[Tfug] LAMP Users Group Proposed at MySQL Meetup on 2004 October 12.

[Chris Niswander]

(This is an unofficial event report by one attendee, 
not the word of JHWH[TM]. :-) )

The consensus at the MySQL Meetup last night was
that a Tucson LAMP Users Group 
    ( Linux + Apache + MySQL + (PHP | Perl | Python), 
      http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2001/01/25/lamp.html )
would be better than separate groups for PHP, MySQL, and Perl.

Right now Tucson has people trying to start a MYSQL Meetup,
a PHP Meetup, and a Tucson Perl Mongers chapter.  Each of
these groups has just barely enough people to try to be
viable.  Each group has about three people who showed up
at its meeting recently, and some people who didn't.
By combining the groups, we can take advantage of overlapping interests 
and get enough people together that we'll probably have 
a fully viable group with lively meetings.

Once we have lively, interesting meetings, that should help to
attract additional participants, and the group can grow larger.

No one seemed satisfied with using the Meetup.com system for
coordinating our events  (Complaints included an excessive
blizzard of trivial notification emails, UI problems,
and overly in-your-face nag $creens.)

I proposed that the Tucson Perl Mongers officially
co-meet with the LAMP group, and that we use the existing
Tucson Perl Mongers listserv 
  ( http://tucson.pm.org )
for communications.  (As acting head of the Tucson Perl Mongers
chapter, I think this will be OK.)

Kelley Graham (www.toasterz.com) offered to set up a Wiki
and provide hosting for it.  He expressed interest in many 
possible features for a Tucson LAMP group website.  He also
is enthusiastic about doing LAMP advocacy and group projects.

I like the idea of using both the Tucson Perl Mongers website
and the Wiki website, and having them link to each other.

Bill Maginnis proposed that future meetings be at *Beyond Bread*, because
it's 
 o quiet (unlike Bentleys!) 
 o more spacious
 o has wi-fi.
All present agreed.

Other topics discussed included email data migration and OpenGroupWare, 
and IP law related to open source.

ABOUT ATTENDEES:

Bill Maginnis - Administers computers and networks for a school.
                Interested in using MySQL & other open source tools
                for handling problem reports and tracking. 

Kelley Graham - "Built my business around" open source.
                Describes self as "a swiss army knife" providing
                many computer-related services.  Development areas:
                webhosting, email related stuff, security related stuff.
                ( http://www.toasterz.com )

Chris Niswander - Professional software developer who likes to use
                  tools appropriate for the job, including LAMP
                  components.  Head of BitBoost ( http://www.bitboost.com )