I recently attended my first Drupal User Group (DUG) meeting in Washington, DC. That night, a bunch of Drupal users and coders met at a coffee shop to chat and code, something that's been happening all over the world. I think it's about time we start doing something similar for Opera users. Thus, I propose the establishment of an Opera User Group (OUG) in the Washington, DC metro area.
As Opera users, there's a lot we can learn from each other. Every person I've talked to uses Opera differently. I'd like for an OUG to be a place where users young and old can come together and teach each other things about Opera and figure out ways to make Opera better. For instance, we could discuss ways we can promote Opera, give some tutorials on using Opera features, discuss bugs and test cases, talk about feature requests, etc. There's also plenty of customizations we can do, like making and sharing widgets, User JS, skins, menus, toolbars, and keyboard shortcuts.
If you're in the Baltimore-Washington area and you're interested in getting together with some Opera users, I'd like to know what you want to get out of such a meeting and where we might meet. One warning: I am not doing this to lecture about Opera, talk about internal information, or anything like that. I have a unique perspective into the Opera world and a lot I can bring to the table, but this is not a company-sponsored event. This is meeting by Opera users for Opera users.
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Great idea
Count me in. I'm glad you brought this up, I was actually thinking about this idea a little while back. You beat me to the punch.
Cool. I figured you'd be on
Cool. I figured you'd be on board. Do you have any ideas of what you'd like to get out of such an event or where we should go?
Like you said in your post,
Like you said in your post, there are lots of new stuff we can all learn from each other. Having these groups will not only help Opera users discover and learn more about the browser, but it will also help Opera, the company, learn a bit more about its real users. Having you, Tim, there, will give us Opera users a direct line of feedback to Opera. Opera can view at this as a focus group.
These groups would perhaps also give the opportunity for local media and serious bloggers to learn more about Opera products.
One point to note, that if one joins for the purpose of marketing opera, that they don't get bored with the more 'geeky' stuff. We have to strike a balance of issuses discussed at these meetings that will be geared to many different types of audiences.
I think it's also important to remember with these kinds of groups, it's not the quantity that counts, but rather the quality. Even if only 5-10 people show up, if these people are influential each in their own way, the effect will ripple to a bigger audience.
One way to get people to come is to showcase of of Opera's newest technologies.
Tim, we can talk a lot more in detail about this next week in person.
Minneapolis/St. Paul
How about the Minneapolis St. Paul (Minnesota) area?
I'm in Rochester MN, but would be willing to drive up on occasion for something
Someone in that area (you,
Someone in that area (you, for instance ;)) could certainly organize a similar event, but I would not be able to do so.
lol
Of course! ha... I'm sorry. I meant that to be a "hey, that's a good idea, anyone else in my area?" kinda thing.
I'm sorry, I was just chiming in with a "me too" while you had everyones attention.
No worries.
No worries. :)
North Bethesda
Good idea! I live near Grosvenor metro station (red line)... ;)
BTW Tim, I can't find your location on Opera blogs world map...
I thought I added it just
I thought I added it just the other day.... I'll take another look.
So, what would you want to do at such a meeting?
Now I see your location...
For first meeting I would propose:
Suggestion to Take This Worldwide
Tim, it's a great idea (and I live in the Allentown, PA area - about 50 miles north of Philly - if anyone is interested in setting up an OUG in this area). Thinking along the lines that perhaps more Opera users check out the Opera Community than this particular blog (no! say it ain't so! ;-) ), maybe that would be a good place to offer the OUG idea worldwide?
Yep, the Opera Community is
Yep, the Opera Community is the next step. I wanted to see if there was interest and maybe get some ideas here first before heading over there.
OK, here's an idea...
OUGs with, say, 4-5+ users are "officially recognized" by Opera Software, and O/S execs or developers have video chats with them on an "OUG channel" once every 6 months or once per quarter.
We could certainly have
We could certainly have guest speakers. Logistics could be a bit weird considering the time difference, but we'd figure it out.