APM: January meeting

[Keith Howanitz]

On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 10:18 PM, Ian Remmler <ian at remmler.org> wrote:
[SNIP]
> I like the idea of having different types of meetings, or
> different sessions within a meeting.  Having shorter sessions
> means less pressure for presenters, and if someone has to bow
> out at the last minute, there is still something lined up.
[SNIP]

I agree with you Ian. I will also point out that Tim said he had a
good topic for a talk two meetings ago, and I remember that it sounded
very interesting at the time. (No pressure Tim.... ;-)) One other
possible issue with having an /entire/ meeting be a problem solving
session is that it may be intimidating to new Perl users, which I
think was the last meeting, bringing more people in.

I would like to also say that I like the Mangia location for the
availability of food and drinks at the meeting, but would not be
opposed to rotating locations, especially if it brings in more people.
It would be nice not to have to print a map out before each meeting
though.

Maybe if we were going to include an abstract problem challenge at the
end of the meeting, it could be posted to the list and the website a
week or so before the meeting by whoever was going to cover that part
of the meeting.  Then that presenter could take solution submissions
by email and go over the solutions at the meeting - highlighting his
solution and the most elegant correct submission he received. (Just an
idea for an alternative format.)

One last thing - if we were to have a couple getting started with Perl
meetings, with some basic topics - I wonder if we could not then
advertise it with geekaustin or one of those other groups. They just
finished a basic db course, so maybe it could be an introduction to db
management and manipulation with Perl or something along those lines.
Just some ideas.

-- 
-Keith