[Talk] A template for monthly meetings/talks. COMMENTS PLEASE

[Steve Jenkin]

In the context of the debate/discussion on AUUG's focus, 'proprietary'
vs 'Open Source', I have only received ONE private response to this
note, and that was a suggestion to place it before the chapters and the
exec.

This proposal was, I thought, a perfect place to raise the debate AND DO
SOMETHING simple, effective and practical. Picking up the phone and
ringing the branch manager of your Unix vendor, pitching the idea and
organising a presentation is easy and 30 minutes or less.

There are a couple of messages I've inferred from this lack of response:
- I'm completely out-of-step with the rest of the membership, and
- what I've written is crap.

Given those inferences, I will probably not be pursuing this further. 
If anyone else wants to run with it [I think that's unlikely], you're
welcome.

This lack of feedback/support/encouragement of the membership is, I
think, a major contributing factor to the decade long decline in AUUG
numbers.  Leaving all the work and activity to 'the usual suspects' is
no longer serving us as a community.  There are so few of us now, one or
two people 'Missing In Action' makes a noticeable hole.

regards
sj

On Fri, 2004-01-16 at 18:58, Steve Jenkin wrote:
> This is an idea I've had for an 'endless' set of Meeting topics,
> hopefully perpetually relevant and interesting always to enough people.
> 
> It can also be translated into events at all branches, not necessarily
> simultaneous.
> 
> I am soliciting you all for comment & improvements :-) Particularly on
> topics and vendors.
> Those who respond only to me, I will summarise and quote in a few days.
> 
> cheers
> sj
> 
> PS:  If it goes reasonably well, we could probably run joint sessions
> with people like SAGE & ACS, especially in smaller branches like Tassie,
> NT, ACT, [Adelaide & Perth?]
> 
> =======================================================
> Concept: 'The Best Of XXXX'.
> 
> Where XXX can be: an OS, a database, disk & storage, backups,
> networking, printing, web service, Firewalls, Auditing, Logging & Log
> Analysis, Billing, Authentication systems. Customer support, operations,
> desktop services, software distribution, config mgt, release mgt,
> Rollout and Upgrades, Load Balancing, Clustering, Failover sites,
> desktop support, helpdesk, Problem Tracking systems, DNS, e-mail, IDS,
> Security [& it's many subdomains] ...
> 
> Please Suggest a better title!!!
> 
> [[I started thinking of 'Best Practices', but the term is soooo
> hackned.]]
> 
> =======================================================
> Format A: A Vendor + min. TWO customers.  Total 1hour talk, 15min
> general ques., then chat or compare/contrast time.
> 
> Requirements: Reporting on real-world installations considered 'best
> example' by Vendor.  Customers MUST address problems and limitations,
> and perhaps their 'druthers'. The Vendor would 'top and tail' the
> customer presentations - introduce their area, define what THEY mean by
> 'best' [the quantitative criteria used], they sorts of problems the
> client has had to address, and a brief overview of what is special about
> their product in this area.  Then a wrap-up, 5 min MAX of 'blue-sky'
> and/or marketing, then 15 min of questions and compare/contrast.  The
> moderator has to be RUTHLESS or dictatorial :-)
> 
> =======================================================
> 
> Format B: Two to Three vendors plus one or two customers each.  All
> addressing the same topic - say (Disk) Storage, and emphasising how the
> are better and different and how their customers benefit and their
> product niche.  Time: Hmmmm....  10-15 min per site description.
> 
> Requirements: Real-world reporting.  QUANTITATIVE results [eg. Purchase
> cost is $150/Gb, install $10/Gb and maint $5/Gb/pa]
> 
> =======================================================
> 
> Meetings could be the 'usual' evenings, OR the Canberra mini-conference
> model of 4 or so hours in one event.  This allows for a theme [say 'Best
> of Linux'] and multiple Vendors to strut their stuff and heckle one
> another.
> 
> =======================================================
> 
> Having prepared and presented ONE event, a Vendor could re-present it
> multiple times - either as a roadshow, or by recreating it with local
> tech staff and local clients at each location. [Or not giving it in some
> locations]  
> 
> Video recordings are your friend :-) 
> Like David Conran's SAGE recordings, you can quickly establish a useful
> library - a useful member benefit [member only access]
> 
> =======================================================
> 
> One great format for _members_ is to have multiple vendors presenting
> real solutions ON THE SAME PROGRAM.  They may not like it, but like
