End of Term 1 Meeting Minutes

Posted on 30th December 2022

Agenda

  • Term 1 Debrief?
  • Tech
    • New Server Recap
    • Organisation going forward
    • Tech team?
    • What to do with dust2
  • Ball?
    • Who helping?
    • When? Term 3 W2/3
    • DCS involvement?
    • Location & Theme
  • WASD
    • Feb 11-12th
    • Who’s around?
    • Any organizers?
  • Academic
    • LTs debrief?
    • Talks next term
    • Workshops/courses?
    • Freshers Event
  • Treasurer review
  • Term 2 timetable
    • Socials
    • Academic events
      • Qube x UWCS Challenge
      • G-research

Minutes

  • Migrate exec-priv to forum channel now we have those?

Tech

  • New website work vaguely started
    • Zola, Alex has started some bits a while back
    • Brendan interested in helping
  • Treasurer Report: still a lot of money

Servers

  • Localtoast is our new server!
  • Spent less than expected on servers
  • Can sell on spare bits of servers
  • Spent quite a bit on cameras
  • Upgrade existing somewhat (RAM to dust2 and berillyum at least)

Overall server plan as it stands

  • Lovelace is gateway server - dns, ports, ldap
  • Hopper & milner: general shell account stuff?
  • Berillyum: exec stuff in containers
  • Dust2: screwing around with
  • Localtoast: Members stuff, containers, etc.

Tech Team

  • We now have wiki - access is cursed for now
  • Build new PC - workshop?
    • Change PSU on Big O
    • Small form factor? - bit more interesting to build & cupboard space
  • Progcomp marker - update, dockerize
    • Dockerize and open source things for dcspkg and apollo - Joey
    • Qube prog comp next term? - we get them to write a couple, include the actually good ones
  • Gonna wipe old servers - announce migrate off soon & wipe W1

Academic

  • Leo wants to do a full talk - ideally not the same as last time
    • What weeks can Leo do?
  • Accenture interested in another talk - in person this time
    • Only if something actaully interesting and tech
    • But unlikely
    • (started a bit of a sponsor diversion)
  • Ask G-Research about a talk and NLP Challenge
  • Approach Rebellion approach in spring
    • have had contact - get for unreal course?
  • Keegan & Game Design Unreal course
    • Brendan to maybe help
    • Weeks 3-7 maybe - Needs to learn unreal before writing course
    • Will be more blueprint stuff than C++ (later weeks)
  • Lighting talk W3 & 8 - have some people already
  • Blue Orchid (end of term meal place) was vaguely interested in some sponsor or student deals or something
    • Maybe we say end of term meals there for discount? or general discount % off for members?
  • More careers stuff - ask boomers for talks
  • 3rd yp talks towards end of term
  • Chemsoc comp bio talk - in return for chemcafe? - @Keegan Rimmington
  • Chemcafe - not actually that many people interested in Python stuff there
    • Should have as separate session next time
    • Will do physcafe next term
    • Have our own compcafe? See later
  • Joey talked to Piotr about CodeSoc mini Java course
    • Looked [REDACTED]
    • Joey wants to do a couple of talks on some useful stuff for waffles replacement
    • Talk to Richard? or someone else related to CS126 for advice or help
  • Other possible ideas (talk/workshop):
    • Podman/docker talk @Skiros
    • Assembly (RISCV) @Keegan Rimmington ?
    • QR Code workshop @Keegan Rimmington - If we want for beginners, do a beginner session before the interesting one
  • Gaming
    • Equipment
      • New index controller (cracked and tracking iffy)
    • LAN W2
      • No specific plans yet
      • Onion contact LAN setup person (Steve from Spectrum Services)
      • Need quite a few events (inc WASD push)
        • Mario Kart at DCS Christmas Party went well
      • Mat wanted to help as PC shuttle if people want to bring their own (as car)
      • Need Rota - especially for overnight
        • Overnight movie night? or long game (civ?)
      • Server over the weekend (Terraria/Minecraft)
      • Fri 7 to Sun 6
    • WASD
      • Announced 🎉
      • Encourage signups at events
      • Don't think Esports are especially interested
      • Will be in SU atrium - more visibility
      • Owen had meeting about tech yesterday
      • Some tech we’ll need, but mostly things we’ll need to buy at some point anyway

