Ubuntu MASSACHUSETTS InstallFest

[Mike]

Martin Owens wrote:
> So long as you realise that some of us will have to set out 3 days in
> advance to walk to Massachusetts West; I mean it's all very well
> complaining about the lack of parking and roads in Boston but what
> about the lack of public transport (viable and none extortionate etc)
> for the rest of the state?

Granted, there isn't a lot of public transportation out our 
way (but there are buses). So now you know how it might feel 
to be inconvenienced to attend a meeting.

> Did you look at the map? geographically Massachusetts is Boston
> centric, I mean look at the roads, the way they radiate out and
> concentrate on that one place for good reason.

That one paragraph above proves my initial point (Boston is 
the center of the Massachusetts universe. It's NOT!). Yes 
actually I have looked at maps of Massachusetts, many times 
thank you. If you honestly think that Boston is geographically 
in the center as you stated above, then maybe you should look 
at a map of the state. They don't call it Eastern 
Massachusetts for nothing.

> So when you can pledge to come pick people up and drop them back off
> for meetings we can consider going to other parts of the state for our
> general meetings; 

Well to be fair Martin, since you are the one that wants the 
meetings in Boston, maybe you could drive a small bus out to 
Western Mass and pick up the folks out here that don't feel 
represented by the group due to the location of the meetings 
and you could drive us back to Boston to attend the meetings, 
then drive us home again later. And while you're at it, you 
could stop off in Central Mass to pick up the members there 
too. How would that be? Maybe a little inconvenient for you? 
Well now you know how some of the rest of us feel.

>At the moment 1 person does not a group make.

You are right, 1 person doesn't make a group. But 1 person 
right now is scheduling all the meetings in Boston. You have 
to remember, YOU don't make the group either. All of us make 
up this group, including me and many others throughout this 
state far and wide. And what does that have to do with what I 
wrote in my previous email to the group?  I was responding to 
an email by another member from Western Mass. You also should 
realize that this area is loaded with college students and I'm 
sure MANY of them in the five college area and beyond are 
using Ubuntu also. UMASS Amherst alone must have plenty! How 
are you going to reach these people by having meetings for 
Ubuntu Massachusetts solely in Boston?

My initial email to the group wasn't intended to be rude 
Martin. Judging from some of what you said in your response to 
it, you took it that way and responded a bit rudely yourself. 
I apologize if you thought I was being rude, or that I was 
personally attacking you. I wasn't. I was just responding to 
an email sent by another member from Western Mass and trying 
to open a few eyes to the fact that some of us in the group 
would appreciate an occasional meeting or installfest outside 
of the Boston area.

Ubuntu to all and to all a good night!

Mike