend. Mail has gone to the technical list to ask about feasibility, and the meeting agreed that we can see if it can be done, and go ahead if so.

Kylie has a book made ready at Horticultural Hall for CBV to log our hall use since we pay Parks Victoria by the hour. Members using the hall once keys are more freely available can find out from Kylie where the book is kept.

Next Meeting: Horticultural Hall, Date as per schedule.