March 26-28, 2010
Meeting for the Organizing Committee (OC) of the USSF
Taken from OC Notes
- where we're at/what we need:
- we're at beginning stages of this process [next call is supposed to cover. - need more media folks to come on the calls to develop the center - have had some good convos between ICT and comms, are in a better place - we have the historical view of what the center was: there was a professionals section, a computer area, then there was an upstairs spot where folks were programming. had 30 computers last time wired to the same system, all used linux system. hunch this time is that there will be more non-professional folks. - alfredo: determined we should open up a second media server for ussf video. [what does that mean? the server is a souped up computer which holds data and delivers it when needed. to do one for video would mean much more storage for videos, possibly a higher level of performance. would include plenary sessions. - youth told alfredo they want their own section and their own space of computers. - youth rep says they haven't talked about computers - daily newspaper at the forum. at WSF it's called Terra Viva. could start with critical moment framework. could print 5-10k daily. would be a way for everything to hook up. could publish in 2 languages [not translating but just producing in diff languages]...in fact terra viva might already be planned for this forum. what would the budget be for this? who would staff it? - could talk about controversies from 07 which could be useful
- UPDATE on HISTORY:
controversy: - press badges. having folks register for press badges and then not be allowed into PMC if they didn't have official badges. - tension between professional and non-professional media in terms of space - tension between ppl with laptops vs without computers. how many stations are we going to set up with power/ethernet vs stations with computers at them - space issue created a controversy with one group - PMC ended up in a back room up 3 stairs in a series of rooms. tech worked to make the best of it, this group didn't respond well and ended up doing trainings in the space, taking over another space, etc.
- THIS TIME AROUND:
- has been very collaborative. ICT/Comms have committed not to take over the space. All creating the principles. - no press passes. everyone's media, everyone has a story to tell. - talked about having a space set aside for youth so they don't get pushed aside, trumped. - we will have a separate live room for interviews and press briefings. - Free Speech wants to cover the whole thing. If Democracy Now wants to do it what do we do? [they broadcast early] - emergency folks come on.
- RESOURCES:
- 100 computers from Chicago - 50 from Aspiration/Ruckus - we have a crew from SF that does mesh networking...keeps us from having server crashes. - hotels, WCCC, etc. - 100 people on the writers network list. hope at least 25 of them come.
- NEEDS:
- in Atl we were running around last minute for surge protectors etc. Need to double check that we have - internet connectivity has free wireless access which could get slammed. in ATL we got 4 DSL lines. - will need tables and chairs in the space - storage space and a work space before the ussf. from early june. need to store computers possibly as early as a few weeks. may need to rent a van to take computers between spaces. - to assess what software needs to be on the computers [final cut? media editing software? Image, Audio, Video Editing. the image and audio stuff that's free and open source is really good, folks are using it already. the video editing software thats free and open source is not so great yet. folks who bring their own computers will likely have their own software. folks who are coming and wanting to try for the first time. [opinion - have a couple with final cut pro on it] - to shape the radical reference and aspirations trainings [with a youth rep] - the online PMC - where is that going to live? [in 2007 the blog fed to the front page and that jacked up how many folks were blogging. could intercept it with twitter, fb, etc.]
- BIG QUESTIONS:
- are we going to put out major $ for software we don't politically believe in. [youth could have that as a part of their process] - will we have wireless access in every ussf space? goal is YES. limitation is a) electrical outlets, b) points where we have internet access coming in? is there a way to connect at hart plaza...are we allowed to? same for hush house, etc.
- UPDATES:
- how can we have folks donate equipment and funds to support this thru different funding networks
- TO DO:
- need an appeal letter for PMC by Wednesday - test run of mesh network [at cobo, at ussf village space] - talk to Terra Viva to see if they are planning to print at USSF [see critical moment framework, have a way that blogs are feeding into a central space] - see if we can get a tickertape that shows the titles of new pieces going up. - recruit more people for the PMC - map OUR media. reach out to the documentation and eval group. - reach out to local media. - ussf media....