Freedom LAN 3

[El Presidente]

The guys are currently working on FL3.

Steven and I talked about when it should be, right now it looks like the weekend of June 7th would be best.

We hope to have fixed our problems from LAN #2, power, tables etc.

Also, we have a new arrangement:

If you volunteer for 8 hours, you get to play the rest of your time for free. We need two volunteers for each 8-hour stretch, so there's six spots in all. You also get a free t-shirt to wear while you are "on duty". This t-shirt will also make it easier for players to spot whose arse they should kick when things go pear shaped.

Hopefully it will mean that people don't feel underappreciated and ripped off when they are asked to pay the $10 after giving us lots of help (which apparently was the case at FL2 for some people).

The two volunteer spots are drinks/money/security and power/network/techs.

I am hoping also that we will host our own rego page this time. It will include an option to apply to volunteer. Aravi has been working on it as our uber-1337 Technologies & Information Systems Officer.


We are very keen in the ULC to reward and look after our volunteers. Without volunteers we have "jacques sh*t", so to speak, with sh*t on its way out the door.

We'll be looking at other ways to help volunteers in future. Right now I'm gearing up to appoint a Member Development & Volunteers Officer, whose job it would be to make sure that our volunteers are happy and can get all the training they need in any area of relevance.

[El Presidente]

Well now that DGA21 has been put in for June 7-8, I guess that Freedom LAN #3 is "on hold" again.

To be honest with you I am disappointed. We work hard to do our thing and we have never done anything to provoke or annoy DGA. We do our best to be friendly and helpful. We loan our network fabric, I personally give advice on associations law and we have always had a policy of getting out of DGA's way when they run a weekend.

But if DGA is going to run a LAN every fortnight, then I'm sorry, the agreement isn't tenable for the Club. DGA is not my first concern: I was elected by the members of the ULC to represent their interest, according to our constitution. I am directly accountable to my members.

I hope that something positive can come from this. Clackers, I would like to talk to you about exactly where you see DGA going, because if I am to represent my member's best interests, I need to have a reliable framework in which to frame the Freedom LANs. If I am unsure of DGA's plans or - and this is what is most disturbing me - unsure of DGA's motives, then it's going to make my life more difficult and things in the Darwin gaming community unnecessarily and wastefully catty.

I hate realpolitik. I hate scheming. I hate looking at things and wondering if it's begun to happen. I hate having to play politics against the "home side", but if becomes a thing to do in the interest of my members, I will be so engaged.

Let's all do the sensible thing. Let's work out who's doing what, and why, and do so with complete openness and honesty. And a little earlier, please! :P

[BrAiN DaNcE]

Frankly I dont see why we cant have the FL on the 31st-1st weekend...


Just my 2c

[rec]

http://www.gamers-underground.com/ph...amp;highlight=

As I explained in that post, this conflict was not diliberate, there is no conspiracy here. There is no motive for these clashes, we are not aiming to make your life harder.

We have no doubt you work hard to get things organised. We won't be running a LAN every fortnight (rather once a month). In regards to where we would like to be taking DGA exactly, this unfortunately is not possible. While I'm sure talks on some level to lift the level of awareness and co-operation, sharing our plans in detail with another organisation in the same business probably isn't the path we'd be inclined to take.

I don't think there will be a problem with handing over our "schedule", being the list of future dates that our LANs will be held, but of course this list would be kept with you in confidence, and Clackers would definately be the man to speak to about that.

[Knight Of Nih]

well they could BUT i think the turnout wont bee too good cause i know peopel liek to ahve breaks between lans liek at least a week

[El Presidente]

rec http://www.gamers-underground.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9940&highlight= As I explained in that post, this conflict was not diliberate, there is no conspiracy here. There is no motive for these clashes, we are not aiming to make your life harder.

It was probably rash of me to jump in with claims of conspiracy. I guess I've been in politics too long. Already. Gah.

We have no doubt you work hard to get things organised. We won't be running a LAN every fortnight (rather once a month).

Cool.

In regards to where we would like to be taking DGA exactly, this unfortunately is not possible. While I'm sure talks on some level to lift the level of awareness and co-operation, sharing our plans in detail with another organisation in the same business probably isn't the path we'd be inclined to take.

We're not in "the same business". DGA is a monthly Big Event LAN, whereas we look at the casual weekend gamer. DGA is probably trying to hook up to a large LAN group like Cyberathletes, we aren't. DGA is not politically involved, aware or interested. We are. DGA's money is spent on switches, computers and such; but ours is spent on switches and books and campaigns and posters and all sorts of things any of our members can ask about.

We are not in the "same line of business". Freedom LANs are a way for us to raise revenue and memberships. We have deliberately not competed with DGA because this makes the entire enterprise a marginal proposition, and because it is wasteful for both DGA and us. And the average gamer would be a net loser in such a situation.

Anyway, if we were "in business", we'd be in deep sh*t trouble for breaching the Trade Practises Act. I have personally discussed timing (apparently without success), non-competition and pricing of services with you. If we were legally in business, the ACCC would have every power to take all of us apart.

I don't think there will be a problem with handing over our "schedule", being the list of future dates that our LANs will be held, but of course this list would be kept with you in confidence, and Clackers would definately be the man to speak to about that.

If it has to be in confidence, that's fine. Just a heads-up would be nice.

[El Presidente]

BrAiN DaNcE Frankly I dont see why we cant have the FL on the 31st-1st weekend... Just my 2c

I'll talk to Steven. I'm sure you're right.


*sighs*

My temper is the enemy of me.

[rec]

You're right, I'm not politically aware or interested, probably why I see us "in the same business". You run a LAN, we run a LAN, that is the bottom line in my eyes, where the funds go or what audience we're targeting is all too deep for me. *grin

Thanks for the response.

[El Presidente]

rec You're right, I'm not politically aware or interested, probably why I see us "in the same business". You run a LAN, we run a LAN, that is the bottom line in my eyes, where the funds go or what audience we're targeting is all too deep for me. *grin

If you look at it that way, then here's how I'd put it.

For DGA, you have a higher rental overhead and more capital. You need to spend more on expenses and your surplus on capital.

For us, we have lower rent and less capital. We have lower expenses, and we don't need to spend all of our surplus on capital, so we can spend it on the library, travel subsidies, BBQs and so on.

If we were really competing with DGA, then we'd drop the deference on DGA weekends, move into a bigger room, buy more and better equipment and then drop our prices below DGA's.

But because, as I said, we're not in the same business, it makes no sense to do any of those things.

Thanks for the response.

You too. You calmed me down. Not just a pretty face.

[Milenko]

Jacques, if you can hold a "DGA Quality" LAN on a diff weekend than DGA, i will be there with bells ON

But if i still have to carry the tables for you from a building 400meters away, or have to wait for 1 hour AFTER the said opening time, for the venue to open, it aint gonna happen buddy