Wikipedia:Meetup/NYC/December 2006

Come join us in New York City, meet fellow Wikipedians and whomever they decide to bring along (some of us might have dates...rule #1: don't hit on someone else's date). The date is set ... please let us know if you will or might be joining us.

Note: see this page's history for older NYC meetups dating back to 2004.

Who, What, Where, When, and How?

 * What? : WikiMeetup New York City
 * When? : Saturday, 9 December 2006 at 5:00 p.m. (17:00) to whenever.
 * Where? : Cucina Vivolo (Italian restaurant)
 * 222 East 58th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenue)
 * Manhattan, New York City, New York United States 10022
 * Phone (212) 308-0222
 * Menu and details: here


 * Who? : Anyone who is interested.
 * How? : That's up to you to decide...but my recommendation...by any means necessary. See Meetup/NYC/Directions for ideas.

How to get there
See Meetup/NYC/Directions

Likely attendees
If you are interested in coming, add your name below to whichever section best describes your RSVP with # ~.


 * 1) ExplorerCDT 21:47, 5 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 2) UtherSRG (talk) 04:40, 6 November 2006 (UTC) - I'll be coming in after work, but on Saturdays I get off in the early afternoon, so I'm game for anything.
 * 3) I'm in Manhattan so it works for me. Newyorkbrad 15:23, 6 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 4) Uncle Ed 12:50, 8 November 2006 (UTC) Any location is okay.
 * 5) Mak (talk)  22:12, 9 November 2006 (UTC) Don't mind where.
 * 6) - crz crztalk 17:14, 15 November 2006 (UTC) But I'll be coming in late, owing to Shabbat. Should be able to make it by 7:00...
 * 7) TheMightyHerculesTMH 19:32, 15 November 2006 (UTC), - (newbie) who lives in Manhattan.
 * 8) And maybe Gmaxwell too. Kat Walsh (spill your mind?) 21:34, 17 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 9) Yes. --Gmaxwell 21:45, 8 December 2006 (UTC)
 * 10) Joseph Reagle 22:09, 17 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 11) Count me in, though depending on which train I'm able to catch I may arrive more towards 6-ish (hopefully no later). --RobthTalk 07:02, 18 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 12) I will try to come in. Danny 04:05, 19 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 13) Danny will unfortunately not be coming. --Gmaxwell 21:45, 8 December 2006 (UTC)
 * 14) I'll be there. Kafziel Talk 14:35, 21 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 15) Yeah, I can take a Manhattanbound train.--Pharos 02:27, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 16) I will try to be there. I want to bring my camera and contribute photos of the event. (newbie) --Elaine Hudson ManhattanLady 12:32, 26 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 17) I will be there. I think I'll take the train. Jd2718 04:42, 6 December 2006 (UTC)
 * 18) Let's drink beer and talk about how great Wikipedia is (and talk about my pet idea, a Wikimedia Foundation running club for this city's many fine running events.) Paul 03:23, 29 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 19) Jamiew 17:51, 6 December 2006 (UTC)
 * 20) ragesoss 03:30, 8 December 2006 (UTC)
 * 21) Planning to (so far). — Omegatron 02:57, 6 November 2006 (UTC)

Possible attendees
If you are interested in coming, add your name below to whichever section best describes your RSVP with # ~.


 * 1) Depends on what I have going on that week. What, no Indian restaurants? – ClockworkSoul 23:13, 5 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 2) I'm in NYC many weekends, possibly this one.  Why 5pm?  Later, such as, I might be late, arriving around 5:30 or 6pm. --Aude (talk) 23:18, 5 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 3) Was planning to be in the country that weekend, but it is still possible. Would like to be there. Doc &#9836; talk 01:55, 6 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 4) -- Ssilvers 21:04, 6 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 5) Probably. JamesMLane t c 01:41, 7 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 6) An excuse to go to NYC, eh? I'll try to get there, but anyone have a couch? -- SB_Johnny |talk|books 16:29, 8 November 2006 (UTC) -- Have a truly evil cold, no partying for me :( -- SB_Johnny |talk|books
 * 7) It's a Saturday, it's New York City, so why not?  ★ MESSED  ROCKER ★  03:03, 9 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 8) I'll arrange some sort of transportation. Thunderhead (talk)
 * 9) ^  demon [yell at me] 04:04, 13 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 10) with ^demon if so, caphis 04:08, 13 November 2006 (UTC) Can't make it. :( Caphis 02:39, 28 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 11) Will try to make it in from Jersey. --CBD 17:47, 15 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 12) I have other engagements that day, but I may be free in time. Choess 18:16, 15 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 13) I don't know what my schedule looks like that day, but if I'm free I'll come.  --Kbdank71 20:16, 15 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 14) Depends on a) work b) a poker tournament I'm going to that weekend, or c) paranoia.  --Jeffrey O. Gustafson - Shazaam! - &lt;*&gt; 13:23, 16 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 15) I might come along, may be in northern Vermont though. Gwernol 16:54, 19 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 16) This is the possible list, right? Jd2718 05:27, 27 November 2006 (UTC) (see above)
 * 17) CoolGuy, 40% chance as of 14:24, 27 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 18) I may come up; if I do, Semisomna will be with me.  --CComMack (t–c) 13:47, 30 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 19) I might be interested, if I can bring my son and I don't have anything else going on. Daniel Case 05:13, 7 December 2006 (UTC)

