For the past couple of years, SFPUG has tried (stress on "tried") to share our meetups and talks with the world via streaming and archival video. At first, this was wonderful because it allowed folks without a good local user group to tune in and participate, among other things helping launch our Beijing PUG. This is now coming to an end because it is simply too hard to do, and nobody is stepping up to make it happen.
First, we have the issue that there simply aren't good platforms for streaming for a low-budget nonprofit anymore. JustinTV is off the air, Ustream has scads of obnoxious ads which interrupt the talk (or costs $100/month for "pro"), and Google Hangouts on Air simply don't work. For proof of the latter, try to watch to the end of this presentation. Alternatives requires setting up your own streaming website gateway and video archives, and I simply don't have time.
And there we're getting to the big reason why SFPUG video will stop: nobody has volunteered to do it. I have my hands full scheduling and running the meetings. I've called for video volunteers from the meetup group, but nobody has stepped forwards. So, no more video.
That out of the way, we will be reposting a bunch of archival videos from JustinTV onto YouTube. Announcements when they're all up.
I did enjoy watching several meetings, but I agree that you can't do everything, and it is best to avoid things that can't be done well.
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ReplyDeleteI've organized the FOSSGIS conference last year (with 360 participants) and the 1st Swiss Postgres Conference this year. So I can understand this decision.
ReplyDeleteBut I also wonder why nobody mentions a simple alternative: Publishing slides!? That's what we've done before like here http://www.postgres-conference.ch/schedule/