> 'election debates', they really do allow purchasers the ability to
> compare and contrast and ask difficult questions.  Smaller vendors
> looking for market share should be especially  keen to take on the
> incumbents :-)
> 
> =======================================================
> 
> The hook for the vendors is a very targeted audience and the ability to
> show off their product to best effect and market a highly targeted
> specialist audience.  If these talks became mandatory for vendors, that
> would be brilliant.
> 
> They also can promote it on their _internal_ client and staff e-mail
> lists as a very special technical/marketing opportunity [and certainly
> the first few _will_ be by invitation only].
> 
> Vendors in cities like Sydney and Melbourne may also be happy/encouraged
> to run the event multiple times in several different locations [like
> their offices, at a Uni, in the CBD]  Gives both their clients and
> prospects and AUUG members more options and would increase the total
> audience. If you got sophisticated, the client presentations could be
> videoed the first time [content, not production values are important to
> us] to save them the trouble of having to be absent from work a great
> deal.
> 
> =======================================================
> 
> AUUG benefits by having real-world and technical material [what we've
> always done par excellence] - and each branch/venue does not have to
> rediscover it for themselves.  Branch committee would have 'base-line'
> good material available.  AND they could run additional meetings on
> other, local, topics if they wanted.
> 
> AUUG also benefits by having non-members [the internal client list of
> vendors] coming along.  As part of the meetings, everyone present could
> be asked to go on an 'AUUG interest' list => we get to market to more
> people.
> 
> =======================================================
> 
> AUUG members get to hear the latest on what THAT REALLY WORKS.
> Not everyone will be interested in every topic, but that's how it is.
> Maybe people will get into the habit
> 
> =======================================================
> 
> An initial vendor list:
> 
> O/S Vendors:
> - SUN, HP, IBM, Apple
> 
> Linux Vendors
> - RH, Debian, Suse/Novell, ???
> 
> Disk Storage
> - EMCC, NetApp, IBM?, Storage Technologies
> 
> Tape & Backup Systems
> - StorTech, NetApp, ???
> 
> 
> Database and Software vendors?
> - multiple
> 
> [And this is where the self-renewing aspect comes
> 
> =======================================================
> 
> Where to from here??
> 
> Approach those companies listed above [the current Big Vendors] with the
> format and invite them to present.
> 
> A reasonable target is: A full twelve month schedule prepared in a
> months' time and the first vendor prezzie in two months :-)
> 
> =======================================================
> 
> Who to ACT?
> First the list and the Exec need to kick this around for a few days.
> 
> Then SOMEONE has to approach SUN/HP/IBM/Apple to create presentations.
> 
> Another SOMEONE has to co-ordinate the events and mail-outs,
> and the exec to make sure it all happens.
> 
> The marketing/publicity machine then needs to kick-in [thanks Gordon]
> 
> =======================================================
> 
> Renewing the 'Never-Ending Story':
> Seems like we need a list of vendors, topics and event locations on the
> website, and a way for people to post suggestions/improvements.
> 
> A YEARLY jam session [January or post Winter conference] to allow people
> to review the previous years' events, propose new topics and delete old
> ones.  Select what the priorities are for the coming year.  No more than
> a days' talkfest.  Does not need an elected committee - those
> self-selecting to come are a good initial group.  If it gets too big,
> then split it into subgroups of 8-10 who go into huddles and report back
> on their 'top 5' or 'top 10'.
> 
> =======================================================
> 
> Assessing the success/impact of the Events.
> 
> Hmmmm.  What you don't measure, you can't manage.  
> But you don't have to measure completely to improve it.
> 
> Have to build in a 'Now we'll stop' criteria.
> Have to allow experiments such as expensive local advertising [like a
> full-page Advert of supplement in the Canberra Times] and see if they
> produce a reasonable effect.
> 
> =======================================================
> 
> What have I missed?
> Got to be lots.....
> Do we need the events written up & published?  Website only?
> Do we need the content 'rated' or 'reviewed' [5/10 etc] So we know who
> to invite back...
> 
-- 
Steve Jenkin, Unix Sys Admin
0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)
PO Box 48, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA