Talk:Meetup/Monmouth/1

Can this invitation be extended to cy.wikipedia.org as well, please? Deb (talk) 13:05, 13 March 2012 (UTC)

Launch of Monmouthpedia

Given our plans to launch Monmouthpedia as a 'success story' that day - should we be adding a few words on this page and perhaps making it a little clearer? It might also encourage people keen to volunteer to write a press release or a blog post to do so? Steve Virgin (talk) 13:11, 2 April 2012 (UTC)

I am very interested in going. The only thing is I don't have a Wikimedia account, only Wikipedia. Does that make a difference or is this upcoming event purely for people connected with Wikimedia? Evlekis (talk) 16:16, 6 April 2012 (UTC) [1]

Wikipedia's the biggest part of Wikimedia. :-) So please, come along! Mike Peel (talk) 19:09, 7 April 2012 (UTC)

times

Do we have any times more exact than lunch?2.98.192.66 23:29, 10 April 2012 (UTC)

I'm assuming we are meeting at Shire Hall at 12? 62.254.251.1 07:09, 19 April 2012 (UTC)

John Cummings is doing a presentation (about Monmouthpedia I assume) from 12 noon until around 1 pm in the Shire Hall, open to all. I'm guessing that would be the sort of period when most folks will turn up, so that around 1 pm they can decide what they want to do next. --RexxS (talk) 16:40, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

Consensus time

There's a bit of discussion at wikipedia:User talk:Deb#First Monmouth Meetup on Saturday that folks may be interested in. Essentially, do we want to try to get most people together for lunch at 1 pm? or fix a venue where people can turn up later in the afternoon and be sure of meeting everyone? or some other ideas? The suggestion is that we sort out a consensus here. --RexxS (talk) 19:02, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

Yes, please - and preferably this evening! Deb (talk) 19:02, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

Copying discussion from User talk:Deb:

Just a quick reminder about m:Meetup/Monmouth/1 on Saturday, as requested. Cheers, --RexxS (talk) 23:15, 18 April 2012 (UTC)

Sorry to bother you, but I'm really hesitant as to whether to attend tomorrow as it's quite unclear exactly what is happening and when and who should be involved in what. I can't attend in the evening in any case - what time would you expect "ordinary" wikipedians to turn up - is it 12 noon or 1pm? And how does the "meet-up" part of it work? Deb (talk) 13:59, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

Hi Deb, hope it's ok to copy your question from my talk as it will keep the conversation together. I've got this page watchlisted for now.

I think the main intention is get those attending together for the afternoon for an informal chat and a chance to meet other other Wikimedians in person. There is the board meeting going on at Shire Hall and John Cummings is doing a presentation at 12 noon until 1 pm, so I'm assuming that will be a period when folks will gather ready for the afternoon activities. John Cummings is our local contact and he's suggested some possibilities - editathon, museum visit, etc. on the meetup page, so he might have a much better idea than I (he left this note in the signup section: I'll be helping run this, send me a message before hand if you need any help and please add activities to the list if you want to do something specific. If you arrive before 12 you will find me in the Shire Hall somewhere or email me at john.cummings@monmouthpedia.org. Have a look at his talk page User talk:Mrjohncummings#Quick question where Evlekis had a similar question. Wiki-meets tend to be rather informal and less structured while participants get to know each other, so I do hope you'll come along and I look forward to meeting you there. Cheers, --RexxS (talk) 16:31, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

Thank you RexxS for clarifying this. I had already asked John, here, a similar question to Deb, but not got a very helpful answer. The problem is that some of us who are not attending the "national" meeting live some distance away - I think you'll find that very few of the "Monmouthpedia editors" actually live in Monmouth, which is in a very rural area and takes some time to travel to. Personally, also I can't commit many hours away from home tomorrow. I am assuming that I'll get there mid-afternoon, but it's very much guesswork on my part as to when it would be best for me to turn up. It would obviously be better if those who want to "meet up" are around at about the same time as each other, rather than drifting away again. Ghmyrtle (talk) 16:43, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

Oh yes, I see. That's you, is it? Nice to know after all this time! No, that answer's not much help. I know I should be grateful to the volunteers who have set the thing up, but I really can't see myself staying for longer than a couple of hours, and I'm sure most of the people who are travelling from any distance would prefer to have a chance to meet during daylight hours. Deb (talk) 17:17, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

Sorry, I just assume that as I know who I am, everyone else does as well (?!) Maybe some of us should just WP:BE BOLD and decide that we are going to be there at a certain time, and everyone else can work around that. When do you suggest? Ghmyrtle (talk) 17:21, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