Regrets
If you cannot come but wanted to and now want to send your best...add your name below to whichever section best describes your RSVP with # ~. We might invite you next time!
 * 1) Benje309 03:30, 6 November 2006 (UTC) Sorry! I will be in Boston that weekend. Have a good time!
 * 2) Even though my permanent address is on Long Island, I am currently a student at Carnegie Mellon University, and I won't be able to return home until 12/19 or 12/20. Scobell302 07:33, 6 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 3) I'm performing a violin concert that day :-( — Mets501 (talk) 02:31, 7 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Grr, just a week later and I would be back in New York in time. --Rory096 18:05, 18 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 1) I doubt it, due to it being on a Saturday, which means I wouldn't even be able to leave home until after nightfall and all. :( -- Avi 02:24, 21 November 2006 (UTC)
 * What do you mean? Nightfall is early this time of year, and you can show up latyer than the starting time. ★ MESSED  ROCKER ★  02:46, 28 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 1) Unfortunately, will be out of town (on Wikibreak, incidentally).  Next time! -Seidenstud 06:01, 12 December 2006 (UTC)

Things to do in New York before the meetup

 * Danny will be holding a pre-meetup at the American Museum of Natural History at 2pm.
 * You can visit American Museum of Natural History, at 79th Street and Central Park West. For the permanent exhibits, pay-what-you-will, like the Met. "Suggested" Admission: Adult $14.00, Child $8.00, Seniors and students $10.50. The planetarium and special exhibits cost more.
 * See a 1:00 p.m. (13:00) matinee performance of Mozart's opera Idomeneo at the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center. Get tickets for as cheap as $10. here.
 * You could stop by St. Thomas Church on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street for the 4:00 p.m. (16:00) Choral Evensong service featuring Anglican church music performed by the men of the Choir of Men and Boys...music of Tallis and Mundy. Free.
 * St. Patrick's Cathedral 50th and 5th Ave.
 * Sak's Fifth Avenue department store across the street from St. Patrick's. Pretty fancy.
 * Rockefeller Center. Has shopping, a 66th Floor observatory and NBC studios tour.
 * Empire State Building...$16 for adults, $14 for seniors and kids 12-17, $10 for kids 6-11, military members in uniform and toddlers...free.
 * Walk around in Central Park. Even rent a bike.
 * Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue at East 82nd Street. While there is a "suggested admission" fee, you can get in for free.  I usually give them a quarter.
 * Frick Collection a smaller art museum with great old masters. More accessible than the huge Met and only 11 blocks from the meet up.
 * Visit 5th Avenue between 49th St. and 57th St. Fancy retail and interesting architecture.  Trump Tower, Bergorf Goodman's dept. store, etc.
 * Visit Madison Avenue shopping district North of 57th Street. Designer and local upscale stuff.
 * Watch the homeless walk around Penn Station (which most of you from Jersey will probably come into the city through).
 * Visit Times Square.
 * Find new things to put on Wikipedia in the New York Public Library's main (Humanities and Social Sciences) building, located on Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd Streets. Hang out in Bryant Park behind the library, free WiFi so you can work on Wikipedia before meetup. Free one-hour tours of the library building at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Free ice skating all day! (You can rent skates and a locker, but bring your own combination lock!)
 * Go shopping on Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue in Midtown or in SoHo.
 * Visit the former World Trade Center site.
 * Buy knock-offs of designer handbags or expensive watches along Canal Street (Manhattan) in Chinatown
 * Take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry: great views of the harbor and the Statue of Liberty, free, beer served on board (not free).
 * For free (to look at) contemporary art, check out the galleries in Chelsea, Manhattan usually there are good things to see between 10th and 11th Ave. and 20-26th St., while you're there you can check out General Theological Seminary's grounds and chapel. There's also good food in the neighborhood.

Attendees of record

 * User:Gmaxwell
 * User:Mindspillage
 * - crz crztalk
 * User:jd2718
 * User:danson Hi, guys! I'm Dan, and I was the newbie who was there to find out more about Wikipedia. (I was there with Jeff, the other guy I'm working on a new startup idea with.) I hope I didn't step on anyone's toes in my eagerness to learn how things work around there. It's was very nice meeting you all! (By the way, this doesn't seem like the right place to be introducing myself, but I didn't know where else. Let me know where to move the introduction part, and I'll post it there.)
 * Jeff, see above.
 * Messedrocker
 * Reagle
 * ExplorerCDT
 * Ed Poor
 * Robth
 * Kafziel
 * Makemi
 * ragesoss
 * Aude
 * JamesMLane
 * CComMack
 * Irpen
 * User:Semisomna
 * User:Pharos
 * User:CoolGuy
 * User:THN
 * User:DrGanzo

Things discussed

 * Learning curve and 'complexity shock' for new users.
 * Infobox at the top of most articles scares people away when they hit edit. (User:Makemi)
 * Cite.php reftags used extensively can do the same for section edits. (User:Gmaxwell)
 * These problems are most often found on our best articles, which would ideally be the easiest to edit. (User:Ed Poor)


 * Toolserver is broken (again)
 * Discussed toolserver in general, and the problems meeting the needs of enwikipedians specifically. Discussed the possibility for an enwiki targed toolserver.
 * There was some discussion about interesting reporting, so User:Gmaxwell has setup a page to collect request for reports on a subpage of his commons userpage.


 * Editing Wikimedia projects for community service
 * Discussed ways to organize community service work and groups that might want to participate (e.g., National Honors Society).