# Manchester Free Software
## Minutes of Meeting on 2008-03-18

No fixed agenda.  The topic was a very general “what are we going to do
and how?”

_Attendees:_ Tim Dobson (TimD), Andy Halsall (AndyH), Alex Hudson (AlexH),
Rob Kendric (RobK), Dave Page (DaveP), Simon Ward (SimonW), and others.

Minutes taken by SimonW.

### Other Free Software Groups

  * AHa mentioned getting a similar free software group going in
    Sheffield.
  * PD said there was a wider goal of getting more free software groups
    going around the country.

### Free Software Groups vs other groups

  * Less technical, more about using and working with free software.
  * Core Aim: Promote free software.

### Venues

  * MDDA — hears in June about getting more funding.  Otherwise we may
    need an alternate venue.
  * RobK said he would ask about a lecture room/theatre at MMU. 
  * DaveP suggested town hall + Town Hall Tavern.

__ACTION:__ RobK to ask about lecture room availability at MMU.

### Speakers

  * Need to research.  None felt “in” to the free software world enough
    to suggest who to ask.
  * AndyH suggested keeping a list of possible speakers.
    - DaveP later suggested a public wiki.

### Topics

  * Free software (primary)
  * Media?
  * Culture?
  * DRM?

  * Specifically:
    - BBC iPlayer person.
    - Somebody from BBC about Dirac.

### Free Software Group Tasks

  * Finding people \[to speak/advocate\]
  * Publicising
  * Getting people to listen

### Advocacy

  * Examples: Software Freedom Day events, handing out leflets
  * DaveP suggested getting together some bootable CDs or similar into
  * the Central Library for Software Freedom Day.  \[This has already
    been [suggested on list][1]\].

    - The aim is to get the public using free software.
    - Not necessarily setting up an organisation to support, but more a
      publicity stunt to keep visible.

  * AlexH: Get the low hanging, high impact fruit
  * AndyH: [things like leafletting, publicity stunts] not a good
    approach
  * AlexH: They are not the only things you do.

  * DaveP: Need to get people involved and keep them.
  * AndyH: How many people are interested in the first place?
  * AlexH: Two things needed:
    1. Enough mass.
    2. How many … ? \[Illegible\]

[1]: http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/fsuk-manchester/2008-02/msg00005.html

### Free Software Foundation

  * Poor show in the UK so far.
  * Not getting involved with something just because of the name (or
    lack of.  E.g. Linux, without GNU.) — something we might want to
    avoid.

### Business

  * Get interest through Manchester Small Business
  * Where can I find a directory of businesses supporting or providing
    free software?
    - \[name of a directory\] — AndyH thought it was mostly London based
    - RobK suggests Manchester seems to prefer local business

### Actions / Responsibilities

  * _ACTION:_ RobK to ask about lecture room availability at MMU.
  * _ACTION:_ SimonW to ask Matt about things currently organised.

  * AndyH — Speakers
  * TimD — Web site, announcements
  * DaveP — Venues, media relations