Fwd: [Oxford Geek Nights] We need microslots! And Pitch volunteers!

[Matt Westcott]

Is it worth us doing another one-minute pitch slot at the next OGN? I missed the last one (where Nick gave a pitch), but according to my notes it was round about the time when the meetings at OARC started, so this is possibly our first opportunity to announce "we actually exist and are regularly doing stuff" rather than "we're in planning at the moment, so join our mailing list and we'll let you know when we start doing stuff"...

I'm happy to do the talking, unless someone else wants to step up.

- Matt


Begin forwarded message:

> From: J-P Stacey <jp.s...@gmail.com>
> Date: 5 September 2012 14:59:39 GMT+01:00
> To: Oxford Geek Nights <oxford-ge...@googlegroups.com>
> Subject: [Oxford Geek Nights] We need microslots! And Pitch volunteers!
> Reply-To: oxford-ge...@googlegroups.com
>
> Hi folks,
>
> almost everything is in place for Oxford Geek Night 28 in TWO WEEKS'
> TIME on Wednesday 19 September:
>
> http://oxford.geeknights.net/2012/sep-19th/
>
> = However! Microslot talk volunteers required =
>
> We still need volunteers to do microslots. These are five-minute
> volunteer talks that anyone from the Oxford geek community can do. You
> can talk on any non-commercial topic you like: a conference you went
> to recently; something interesting you've found; a pet project....
>
> Interested? Submit your microslot idea here: http://bit.ly/ogn-microslot
> - and we'll see you on the night.
>
> = Pitch slots also available =
>
> We have up to ten Pitch slots, sixty-second slots where you can say
> anything: including advertising commercial ventures, job vacancies,
> your services, upcoming events etc.
>
> They're fast-paced "open mic" slots, and if you want to reserve one -
> you don't even have to tell us what it's about! - then email
> o...@torchbox.com . They're going fast so get in while you can.
>
> All the best,
> J-P
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google "Oxford Geek Nights" group.
>
> Event page: http://oxford.geeknights.net/
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, visit its webpages at http://groups.google.com/group/oxford-geek-nights

[Ben Ward]

Yes, do it! Or I will if you like. But yeah, let people know this is happening.

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[Nick Ryder]

I won't be available but I think it's a good idea. If we're going to do a microslot then I would suggest trying to get together some decent photos of cool stuff happening to show off.

Nick

[Jamie Lokier]

Nick Ryder wrote:
> I won't be available but I think it's a good idea. If we're going to do
> a microslot then I would suggest trying to get together some decent
> photos of cool stuff happening to show off.

Perhaps a few photos of the best looking other hackspaces too, as
examples of what we're aiming for, some of them are really pretty and
inspiring :-)

Then again it's only 1 minute.

It's worth booking the pitch slot now, lest it disappears. At least
one of us will be up for doing it on the day.

Nick found last time there's a deadline for submitting a slideshow for
the projector, which we missed - it would be good to find out when
that is.

-- Jamie

[Jamie Lokier]

Matt Westcott wrote:
> Is it worth us doing another one-minute pitch slot at the next OGN?
> I missed the last one (where Nick gave a pitch), but according to my
> notes it was round about the time when the meetings at OARC started,
> so this is possibly our first opportunity to announce "we actually
> exist and are regularly doing stuff" rather than "we're in planning
> at the moment, so join our mailing list and we'll let you know when
> we start doing stuff"...
>
> I'm happy to do the talking, unless someone else wants to step up.
>
> - Matt

Hi Matt,

Did you end up booking a microslot for tonight's OGN, and if so are
you still happy to do the talking?

Thanks,
-- Jamie

[Matt Westcott]

On 19 Sep 2012, at 13:54, Jamie Lokier wrote:

> Hi Matt,
>
> Did you end up booking a microslot for tonight's OGN, and if so are
> you still happy to do the talking?
>
> Thanks,
> -- Jamie

Yes and yes! I suppose I should figure out what I'm going to say, then...
* we're no longer just in planning - we have a home (albeit not a permanent dedicated space) and hacking is actually happening
* Thursday evenings at OARC (upstairs at East Oxford Community Centre on Cowley Road)
* YAY QUADCOPTERS
* visit oxhack.org and join the mailing list

Anything else I ought to cover?

- Matt

[Jamie Lokier]

Here's some ideas, take or leave... I trust your judgement more than mine!

I think a lot of people don't know what the point of a hackspace is,
and "we're not just in planning" is only appealing to those who
already know.

We aren't a great advert yet (not many photos).
Photos are awesome. Probably too late to make a pretty slide for the
projector (is it?)

I'd show the Google Image results for "Hackspace" and say

- Oxford Hackspace, see oxhack.org.

- Google "Hackspace", check out the image results, they give a good idea.

- If you want to play with hardware, tech out with geeks of varied
interests... or to learn about stuff hands on.

- A home-made quadcopter is our main communal project at the moment.
Back to basics with an Arduino, a Pi, some motor controllers and a
flight control algorithm. Fun to watch too!

- It's about permanent space for making stuff, community, shared
access to tools and all manner of geeking out.

- We're getting there, we have a sort of home, (though not dedicated
space yet), and hacking is actually happening.

- Thursday evenings at OARC - upstairs at the community centre off Cowley Road.
It's a social night, some people come for the chat and not
everyone's a tech-head.

- Got anything fun or challenging you've always wanted to make?
Bring your idea.

- Come and help us build a permanent hackspace in oxford, your help
is appreciated.

- Oxford Hackspace, oxhack.org. Join the mailing list etc, say hello.
Next meeting's tomorrow. There will be tea.

Cheers,
-- Jamie



>
> - Matt

[Lauren Hutchinson]

Also, more than welcome are:

- makers of non-technical types (like artists)   (-->we don't just cater to gearheads and programmers ;)  )

- women makers  (we have some already, always good to have more, don't be afraid of the tech shop talk, there's a place for you)

- anybody else, minority groups etc, who might be feeling interested but daunted by the normative-man-tech-peoples feel of the thing.  Creative brains of ALL types wanted, in fact we need them more than most--diversity of views and ideas = good hacks.



Ok that's my 2p ;)  Mind you, with the time change you've probably already spoken but oh well...



Lauren