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November 05

I'm going to be in Australia in November for X|Media|Lab, where I'm talking about the Wikimedia projects and Ourmedia at the conference, and acting as a mentor for the lab.

I will be in Melbourne from November 22 to 29, and it would be great to have a meetup then. If you are interested in coming, please express a day preference below, and suggest a good place to meet. I'm also planning a meetup in Sydney. Angela. 03:59, 26 October 2005 (UTC)


Agenda

File:Title Cuisine 2.jpg

Dates

To allow everyone time to plan to be there, I'm closing the vote now. Tuesday, November 29 was the most popular. Sorry to Cassowary and Robert Merkel if this means they won't be able to make it. Shall we meet at 6pm, with the intention to eat somewhere about 7, which gives people an hour's leeway to be late if necessary? Angela. 05:01, 14 November 2005 (UTC)

Tuesday, November 29

Location

Please add suggestions...

The conference is at the ACMI at Federation Square, so maybe we can meet near there. I don't really know the CBD that well, so if anyone else has a venue in mind, please speak up. -- Tim Starling 04:34, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

I've never been there, but I hear Transport is good. It's roomy and has big tables, but it can get quite busy. Cnwb 10:38, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
If I get a chance, I'll do a reccy this weekend. Cnwb 22:08, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
Forget Transport for a big meetup later in the week; it'll be packed to the rafters (and maybe beyond). It might be OK on Thursday, but I doubt it. It'd be fine earlier in the week (the food is good, and the beer choice has to be seen to be believed).
If I may make a suggestion, somewhere like the Redback Hotel in North Melbourne might be good. It's very close to the CBD (and easily reachable by public transport), it's got reasonable food if people want to eat, and it's not so packed. Other hotels in the area might also be suitable; you could also try the Leveson, which is a little harder to find but is roomy, not so busy, and has the best Chicken Parmagiana in Melbourne, according to Superparma.com. I can personally verify that the Leveson parma is exceptionally good.
If you've your heart set on the CBD, Cookie in Swanston Street might be a good early in the week option, with great Thai-influenced food and lovely Belgian beer. Again, Thursday night might be a bit marginal (you'd probably want to book a table in the restraunty bit). --Robert Merkel 06:16, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
Oh yes, you've got me salivating over the thought of a Leffe Radieuse right now. --Cnwb 07:55, 5 November 2005 (UTC)

So long it's somewhere quiet. I hate trying to have meetings in loud restaurants. Adam 08:17, 5 November 2005 (UTC)

For once, I'm in total agreement with Adam. JackofOz 22:22, 8 November 2005 (UTC)
Ditto Josh Parris # 01:22, 14 November 2005 (UTC)

I can probably offer the facilities at the Centre for Ideas (CFI) (conference room with web access and data projector - if we should need such a thing). I'd have to check availability if people are interested, but I'm sure it'd be fine this time of year. The CFI is located about two-ish blocks from ACMI at the VCA (Victorian College of the Arts). There's no food/drinks there to speak of (we could probably drum up some munchies etc), but it would be quiet and we could adjourn after initial meeting to Southbank (Blue Train??) for eat/drink - or anywhere really. Mark Elliott 09:15, 8 November 2005 (UTC)

This should be fine - though it might get tricky to book the room past 10pm - but could book from 6 or 7-10 (with food before) and we can just show up whenever we like. Not sure if i've seen what time the conference finishes, anyone know? (assuming we meet up on a conference day) Mark Elliott 11:56, 9 November 2005 (UTC)
Whilst I think this is a great idea, and kudos to Mark for offering the facilities, I think I'd prefer to meet in a bar or cafe (although this may cause problems for our underage friends). I'd like to meet and get to know other Wikipedians. If we meet in a meeting room with internet access, I fear we'd all just focus on Wikipedia, and not get to know each other. -Cnwb 23:13, 10 November 2005 (UTC)
I appreciate Mark's offer, and I'll happily turn up at the CFI if that's where the majority want to go, however it would not get my first vote. Cnwb has crystallised a concern that I had too. I'd prefer it to be primarily a social event in which people can put faces to names, create personal connections, and discuss Wiki issues along the way rather than being the main focus. Bars, cafes and pubs are fine for social events as long as the group is relatively small. Any more than half a dozen or so, and it becomes unworkable. I share Adam's concerns about noisy places (hearing loss). Soft music and low level of external conversation is OK, but if it's an especially noisy place it's not fun trying to talk. There has to be a happy medium that would work for everybody. Cheers JackofOz 01:12, 11 November 2005 (UTC)
All fine by me. Earlier on in the eve, The Lounge on Swanston St. (outside on the veranda thing) can be ok: decent food, drinks - later it gets loud. Otherwise, St. Germaine i think it is - also ok out back earlier on. (can't remember the laneway it is on, but can find out if we need to.) Mark Elliott 05:35, 14 November 2005 (UTC)
The problem with St Jerome (it's on Caledonian Lane, BTW) is that there's very limited seating inside, and outside (besides stinking like sewage) is unpleasant if the weather turns foul, and the food is unrelliable. Having said that, it's a great place to take people from out-of-town, because it's got that unrefined quality. The Lounge is, well, so 1995, but is a safer option for a group like us - the balcony is protected from the weather, but still pleasant if it's sunny, the food is cheap and varied, and it has a wider variety of drinks than St Jerome. The tables are also larger, and we might even be able to book, if we can find out the numbers. The Lounge is also easy to find, and central. I think it gets my vote. Sorry Mark, didn't mean to disagree with you on both your CFI and St Jerome suggestions. Cnwb 05:57, 14 November 2005 (UTC)

