How's your meeting?

[Grifter]

I run the meetings in Salt Lake City and think we have a pretty good thing going. The problem is, I don't really have anything to compare it to other than the NYC meetings.

I was wondering what people do at their local 2600 meetings, and what they would change in order to make them better?

[skroo]

L.A. Speaking, Here...

Pretty much, our meets are a combo of technical talk and outright socialising. We're kind of odd in that we meet at three different places depending on time, and also seem to be one of the latest-running meetings going (it's not uncommom for 15 or 20 people to still be at Denny's when the sun's coming up on Saturday).

If I could change something, it'd be the L.A. traffic. Union Station (first location) is pretty well unreachable during rush hour, so we'll get anywhere from one to 23 people there depending on who feels like braving the traffic. Hit up http://www.la2600.org to get kind of an idea of what we talk about / more or less adhere to.

[A]

Since Grifter forgot to pimp the site, here is the url:

http://www.2600slc.org/

[TechnoWeenie]

sac2600

Sacramento has some weird history...

There are distinct social circle's that come to the meetings.. skids, old-school, losers, and nobody's. Mostly, we met then we decide where to go, and what to do. Often as not it is a NON technical event. Movie, party, nothing..

b

[Grifter]

?

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Basically I want to know what peoples ideal 2600 meeting would be like?

What they would change if they could? Stuff like that.

[TechnoWeenie]

good and bad

Good because once you get the core group of folks that have a clue, and care, you can do some neat things.

Bad because how can you honestly have an open meeting, then exclude those that are not up to speed, or have a different agenda.

since 2600 is a loose group, so should the rules be... but there has to be some kind of forum, or agenda. Some structure... Otherwise the various user groups may be a better option.

Modem User Pizza Thingies... is kinda funny..but that is how the sac2600 starts off (at a Round Table Pizza)

TW

[nous]

sac2600

the sac meetings stopped really being technical in nature at least a year ago. basically, the "distinct circle" of "old school" folks all have serious jobs and most of them were busted, minor or major, years ago - so it's mostly about socializing as a group.

we all hang out at other times of the month in smaller groups. any projects are usually done at someone's house. generally at meetings, we'll discuss geek topics - politics, new tech, movies, whatever, then see a flick, then maybe go hang at someone's house and party. we do sac2600 bbqs from time to time and we have our mailing list.

the scene in sacramento is rather small and the kids who show up at meetings that aren't part of the core group are generally clueless and/or they're intimidated by our obvious cliqueiness and never speak up.

our venue kinda sucks. the roundtable pizza in old sac has gotten really icky and we've all taken to standing around outside in the smoking area, which is even less likely to get us talking as a group. we were talking about moving the meeting back to downtown plaza - but only if they've forgotten that they banned us.

i really doubt that the sac2600 meeting is representative of 2600 meetings nationwide.

[Grifter]

Resurrection

I just posted this to resurrect this thread now that we get more traffic. I'm still interested in what goes on at other peoples meetings.

[PoT]

Vancouver

The meetings we have in Vancouver, BC are a little odd. We have had scheduled topics and speakers before, but that organization has fallen off over the last couple of years. We meet in the food court of Pacific Centre Mall and hang out, get some grub and basically socialize. Then after the meet there several of us will usually go to a pub nearby and have a few beers and possibly come up with some other project to do that night (trashing at a local CO or things of that sort usually).

We don't have a web page but we do have a mailing list where we carry on any discussions about what will be hapenning at the meet. Unfortunately as of late the list has been pretty dead.

We still manage to get fairly decent turnouts, there's probably 20-25 regulars that are there nearly every meet and about another 20 - 25 that show up occasionally.

I definately plan on attending Skroo and Grifter's seminar at DefCon on how to get the scene thriving.

Later

-PoT

[TheWatcher]

Re: ?

Originally posted by Grifter
Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Basically I want to know what peoples ideal 2600 meeting would be like?

What they would change if they could? Stuff like that.

I prefer to see informal technical presentation, tips and technique sessions, do and don't in security awareness, and a little bit of socializing.

I'm hoping to meet some folks in Virginia, Maryland and DC but no contact information as of this time...

[astcell]

I wonder where all the meetings are, and if there would be any demand for a meeting in the Inland Empire area (Riverside, San Bernardino CA)

[blackwave]

Originally posted by astcell
I wonder where all the meetings are, and if there would be any demand for a meeting in the Inland Empire area (Riverside, San Bernardino CA)

Ack a 909 Meeting... I would except those meetings to be more firearm focused?... I know corona/riverside pretty well though, be good to know if anything was happening there.

[skroo]

909 Meetings

Originally posted by astcell
I wonder where all the meetings are, and if there would be any demand for a meeting in the Inland Empire area (Riverside, San Bernardino CA)

Actually, there was a 909 meeting a couple of years back. I never went to one, but they tended to be smaller and with a younger crowd. Unfortunately, most of the people I can remember as being involved with it have fallen off the face of the planet, so no idea as to how to contact them.

[astcell]

YOUNGER crowd? Isn't 22 the average age? What shows up in 909? Well I'm ancient so if we do a meet in 909 I'm bound to average out the place.

Anyway I think 909 works best for me in the long run for anything during the week. Weekends work now and then with advanced notice. Maybe on 7/12 we can see who may be interested in a 909 meet.

[Fused]

is there any way i can get a 2600 started where i live who do i contact about that.:(