Wikipedia:Meetup/Philadelphia 3

Post meetup summary
11 attendees, about half of whom had been to a previous meetup; meetup lasted about 2.5 hours; although meetup was scheduled right next door to a major downtown event, seating and noise levels were not really a problem.

Unstructured discussion - mostly getting to know each other and discussion of general Wikipedia project topics. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. There was some evidence that Wikipedians are not generous tippers.

No city in the Americas has had more Wikipedia meetups than Philadelphia! (Seattle and NYC have also had three) Evrik volunteered to initiate the next meetup.

All users are invited to the upcoming Philadelphia area Wikipedia meetup. The purpose of the meetup is little other than to get together with people who share your interest in building the best encyclopedia ever. Don't be shy; the last meetup had casual users and well deeply involved users. It was fun and worthwhile and even ended up in the newspaper.


 * When: Sunday, March 4, 2007 @ 5 pm
 * Where: Independence Brew Pub in Center City, Philadelphia

By car
http://www.independencebrewpub.com/directions.html

By Public Transit
It's in the Reading Terminal at 13th and Market. The pub can be reached through public transit easily: Just get off of the 11th street stop of the Market-Frankford line or the Market East Station of the SEPTA Regional Rail. Then simply follow the signs to the "convention center" exit, take the escalator up the the first floor of the convention center, and it is right there on your right.

Other
Remember this will be Center City on a Sunday night. Expect parking to be practically unobtainable. However if you must, the Independence Brew Pub Website website provides a map and directions.

The pub itself has two entrances. The Market Street entrance is in the Reading Terminal Head House on Market Street, below the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The Filbert Street entrance is between 11th & 12th, across from Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market.

Want to help?
Here are some things that need to get done in order to make this meetup happen:
 * Put together good directions to the venue
 * Search for other local users that should be added to invite list.
 * Invite everone on the invite list below. Does anyone know how to do this without editing each talk page one-by-one?
 * I've started an invite template (here). Feel free to improve it and use it for inviting. ike9898 02:53, 28 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Volunteer to arrive early and grab a few choice tables (maybe not necessary??)
 * Why don't we make a reservation? --evrik (talk) 22:13, 28 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Let's wait until Saturday or Sunday for this so we have a decent idea of the number of people coming. ike9898 13:54, 1 March 2007 (UTC)
 * If you go upstairs at that time of day you won't have to worry about arriving early or anything --ChrissMari 00:37, 2 March 2007 (UTC)
 * Um, the Flower Show starts Sunday! This year's theme is "Legends of Ireland", might have some impact on a brew pub next door.--BillFlis 19:23, 2 March 2007 (UTC)
 * Just wondering, since I haven't met anyone yet, who to look/ask for on Sunday and whether there should be any trouble finding the table. Assuming there's a reservation, under whose name is it being made? -- Pas tri cide!   Non-absorbing 04:45, 4 March 2007 (UTC)
 * We just called about reservations since given the fact it might be busy.. Anyway they're not doing reservations today since it's the start of the flower show. I guess it's on a first come first serve basis. We should be there at 5 (we have to hit the Phila Museum of Art first but we'll be there on time) and we'll try to catch a table we'll tell the server that we're there for the wikipedia meetup so it should be easier for you guys to find us. See you all there. --ImmortalGoddezz & TexasDex

Do you plan to come?
Add your name to the appropriate list below

I'll be there!

 * 1) ike9898
 * 2) evrik
 * 3) TexasDex and ImmortalGoddezz
 * 4) "The nanotechnologist"
 * 5) ChrissMari 00:36, 2 March 2007 (UTC)
 * 6) Danntm

Maybe...

 * 1) South Philly - Looking doubtful. Sorry, I would have liked to meet you all. -South Philly 18:58, 4 March 2007 (UTC)
 * 2) More yes than no, but right now nothing is certain. CobaltBlueTony 14:09, 28 February 2007 (UTC)
 * 3) Medvedenko 22:00, 28 February 2007 (UTC) There is a wild card, but I'm pretty sure I'll be able to come.
 * 4) Snarfies 03:22, 1 March 2007 (UTC) Have to go help my father this weekend, not entirely sure what time I'll get back home.
 * 5) Just to be safe, though chances are about 80/20 that I can make it. This is my first meetup, so looking forward to meeting everyone. -- Chris, aka   Pas tri cide!   Non-absorbing 03:24, 1 March 2007 (UTC)
 * 6) Can't say I'll make it, but I'll try.  —CComMack (t–c) 09:30, 2 March 2007 (UTC)
 * 7) I hope so :) --Galaxiaad 09:44, 2 March 2007 (UTC)

Can't make it :(

 * 1) chiefsalsa How about May, when I am back in Philly?
 * 2) EaglesFanInTampa  Unfortunately, I'm baking in the "hot" (71°) Florida sun right now.  Around Memorial Day I might be up...sound good?
 * 3) GShton Once again I will have to miss this one :( Perhaps in June I will be available.
 * 4) PYLrulz Would love to, but 3 of the days are work days, and the other is Daytona 500 day, which I do not miss regardless of what is happening.  Sorry.
 * 5) Not available for those dates, but maybe a future time. alteripse 11:02, 23 February 2007 (UTC)
 * 6) Ruhrfisch Sorry, doesn't work for me, maybe a future meetup will work.
 * 7) Bjewiki Can't make it, but please invite me again in the future!...
 * 8) Triona - It's my regret to inform ya'll that I can't make it. Sorry. No transportation or money right now, or I'd love to be there. Maybe another time??? - Stephanie Daugherty (Triona) - Talk - Comment - 06:37, 2 March 2007 (UTC)
 * 9) soren.harward Sorry guys.  I thought I'd have the night open, but something else came up.  Another time.
 * 10) EdK Sorry. Another time.
 * 11) Feel like death. Hopefully next time. - CobaltBlueTony 21:46, 4 March 2007 (UTC)
 * 12) Sorry, couldn't make it... I'll make it to one of these. Kat Walsh (spill your mind?) 22:00, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

No, and please don't bother me with these in the future!

