Marc Farnum Rendino wrote:
Folks -
Sounds great! Some additional ideas to throw into the mix:
1) It may well make sense to have multiple sites; perhaps start with
*both* Burlington and Montpelier.
And with multiple sites, there is the added benefit of distance/remote
projects, driven by both need and availability. Need: Some group
functions would/could of course require participation of both sites.
Availability: Projects that some of us may want to work on, need
multiple sites. Drive it from both directions.
I'd like to expand on this concept further. One of the most critical
problems Vermont faces with regard to ease in growing any business is
our geography. In a word, mountains.
As has been pointed out earlier Flint hates traveling in the winter
because he's experienced a rollover. He's not the only one and it is
indeed a life-changing experience. Unless you're lucky enough to have
direct interstate access to your destination anywhere you go in the
state is a long trip.
So to take off on the multiple sites idea I'd propose that if it is
worth pursuing this idea then it is worth pursuing the concept of
multiple small locations scattered around the state rather than only
two. Then of course the next step to make them viable as a collective
entity is that we need to setup the proper collaboration tools and
infrastructure.
If people are willing to expand this beyond the scope of Burlington and
Montpelier then I'd be willing to help out with providing a place to
host a set of web-based software tools. For me this is critical to the
things that I'd like to achieve. I'm too far away from almost everyone
for it to be practical to physically show up in most places in the state
but I have no shortage of project ideas and business connections that
could be used to provide some focused creative direction that could
actually result in the participants making a buck. I figure that's not a
bad thing...
2) As far as money is concerned: There is a great deal of grant money
available for example:
<http://www.cra.org/ccc/docs/init/Unleashing.pdf>
And we have our own VT EPSCoR <http://www.uvm.edu/EPSCoR/>
With more grant opportunities coming, via ARRA/stimulus
<http://www.recovery.gov/>.
I've started to dip my toe into grant-writing; do we have any other
grant-writers?
The idea being that the grant gets the project running, with some time
to ramp up longer-term funding, such as sponsorship, dues (ex: sliding
scale, to encourage everyone), etc.
- Marc
I'd really like to see that grant money be applied for the greatest
common good of the state's technical community. Traditionally investment
has been repeatedly made in the places where it is easiest to find a
return rather than in the places that need it most. That makes sense for
a conventional business based on loans, angel investors, and so forth. A
grant, however, can provide the opportunity to break out of that
stifling mold that benefits those who need it least.
Presumably what we're all about here is some concept of freedom to use
the best tools available, in the best ways available, and to have some
fun doing it. Otherwise we'd use Windows. Ugh.
We really have a strong community of technologists here in the state.
Far more of us than meets the eye and many are in odd locations outside
of the main population centers. I see this as an opportunity to enable
getting some leverage on that talent base, establishing a virtual
collaborative environment without par, and leading the way in breaking
new ground regarding the ability of physically separate groups to
collaborate.
Dan