I'm going to see if there's someone who will guarantee to be available as a point of contact throughout the afternoon - perhaps I can persuade Harry to give his mobile phone number to those who might be a bit late and want a contact. Wiki-meets need folks to be a little BOLD and just meet up at first; that's how these things grow. I'll report back. --RexxS (talk) 17:28, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

I had initially got the impression that people were going to have lunch together, but maybe that's only for the "Board"? In which case, 1pm would have been a good time. Deb (talk) 18:10, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

I think it's perfectly possible that folks will have lunch together, but I have no idea whether it's just the Board for whom arrangements have been made. Anyway, the rest of us peons can always have lunch together in one of the local pubs if we want, and 1 pm would certainly be a good time to go and do that - obviously, start from Shire Hall. I've emailed you Harry's mobile phone number in case there are any miscommunications, and he says he's happy for anyone else who isn't a stalker to have it as well. That way we can guarantee everybody will be able to meet up. Cheers, --RexxS (talk) 18:20, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

If the feeling is that it's best to meet for lunch, I can rearrange my own plans and do that, but personally I was hoping to come later in the afternoon. Can I suggest that we move this discussion to the project page itself, or its talk page, so that others can contribute and we can (ahem) come to a consensus? Ghmyrtle (talk) 18:44, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

Good idea. Deb (talk) 19:01, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

I've linked back to here from m:Talk:Meetup/Monmouth/1#Consensus time --RexxS (talk) 19:03, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

And I've just copied it back (t)here. Let's keep it over here, rather than cluttering up Deb's page. Ghmyrtle (talk) 19:06, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

• I'm quite happy for anyone who's lost or confused to get in touch with me. Email me at hjmitchellymail.com, I'm on Skype as "harry_j_mitchell", and anybody who isn't a serial killer or a stalker can have my mobile number. I've no idea if John has anything more structured planned, but meetups are mostly informal and about getting to know each other, and I expect we'll end up somewhere where we can chat over a coffee or a beer and perhaps have a bite to eat. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 19:39, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

Um. Thanks, but what we'd really like is to know what's happening when so that we can decide what time to arrive. How can people get to know each other if they don't even know what time to meet? Deb (talk) 20:34, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

can we at least have a lunch location and time. I've got a 1.5 hour drive and a lot of the motivation is to meet up with editors I have worked with. Maybe te Robin Hood (124 Monnow Street) from 1315 to allow for the talk? Counter proposals from local knowledge welcome. I am working from Good Pub Guide --Snowded (talk) 21:38, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

The Robin Hood is at the farthest end of Monnow Street from Shire Hall - if people aren't picky, there are many other pubs much closer to the Shire Hall (and Museum). The King's Head is convenient, but some people may have a strong dislike of Wetherspoons. I've been there and it's OK. Ghmyrtle (talk) 21:50, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

If we are meeting in a pub, how will we recognise one another? Should we wear white carnations? :-) Deb (talk) 21:53, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

The problem I have is that there is no way I can hang around from 12ish to 5ish. So, I'll probably aim to turn up at Shire Hall at 12.30 or so, see whoever is around for a quick lunch and a chat, and not stick around long in the afternoon. I'll have to miss the "prizegiving" !! Ghmyrtle (talk) 23:01, 20 April 2012 (UTC)

Well I'd live with Wetherspoons on a majority vote :-( based on this it looks like its not clear so I will get to the Shire Hall as soon as I can hopefully before 1230. If people leave early would they leave a message as to location. Given Monmouth's history surely the red rose of Lancaster is more appropriate if recognition symbols are needed? --Snowded (talk) 05:16, 21 April 2012 (UTC)

Just look out for the pasty-faced geeks with laptops, tablets, smartphones, I'd have thought.... Ghmyrtle (talk) 07:35, 21 April 2012 (UTC)

Yes, but what about us three? :-) I've decided I will go to Shire Hall first, try and find someone who knows what's going on, and then follow people to a/the pub. It's becoming clear what has happened here. The people who have been involved in Monmouthpedia have met previously through that project - a lot of them were probably not Wikipedia contributors previously - so they don't see any need to make any arrangements other than what they normally do (whatever that is). We are just expected to fall in. Deb (talk) 07:45, 21 April 2012 (UTC)

Yep, it's a bit like herding cats. There are several different groups of people - the (national) Wikimedia people, the Wales editors (some experienced), and the Monmouthpedia editors (many new). Different people are involved in different subsets of those groups. Best thing to do, I've decided, is to get there as close to 12 as possible, and go with the flow. Personally, I can't spend much/any time today speed-editing - more important things to do, and can't stay away from home for too long today (domestic reasons). Anyway, it should be worthwhile, I hope. Ghmyrtle (talk) 08:56, 21 April 2012 (UTC)

Ditto. I'm outa here in a minute. Deb (talk) 08:57, 21 April 2012 (UTC)