asterisk users - Jan 2009 - BerkeleyTIP - Hello, Introduction, Monthly Global GNU(Linux) BSD Free SW HW meeting

Hi everyone - I'm writing to introduce you to a monthly global
GNU(Linux) meeting you might be interested in attending.    :)  

It is the BerkeleyTIP Monthly Global GNU(Linux), BSD & All Free Software
& Hardware meeting.  The first Saturday of each month, SIMULTANEOUS
AROUND THE WORLD,  10 AM - 6 PM Pacific Time, USA = GMT -8 hours. 
Adjust for your local time zone.

I want to
let you all know about the meeting, & invite you to attend online.    :) 

This message is just brief introduction to what the meeting is about.

I'll follow this message with the Jan 3 Monthly announcement.


========================================================================= 
BERKELEY-TIP: WHAT IT IS, WHAT WE DO, YOU ARE INVITED  ======
BerkeleyTIP is the MONTHLY GLOBAL / world wide
GNU(Linux), BSD & all Free Software & Hardware MEETING.
SIMULTANEOUS around the world.
TIP = Talks, Installfest, Potluck & ProgrammingParty
http://groups.google.com/group/BerkTIPGlobal
[Click "Join this group" on the right page side to join the mail
list.]
The 1st Saturday of every month.

We are a bunch of friendly people.
We get together to LEARN, TALK, HELP, HAVE FUN,
& PRODUCE more FREE SOFTWARE.
And, wherever you are, you're invited.   :)  
Come to Berkeley, or join with us on line, using VOIP & IRC.
Beginner to Expert - Old to Young - Student, Working or Retired -
Male or Female - Everyone is INVITED & WELCOME.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO PROGRAM, OR BE A PROGRAMMER.
END USERS WELCOME TO LEARN, CHAT, GET INSTALL HELP, etc.
JOIN with the meeting FOR ALL OR JUST PART of the TIME.
JOIN with the meeting FOR ALL OR JUST SOME of the ACTIVITIES.

The meeting has parts that are:
Educational - Learn through viewing videos of TALKS about SW or HW
Productive  - INSTALLFEST - Help others install SW
              PROGRAMMING PARTY - Produce SW or HW
Social      - POTLUCK meal, & talking about anything online.


The meeting has:
1) A PHYSICAL MEETING LOCATION in Berkeley, California, USA, and
2) An ONLINE SIMULTANEOUS MEETING using VOIP & IRC, that people are
welcome to join from wherever they are.  People can join with the
meeting individually, from home or wherever.  Or, people can schedule a
local meeting simultaneous with BerkeleyTIP & each connect together with
the global simultaneous meeting.

The meeting is free, no charge to attend.

I began creating this meeting in June 2008, with a small amount of time
each month, as a contribution to the GNU(Linux), BSD & Free SW & HW
communities.  Each month I try to increase the # of groups I send
announcements to, so each month attendance build up.
This month I hope to add Asterisk & Ekiga lists.)


========================================================================= 
CONTENTS:
=====  1) IRC & VOIP Communication
=====  2) VIDEO Talks- Thanks to the videographers!
=====  3) ProgrammingParty = VOIP
=====  4) INSTALLFEST


=====  1) IRC & VOIP Communication
Join from home, or wherever you can get an IRC & VOIP connection.
Join by yourself, or with friends.
IRC: Freenode.net, Channel: #BerkeleyTIP
VOIP: Use Ekiga SW & a VOIP headset,
  Do an Ekiga loopback test before the meeting, to ensure your system
  works properly.
http://groups.google.com/group/BerkTIPGlobal/web/irc-voip
Join the IRC channel & we'll help you get set up on VOIP.


=====  2) VIDEO Talks - Thanks to the videographers!
Watch video recorded talks relating to all kinds of free SW & HW.

Download the videos the day or night before, so your connection is free
for VOIP, not consumed by the video download. Videos are typically
100 MB - 1 GB.
http://groups.google.com/group/BerkTIPGlobal/web/videos


=====  3) ProgrammingParty = VOIP
There are two kinds of ProgrammingParty - Directed, & individual.

The Directed PP is where everyone works on one common project.
The Individual is where everyone works on their own projects, either by
themselves or with a group of other people.

As of Jan 2009 the Directed PP is to improve the VOIP system for the
meeting.

Jan 2009:
We'll work on learning about the Ekiga & Asterisk software. Goal is to
improve the SW or config to improve aspects of VOIP for the BTIP meeting
- more end user info, details about the connection, communication
between client & server, & server admin interface.


=====  4) INSTALLFEST
People help each other get software installed on computers.

====================================================================I invite you
to attend the meeting.    :)

What questions do you have?    :)