Is it time for a Maxima Users Conference? San Jose CA

I cannot go to California, but I would listen to a webinar or web meeting, 
even if I could only just listen (and not be able to talk since I don't have 
a microphone attached to my pc anyway).

Rich

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Steve Haflich" <smh at franz.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 06, 2009 6:26 PM
To: "Robert Dodier" <robert.dodier at gmail.com>
Cc: "Richard Fateman" <fateman at cs.berkeley.edu>; "Maxima List" 
<maxima at math.utexas.edu>
Subject: Re: [Maxima] Is it time for a Maxima Users Conference? San Jose CA

> Robert Dodier <robert.dodier at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>   On Fri, Dec 4, 2009 at 8:57 AM, Richard Fateman 
> <fateman at cs.berkeley.edu> wrote:
>
>   Hmm, that could be fun. I'm in Colorado so going to SJ is no big deal.
>   I'd be happy to send off a short proposal to have a Maxima workshop.
>   Who is interested to attend? (no commitment necessary)
>   What kinds of stuff should we cover?
>   Of course, if someone else would like to make the proposal,
>   I won't stop you.
>
> I'm not in any way against a Maxima meeting, but I'd like to make a
> counter proposal (having just returned to the San Francisco Bay Area)
> from a conference in central Europe).
>
> When Macsyma was first started, it was _the_ important project in
> computer mathemtics, and had adequate funding.  Forty years later,
> Macsyma is dead and Maxima is an unfunded open-source project.
>
> A Maxima meeting would be wonderful, but I fear that many deserving
> developers and users who ought attend would not be able.
>
> I can't promise (because I haven't cleared it with anyone) but Franz has
> a GotoMeeting subscription that allows us to schedule internet meetings
> for free.  We use it several times a week for technical meetings and
> about monthly for online webinars.  I'm pretty sure I could organize a
> meeting with shared audio and desktops that would cost nothing for
> attendees with somewhat reliable and robust internet connections.
>
> This could be used for independent meetings, if the community felt that
> periodic voice meetings would provide things the mailing list does not,
> or if the proposed physical meeting happened, member who could not
> attend physically might be able to participate in some sessions via
> GotoMeeting.
>
> I don't feel my marginal involvement in Maxima allows me to to argue
> about the best meeting forum, but if the community can discuss and come
> to a conclusion, I'll try to make my offer stick.  (Franz Inc. was
> founded a quarter century ago as a UC Berkeley spinoff from a project to
> provide a free platform for Macsyma.  Franz owes Maxima a little...)
>
> Steven M. Haflich <smh at franz.com>
> Franz Inc., Oakland CA
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