[svlug] What went wrong? was: Re: Installfest?

[Tony Hartzell]

John,
   I arrived in Berkeley on Piedmont/Gayley at about 11:00. My
directions from GoogleMaps said to turn left on University Dr...I
couldn't find a sign for University Dr, so I started asking people where
it was. I finally met some people who gave me some circuitous route from
where I was. (It turns out I was at University/Gayley at the time.) I
drove around and finally saw a cop who told me I was about 200 yards
from Hearst Mining Circle (also no street sign), where the Evans Bldg
is. At about 11:45, I walked around the bldg, and all the doors were
locked, and didn't see any activity inside or notice posted. I asked
anybody who walked by if there was anywhere I could find info about
events on campus that day. I grew uncomfortable having my car sit in
what was obviously not a parking lot, so I moved it a couple times. At
about 12:25 I met a guy who whipped out his PDA and for well over 5
minutes tried to find anything having to do with linux, BSD or Evans
hall. He asked if I was absolutely sure it was today, so I showed him
the Email. He tried a few other things and then gave up. Not having seen
anyone else bring equipment to the bldg, I cursed myself for not
rsvp-ing (which I didn't see 'til I showed him the Email), and assumed
the installfest was cancelled.
			Tony
P.S. In addition to food, I brought a router, switch, lots of Ethernet
cables & extension cords.
P.P.S. As for me being very knowledgeable, I'm not. I have a commitment
here in Hollister every Wednesday at 8:00PM, so I haven't made any SVLUG
meetings in over 2 yrs, but I am on the mailing list.

-----Original Message-----
From: john_re [mailto:john_re at fastmail.us] 
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 3:54 AM
To: Tony Hartzell; svlug at lists.svlug.org
Subject: What went wrong? was: Re: [svlug] Installfest?

Oh, Tony - this is terrible!

I'm the guy who created & organized the event.

You must be very disappointed, & angry too.  I'd be too, if I showed up
at an announced event after driving so far & the doors were locked &
there were no notices!

If I'm responsible for the problem, I apologize profusely.

There were, besides myself, 11 other people at the meeting, (two came
from Pleasanton after seeing the notice on SVLUG, & one came from
Sacramento after seeing the same notice on the LUGOD list).

People arrived at various times throughout the event - even after we'd
moved down to the cafe. - I left a note on Room 5 with directions & my
cell phone #. IIRC, The people who arrived after we moved to the cafe
all saw the note & came directly down - noone called my # to ask for
directions.

I'd very much like to know what happened when you got to Evans Hall, so
the problem you experienced doesn't happen again.  (I know that's no
consolation for _you_.)

Please tell me:
What time did you arrive at Evans Hall?

Which entrance(s) did you go to?  (There are two on the 1st floor, the
uphill side of the building (the East & West entrances), & 2 on the
ground floor, the floor below the 1st floor, on the downhill side of the
building.)

Did you go to the NorthWest or SouthWest entrances (sets of glass doors)
which are on the downhill side of Evans?

Please tell me anything else you can think of of relevance, which I
haven't thought to ask you in this message.

I see from the SVLUG archives you're very knowledgeable, & have been
around a while. I don't recall your name - have we met?  I'm a 10 years
member of SVLUG, & have been to many SVLUG installfests.  Only been to a
few SVLUG talk meetings the past several years.

This was not an SVLUG event.  It is a new event I am organizing,
primarily on the buug.org mailing list.  This was the first meeting for
this new group, as I said in the announcement.  I sent announcements to
about 10 groups on Friday, and about 50 % of the people who were at the
meeting came from seeing those 1 day ahead of time announcements.

I know it is no consolation, but I've been working hard to get this
meeting off the ground on very short notice. I apologize if it was
something I should have done that fell through the cracks & caused you
to miss out.

[I'm doubly disappointed because you were the only person, besides
myself, who brought some potluck stuff!  I would have loved to have
enjoyed a meal with you!  Shoot. :( ]

Please reply to this message through the svlug list, so we can all be
wiser for next time.

Your's truly, John Regan


On Sat, 7 Jun 2008 18:05:14 -0700, "Tony Hartzell"
<hartzellt at charter.net> said:
> I was at Evans Hall. It was locked up. I saw no activity inside and no
> notices. I live in Hollister, my round trip gas cost about $40. I
> brought ribs & cornbread for the potluck.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mark at weisler-saratoga-ca.us [mailto:mark at weisler-saratoga-ca.us]

> Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2008 5:10 PM
> To: Tony Hartzell
> Cc: svlug at lists.svlug.org
> Subject: RE: [svlug] Installfest?
> 
> Tony wrote...
> 
> > -------- Original Message --------
> > Subject: [svlug] Installfest?
> > From: "Tony Hartzell" <hartzellt at charter.net>
> > Date: Sat, June 07, 2008 4:28 pm
> > To: <svlug at lists.svlug.org>
> > 
> > 
> > I was there. 
> Where?
> >The building was locked. 
> Which building?
> 
> >No notice posted. I'm out about
> > $60.
> For what?

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