This seems to have stalled. So, time to restart it: where shall we meet? I suggest the criteria are:

  1. Quiet
  2. Seating for a dozen (give or take)
  3. Central, close to public transport - CBD(ish)
  4. Food(?)
  5. Underage access
  6. Not smelling like a sewer is also good Josh Parris 03:56, 21 November 2005 (UTC)
  7. Parking abakharev 05:16, 21 November 2005 (UTC)
I think that would fail no.6. --bainer (talk) 06:05, 22 November 2005 (UTC)
And, arguably, number 4. Cnwb 07:05, 22 November 2005 (UTC)

Mark Elliott's suggestion of the Centre for Ideas (CFI) (conference room with web access and data projector - if we should need such a thing) seems to me to be best. I don't think we'll need the web access, but it would be a quiet environment, parking of an evening around there isn't terrible, it's reasonably close to Flinders St Station. As for food, we could stoop so low as pizza or some other order-in food, or, as Mark suggests, move on elsewhere. Mind you, early evening is getting on towards dinnertime anyways. Are there any other suggestions? Josh Parris 22:52, 23 November 2005 (UTC)

If the weather's with us, we could get fish n' chips and sit by the river. There are some nice spots east of Princes Bridge. I don't think Funk Fish at Fed Square do takeaway any more, but there's a fish n' chip shop in Degraves Street which is fairly decent. This could come before, after, or in place of CFI. Cnwb 03:28, 24 November 2005 (UTC)

Angela has asked me to finalise the venue, because she needs to make arrangements to do a media interview at about the same time. So let's book the CFI conference room if possible, that seems to be a popular choice. We can decide what food to get later, it sounds like there's plenty of options. I'll contact Mark Elliott. -- Tim Starling

Ok, CFI postgrad lounge (a bit less formal and stuffy than conference/tutorial room) is booked for 29 Nov, 6-10pm. We can arrive and leave whenever we like during those times. There may be an issue with getting the data projector (prob not tho), although most didn't seem too interested in it anyway. The pgrad lounge is located downstairs (to the left of the red staircase) in building H on this map. Best parking is usually on Grant street and the CFI's location details are also listed on the map. Mark Elliott 00:03, 25 November 2005 (UTC)

I'll be at the CFI postgrad lounge from 6pm on. See everyone then! Mark Elliott 01:14, 29 November 2005 (UTC)

Photos

Wikipedians (left-to-right): wikipedian, Mark Elliott, pfctdayelise's friend, pfctdayelise, Goldiemicky (middleground), abakharev (background), Kye Lewis (foreground), Cnwb, Tim Starling, Angela, bainer, JackofOz.
Not pictured: wikipedian, Josh Parris
Afterwards we dined at The Blue Train. In the background you can see Flinders Street Station, Melbourne all lit up.

Apologies for the lack of user name identification, but if you recall I turned up late. I've had a stab. Please correct mistakes. Josh Parris 23:58, 29 November 2005 (UTC)

Apologies

  • I've marked the Saturday as best for me - althoug there isn't a huge chance that I'll be able to make it (I'll be travelling from Hobart) the other three are definitely out. Any idea if it will be during the day or evening? -- Chuq 05:18, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
    • Although I have removed my names from the lists above, I should probably strike this out to make it clear I won't be attending - don't include my comments when deciding time/venue etc! -- Chuq 11:22, 1 November 2005 (UTC)
  • I would Also come if it was on a Saturday as it's a better time for me... with work and school commitments during the week it's would be hard for me to come to an after hours party. I would prefer a lunch date if it was on a Saturday though.. - Simsy
  • I would be available any of those days provided it's out of business hours. Adam 05:20, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
  • I would have come if available, and probably once I was 18, but I'll be in the last week of school for me then. I'l read the write-up thought. Hopefully some pictures too. Harro5 09:05, 18 November 2005 (UTC)
You're in night school? Surely you can climb out the window or something. Adam 09:33, 18 November 2005 (UTC)
  • I'm afraid I have to join the apologies. Work requires me to be in Canberra next week. Adam 05:28, 21 November 2005 (UTC)
  • Anh, thought that day would be free but have been sprung with a clash :( pde
  • Childcare has fallen through at the last minute. My apologies, I was looking forward so much to attending. So I guess I'll remain an online personality until the next organised meetup. --Takver 05:56, 29 November 2005 (UTC)

Comments

I will most probably come, all the dates seems to be fine with me abakharev 07:30, 5 November 2005 (UTC)

Unfortunately I'm only good for the Wednesday and the second Tuesday 29th - however i could make any day/time on the weekend. Mark Elliott 09:15, 8 November 2005 (UTC)

I should be able to come on Tuesday 29 Nov, but might be a little late as I have to put my daughter to bed. --Takver 16:22, 18 November 2005 (UTC)

Any chance, if this meetup is a success, of making the Melbourne meetup a regular (or semi-regular) event? - AmishThrasher 14:05, 19 November 2005 (UTC)

It would be a great idea. Let's look at all the Saturdays and the mid-week dates. The Sydney meetup has made certain things imperative, and we should discuss them all face to face. At least before Easter. --EuropracBHIT 05:24, 6 February 2006 (UTC).


See also

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