Re: [pgsql-www] UKPUG and using the PUGs site

On Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 2:13 AM, Selena Deckelmann
<selenamarie@gmail.com> wrote:

>> Am I to understand that there are no UK meetings of any kind at the
>> moment?  I've only really heard of Dave Page and Simon Riggs, and I
>> don't get much sense of a community here in the UK due to lack of
>> members.
>
> I don't believe there's been a UK meeting since the conference, but
> I'll leave it to Dave/Simon to  confirm or deny that.
>
> My understanding is that the meetings were typically started at the
> pub, in the late afternoon. :)

Yes. There are very few active community members in the UK, and until
Heikki and Greg relocated, we were largely centered around Oxford. The
people we know from elsewhere could be counted on one hand (Sam,
Richard, Mark, Oliver - I think that's about all :-( ).

Consequently, the 'PUG' meetings usually take place in Oxford,
following a call along the lines of 'Hi Simon - fancy a beer tonight?
Sure - 7:30 at the Bird & Baby?'

The conference was a lot of work, and did manage to reveal some
additional users, most of whom are not active community members,
though they may lurk (iirc, we had around 30 people register
specifically as PostgreSQL attendees). The intention was to follow
that event with one in London this year, but Simon and I both ran out
of spare cycles to organise it.

>> On a related note, what generally takes place at other meetings, and
>> what form do they take?  Yes, I really don't know :)
>
> Different groups operate differently -- but typical things are:
>
> * Short (5-15 minute) or long (~45 minute) presentations on Postgres
> or database related topics
> * Networking events and socializing for people interested in Postgres
> * After-meeting pub get-togethers
> * Dinners
> * Patch review parties

Ours are much less formal, and normally just involve chatting over
beer and sometimes dinner.

> And many user groups organize single or multi-day conferences.
>
> Some user groups are a bit more formal - with actual bylaws, and rules
> about membership and maybe even membership dues. The US user groups
> are as a rule very informal - no special membership requirements, and
> meetings open to all. I believe the UK group has a similar structure,
> but again, I defer to Dave/Simon. :)

If you can get to the pub, you're a welcome member!

More seriously Thom, if you have the time and energy to try to
organise something more formal, whether an online group, pub group, or
another conference, please, feel free. I'm happy to help/advise in
anyway I can, and I imagine Simon would like to be involved too if he
has the time (if you go for the conference, please *do* contact me
first).

Selena; feel free to give Thom access to the UKPUG page. It'd be good
to have someone with the time to make it useful :-)

--
Dave Page
EnterpriseDB UK:   http://www.enterprisedb.com