 * 1) JesseRafe 16:08, 1 March 2007 (UTC)

Past Philly meetups
Meetup/Philadelphia 2 Meetup/Philadelphia 1

Invite list
This is a list of users who should recieve an invitation when the details are settled. Please add any other local users you run across. If you no longer wish to be notified of these events, erase your name and move it to the second list, at the end of this section.

If you don't want to receive future mailings about Philadelphia meetups, add your name below.

Closed discussions

 * The following discussions are an archived debate. Please do not modify it. 

Proposed Date
This poll was open until February 13.

Please list your name below your preferred date. If you want to help find one date that works for almost everyone, please list all the dates you could attend.
 * With one day to go it looks like March 4. --evrik (talk) 20:29, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

Proposed Venue and Time
Suggestions?
 * What about the Nodding Head or McGillins in the afternoon/evening? --evrik (talk) 06:02, 13 February 2007 (UTC)
 * evening would be better for me (and TexasDex). I took a look at Nodding Head menu, that looks interesting and would have my vote (though slight protest, food at a pub 10 days before I turn 21?) I'd also be interested in Marathon Grill or the Rose Tattoo Cafe (though the latter is a bit more expensive). --ImmortalGoddezz 06:20, 13 February 2007 (UTC)
 * We won't tell. --evrik (talk) 19:10, 13 February 2007 (UTC)
 * I prefer late afternoon or early evening. I like some mellow time at home on Sunday night. Regarding venue, I think the place should be quiet enough to talk easily.ike9898 15:22, 13 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Independence Brew Pub at the Reading Terminal? --evrik (talk) 22:57, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
 * That sounds good to me. Is it safe to assume that on Sunday evening business there will be slow? (I rarely go out on Sunday night)  ike9898 15:08, 20 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Going once ... twice ... --evrik (talk) 22:52, 20 February 2007 (UTC)
 * I'm fine on the place. What's the time/date? - CobaltBlueTony 04:34, 21 February 2007 (UTC)
 * What about 4, 5 or 6 pm? --evrik (talk) 05:32, 21 February 2007 (UTC)
 * 5 pm. --South Philly 19:06, 21 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Since not many people have put their opinion on time or place, and it's not obvious to me what one has majority, venue and time now have voting enabled! --ImmortalGoddezz 03:07, 23 February 2007 (UTC)
 * This is coming up fast. We should finalize plans and put out invitations ASAP. I won't be able to give this much time, until possibly this evening.  Does anyone know of an efficient way to put out an invite to the long list of invitees below (without editing each talk page one by one?) ike9898 14:54, 27 February 2007 (UTC)

Proposed Time
Voting closed. Meetup will be at 5pm

Proposed Venue
Voting closed Comment: That bobble-head dude on the nodding head website is creepy.--TexasDex 04:22, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
 * You can put my vote under any place that is easy to get to on the regional rail. I'm a suburbanite and I don't really know where these places are. ike9898 16:15, 27 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Well, none of the three places are too hard to access by Regional Rail. Independence Brew Pub can be accessed from Market East Station without going outside, and the others are just a couple of blocks south of Suburban Station.-- danntm T C 00:41, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

Proposed agenda or topics

 * Do we have an idea of what we want to do? Another restaurant trip like last time?  Or something different, maybe somewhere where we can bring our laptops?  ;-)  --CComMack (t–c) 07:34, 9 February 2007 (UTC)
 * I like the idea of bringing laptops. Sometimes restaurants/coffeeshops will let you reserve a backroom for something like this if you know we'll have a certain number of people, and if it's on an off night (like Sunday). Also, one of the Free Library locations might be interested in hosting this. Might even get some new people invovled as a result. Waarmstr 16:28, 10 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Call me old fashioned, but I find web-surfing while meeting up with people equivalent to talking on your cell phone at the dinner table. Isn't the point of a meetup to have real world interaction with people you normally only interact with over the computer? ike9898 18:18, 10 February 2007 (UTC)
 * I don't care if we have a computer or two, but I think that the reason we meet is so we can talk and socialize. --evrik (talk) 15:38, 11 February 2007 (UTC)
 * I was hoping for some notes to come out of the last Meetup regarding directions to focus our work, or collaboration requests, etc. The one thing mentioned in the article was the topic of having contributors be approved before allowing edits. I'd like to see more creative ideas for how we can continue to build Wikipedia (e.g. image requests). Just when I think there is an article about everything I learn something new; British University of Dubai, and The Gospel of Food. Waarmstr 16:47, 10 February 2007 (UTC)
 * As far as collaborating on a particular project, I think that will be difficult. The only thing that all the people at the meetup will have in common is an interest in Wikipedia.  Evrik tried to rally support for the Philadelphia portal at the last meeting, but I don't think much came of that, partly because each user has his own interests.  The last meetup had no agenda that was apparent to me and that was fine.  ike9898 18:24, 10 February 2007 (UTC)
 * What about talking about a coordinator? --evrik (talk) 17:09, 11 February 2007 (UTC)