[lug] BLUG Planning for 2002 and beyond

[J. Wayde Allen]

It is time for me to send out my once a year post asking what people want
from the BLUG?  My usual questions are:

   - Are the meetings satisfactory?

   - Does anyone have any activities they'd specifically like to see
     in 2002?

This year we have a couple other items that I think need to be
addressed.  One of course is the location of our meetings.  We've been
experimenting with meeting at CU, however, it is looking like this may not
be the most stable location.  We've been looking for some other
possibilities.  Those so far reviewed are:

   * CU                - Adequate room size, parking is a bit cumbersome,
                         stability of student sponsorship is not clear -
                         can we meet during school breaks for example?

   * Boulder Library   - Could be an option, parking tends to be poor;
                         facilities should be able to support us, but
                         we must re-schedule the meeting each month.  My
                         understanding is that we could be preempted by
                         paying customers.  Also according to Norm Metcalf
                         who contacted them, the meeting size is limited
                         to 54 people.

   * SoftPro Books     - Not really big enough, and we'd be too much of a 
                         disruption for their business.  Emergency meeting
                         location only.

   * IBM               - I've got some feelers there, but no replies back
                         yet.

   * NCAR              - I've asked here on the list, but so far no one
                         has replied back.

   * NIST              - Maybe, depends on the political climate.  There
                         are rumblings that this might be possible, but
                         ...

   * CompUSA           - According to Norm Metcalf they'd charge $160 per
                         meeting and could only support 30 people. (We
                         draw from 30 to 100)

   * Interlocken       - Evelyn and I have talked briefly about this since
                         the Pythoneers group meets there.  She wasn't
                         aware of any space that could hold our usual draw
                         of around 50 people.

   * Community College - Haven't contacted them yet

Any other suggestions?

Finally, I've been running the BLUG since I created it in 1994 or
1995 (The archives go back to 1995, but the DOC precursor may have
existed longer.  I don't remember anymore.).  I think that maybe it is
time for someone new to take the reigns after we establish the new meeting
arrangements.  I think this is important in order to bring some new energy
and ideas to the program.  Anyone want the job?  Maybe it is time to
establish an executive board for the group so that the responsibilities
can be shared among a group of people?

In any case, we need to start figuring out what we want to see BLUG doing
in 2002 and beyond.

- Wayde
  (wallen at lug.boulder.co.us)

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                        ISART 2002                          
    International Symposium on Advanced Radio Technologies 
      http://www.its.bldrdoc.gov/meetings/art/index.html  
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