Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Free Software Community Projects

[Paul Robinson]

On 14 Aug 2008, at 23:08, Dave Page wrote:

> While this page is about people volunteering skills for a new  
> project, there
> are already many free software / geek-oriented community projects in
> Manchester, very few of which are working effectively due to lack of
> awareness of each other and communication.


This started out as a post to GeekUp and it looks like in the cross- 
post we've crossed wires and it's been interpreted that the project  
we're talking about is about furthering free software - it isn't.

If VCS organisations come to the drop-in centre we're discussing  
running once a month or so, and tell us they are using proprietary  
technology we are *NOT* going to tell them to switch to free software  
as a first course of action: we're going to help them do their job  
better whatever tech they've chosen.

We'd like some people from there from the free software community if  
the orgs are interested in exploring that option, but it's not a free  
software clinic. If the free software community don't want to engage  
with that project, fine, but I feel it's a lost opportunity for all.

Similarly the scheme to go and train kids, graduates and to help CPD  
in the workplace will not be 100% focused on free software - it will  
be a pragmatic introduction to how the industry currently works, we're  
tech agnostic providing people are acquiring skills and insight and  
interest. We hope they'll make their own minds up. Again, it would be  
brilliant if the free software community want to be involved, but none  
of these projects are about furthering free software at their core.


> For example, there's a bunch of sysadmins working on a project at  
> the Zion
> Centre who are lacking computers and internet connectivity;


Am I right in assuming this is the LTSP with 4 desktops there to  
"provide access and information about free software to young people in  
Hulme"?


> a bunch of refurbed old desktop computers sitting in a warehouse in  
> Whalley Range, with nobody to do anything with them


What kind/age of computers, who do they belong to and why are they in  
a warehouse? Is there a reason they're not already at Zion? Are MDDA  
aware of this resource?


> and an Internet connection and project room in the city centre  
> currently sat empty.


Whereabouts in the city centre exactly? What kind of a project room?  
Is this a permanently allocated space, or just something there is  
agreement on using occasionally?

If you combined some of the discussions on community projects, GeekUp,  
Co-working and a whole host of other things we've been talking about  
as a community for nearly two years now (with MDDA and Manchester  
Digital involvement), there is clearly ways to bring all of this  
together within a matter of days and get full utilisation of all of it  
very quickly. If you can let me know more details I'll do what I can  
to help you if you want me to.


> I'm working on trying to combine the three. A lot of these projects  
> have the non-geek skills required, such as funding, project  
> management etc. but are lacking in equipment or help.


Where did they come from? Who is managing them? What are their  
objectives? Have they spoken to MDDA? Have they Googled "Manchester  
geeks" and *not* found a community of over 400 people willing to do  
interesting things? :-)

I'm a little incredulous that resource is there and not being used. If  
you'd like me to, I'd like to help you fix that. Quickly. But I need  
to know exactly what kind of resources we're talking about.

--
Paul Robinson

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