[ale] Linux DESKTOP User's Group

[arxaaron]

On 2012/02/26, at 12:28 , Vernard Martin wrote:
> On 2/26/2012 12:20 PM, Ron Frazier (ALE) wrote:
>> My wallet has already convinced me that I probably cannot be
>> driving to 4 different meetings / month that are 1 - 2 hours away.   
>> In
>> my case, those would potentially be: Linux #1 (Emory), Linux #2  
>> (yours),
>> Hobby Robotics, and Java Users.  I'm in Cumming, so you're not an  
>> hour
>> away, but you get the idea.  Nevertheless, the meetings sound like a
>> good idea.

> I suspect a lot of folks are in the same boat of not being able to
> afford the time and fuel for Yet Another Meeting. Maybe the first
> meeting of this can be a Desktop focused ALE meeting instead? While a
> LOT of the ALE stuff is about sysadmin style computing, I'll bet that
> most of the sysadmins use Linux as their desktops as well or at least
> have an interest in it.
>
> And you might get more folks interested once you start talking about  
> the
> topic in person versus just over the list.
>
> Vernard
>

I'm in agreement with Vernard's comments.  As everyday Linux use in
an expanding variety of devices and environments has grown over
the past several years I have been trying (as time and energy allow)
to help ALE evolve as an organization to better address the needs
of a broader base of Linux users and user interests.

I think the audience for last month's ALE Central talk on rooting  
Android
demonstrates the value of expanding our scope.  Coordinating install
festivals with the Ubuntu Loco volunteers was also helping address the
need while the energy of that group held up.  The recent success of
Joshua Roberts and JD and David Tomaschik and Orlando in
re-establishing an ALE NW meeting is one more nice case in point.

For my part (along with a few other ALE volunteers who keep this
keg filled), there has been a very intentional effort to be supportive
of any person or group who takes an interest in organizing an ALE
associated meeting.   We're happy to share the ALE name and
resources in whatever ways are helpful!

For this launch, as JD suggested, doing something desk-top & distro
topical at either an upcoming ALE Central meeting or ALE NW SPSU
gathering would be welcome!

AND A BIG "ALSO NOTE" HERE...

If Tod Davis and others want to make this a regular ALE NORTH
meeting, I just a got an invite last week for ALE to use a FREE venue
near Perimeter Mall -- one that's already hosting the Cold Fusion
and Flex/Flash User Groups.  Not a whole lot closer to Suwanee, but
a pretty direct drive coming down Peachtree Industrial and a good
20-25 minutes closer than either Emory or SPSU.

Please get in touch with me if this venue is of any interest for y'all
and I'll help connect everyone.  Having a reliable and affordable
meeting space is at least 75% of the challenge in doing regular
event organizing!

peace
aaron
ALE Event Coordinator (etc.)
404.315.0406