Reached out to Andrew regarding Joining effort & domain name

[raymondjplante]

I shot out an email to Andrew via the Boston PHP meetup and will let
everyone know if/when he gets back. Asked him if he wanted to join
forces or would be willing to let us use the domain registration.

[andrewrcollins]

Hello all.
I'm the "Andrew" that was contacted by Raymond.
Below are the two email responses I sent Raymond:

==============

Raymond Plante

Thanks for contacting me!

After meeting with Nate Hutnak <na...@indiecycle.com>, founder of Free
Geek Providence, and learning of his experiences with "The
Mothership", I resolved to create a "free geek" for Boston without the
problems and entanglements involved with using the "Free Geek" brand.

As it turns out, I should not to have registered the
freegeekboston.org domain name. It redirects to the original Free
Geek, and is currently set it to expire. See
http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Talk:Free_Geek_Startup_Trademark_Use_Application

The folks in Portland declare clearly in their wiki that they don't
want people using the "Free Geek" name until they've gone through the
six steps and gotten final approval. See http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/How_to_Start_a_Free_Geek

However, as it turns out the whole "Affiliate" process isn't being
handled by anyone right now--as per recent communications on IRC with
Free Geek peoples, and so getting proper permission to use "Free Geek
Boston" could potentially be exceptionally frustrating.

So, instead of chasing after all them--and possibly stepping on toes
and making some folks angry (I think #5 is laudable, but sufficiently
difficult to implement that getting something else started first and
seeing if the organization's culture can be shifted later... Well,
suffice it to say I want a group started by the fall of this year--not
when "the worker collective" is finally in agreement) See
http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Free_Geek_Principles

I am following this "d/b/a solution."

I've been working on "The Hub Geeks":

http://thehubgeeks.org/
http://thehubgeeks.org/wiki
http://thehubgeeks.org/wiki/Ctrl-Z

The organization is registered with the IRS, though not yet with MA,
which is first step of becoming 501(c)3.

I am getting documents and other marketing materials ready for
meetings with non-profit funders in Cambridge (e.g. Chamber of
Commerce and Cambridge Community Foundation) within the next 30 days
or so. I have made initial contact with these organizations and have
contact with some folks in Cambridge Recycling.

So... Some plans already in the works.

I'd like to hear what you'd like to see happen.

-- Andrew

=================

Raymond

FYI. I can be reached via IM pretty much any time:

Google Talk ~ andrewr...@gmail.com
Yahoo! Messenger ~ andrewr...@yahoo.com

If meeting in person is possible/preferred I live near Porter Square
in Cambridge.
I don't have any vacation plans so I'm free most days this July 4th
weekend.

BTW. I graduated from Virginia Tech.

If you'd like to know more about me and my background:

http://www.facebook.com/andrewrcollins
http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewrcollins

-- Andrew

[Sara Streeter]

Hey, cool!  In the end, what's important about the name is that we're findable.  It's a recurring theme that Free Geek Boston is something people look for, so I wouldn't give up just yet on creating a presence.  That being said, your organization sounds further along.  For now let's collaborate under the name Hub Geek, with the intention of building traction so that when the Mothership gets its act together, we'll be well positioned to take on the mantle of an actual Free Geek (if we still want to at that point).

Sara

--
Sara Streeter
401.484.7272

[andrewrcollins]

Precisely.

The "d/b/a solution" is how many franchise operations are conducted:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doing_business_as

In MA giving an organization a "fictitious name"only requires a form
be submitted.

I will post more documents and marketing materials to the wiki
tonight:

http://thehubgeeks.org/wiki/

Here is something I created, something meant to be funny, a while ago:

http://thehubgeeks.org/wiki/The_Uncomputered

-- Andrew

On Jun 30, 5:27 pm, Sara Streeter <saranicole1...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hey, cool!  In the end, what's important about the name is that we're
> findable.  It's a recurring theme that Free Geek Boston is something people
> look for, so I wouldn't give up just yet on creating a presence.  That being
> said, your organization sounds further along.  For now let's collaborate
> under the name Hub Geek, with the intention of building traction so that
> when the Mothership gets its act together, we'll be well positioned to take
> on the mantle of an actual Free Geek (if we still want to at that point).
>
> Sara
>

> On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 4:36 PM, andrewrcollins <andrewrcoll...@gmail.com>wrote:
>
>
>
> > Hello all.
> > I'm the "Andrew" that was contacted by Raymond.
> > Below are the two email responses I sent Raymond:
>
> > ==============
>
> > Raymond Plante
>
> > Thanks for contacting me!
>

> > After meeting with Nate Hutnak <n...@indiecycle.com>, founder of Free

> > Geek Providence, and learning of his experiences with "The
> > Mothership", I resolved to create a "free geek" for Boston without the
> > problems and entanglements involved with using the "Free Geek" brand.
>
> > As it turns out, I should not to have registered the
> > freegeekboston.org domain name. It redirects to the original Free
> > Geek, and is currently set it to expire. See
>

> >http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Talk:Free_Geek_Startup_Trademark_U...

> > Google Talk ~ andrewrcoll...@gmail.com
> > Yahoo! Messenger ~ andrewrcoll...@yahoo.com

[andrewrcollins]

I did the research around "Hub Geek" earlier in the year, it is
already being used by other folks:

http://hubgeek.com/

"The Hub Geeks" is the closest I could find that wasn't used by other
people and/or businesses.

http://thehubgeeks.org/ <<==
http://thehubgeeks.com/
http://thehubgeeks.net/
http://hubgeeks.org/
http://hubgeeks.com/
http://hubgeeks.net/

To be clear, I would be glad to eventually see a re-naming campaign/
event/advertising blitz:

"The Hub Geeks is now Free Geek Boston!"

I'm excited to communicate with any/all of you!

-- Andrew