Elections

  • W6 Fri for elections
    • Someone needs to figure out UWCS Vote
    • And someone to run (returning officer)

Ball

  • Term 3 week 3
  • Some people questioning DCS involvement - Want to retain full control
    • DCS money needs to be spent on campus
    • Can't hurt for publicity
  • People
    • Preya doing WFS ball and Skiros involved in Pride - Can borrow some info
    • Mia or Angelica lead commitee
    • Alex, Joey, Owen (probably others) happy to help somewhat
  • Subsidise? Skiros thinks is ok, despite usual reading of SU rules?
    • SU rules say event has to break even or profit
    • The general reading is that tickets have to pay for the whole event
    • Skiros’ interpretation is that the SU has to break even, but UWCS funds could contribute to that

Location

  • Village Hotel (Cov), Chesterford Grange (food bit mid - skiros), glass house leam (cyber was there, was underwhelming, but v. pretty location (needs decorating tho))
  • Warwick Castle - expensive af @Skiros check pride’s price tomorrow
  • Leam Pump Room: v nice
  • Look at warwick castle, riverside glass house, pump room for 50-60 people
    • Maybe up to 100+
    • Likely more people interested than we think

Social

Events next term:

  • Circle W1 TBar then Pop
  • W3 circle as well?
  • Chemsoc joint social?
  • Bletchley park again?
  • Ice skating - but expensive

Publicity

  • Obviously, everyone’s busy, but publicity has been going out a bit late
    • Partly due to publicity not being too proactive
    • Partly being event detailed only finalized last minute
  • Brendan proposes Publicity restructure a bit
    • Andreea to do schedule
    • Brendan do special events graphics
    • Ella for some more story + routine stuff
    • Inter-publicity comms hasn’t been great
  • Process in person pics
  • Meeting over christmas

(Academic) Retrospective

  • Welcome week went v well
  • Python course when decently, but we pulled more weight
    • Very good initial attendance - drop off W3 - 20-30 people last week
    • Certificates to go out @Keegan Rimmington
  • Rust course was very good
    • Maybe add slightly more guidance on the Rust way of doing things
    • CHIP8 spec scared people off
  • Maybe have a compcafe
    • MB001 (always empty) Tuesday - @Funk Pigeon contact dept
    • Snacks and cw help and stuff
  • We’ll help with PhysCafe
  • Lightning Talks
    • OC003 - too big for number of people
    • Timing was not the best
    • 2nd batch felt better - but was later than ideal (5pm after CtF)
    • Stay with 2 batches - W3 & 8
  • Academic talks - alright but then there was Accenture
  • Tech Team has been getting into gear
    • Requires non-exec to be (too?) proactive to be involved
    • Have PC Building workshop to get people more interested early next term
  • FNG been much better, but skill issue for LANs
  • Some sponsors want insta posts in new year

Actions

  • [ ] Migrate exec-priv to forum channel @Keegan Rimmington

Tech

  • [ ] Push new site to GitHub @Alex Wright
  • [ ] More work on new site @Alex Wright @brendan (@Keegan Rimmington has some ideas)
  • [ ] Setup some ports and access stuff for localtoast and beryllium @Skiros
  • [ ] Write wiki bits (all tech) - Tech/everyone @Joey to manage
  • [ ] Dockerize and document dcspkg @Joey
  • [ ] Dockerize and document apollo @Owen Connors
  • [ ] Updates to progcomp marker (check issues) @Keegan Rimmington @Owen Connors
  • [ ] Announce wipe of servers @feriks or @Skiros

Academic

  • [ ] Contact Leo about when talk? @feriks
  • [ ] Contact G-Research about talk @Joey or @Funk Pigeon
  • [ ] Learn Unreal ASAP @Keegan Rimmington
  • [ ] Unreal course @Keegan Rimmington @brendan (?)
  • [ ] Talk to Chemsoc about comp bio talk @Keegan Rimmington
  • [ ] CS118 follow on @Joey
    • [ ] Talk to Richard about? @brendan
  • [ ] Podman

Purchase

  • [ ] PSU for Big O - SOMEONE
  • [ ] Index Controller - @Jake

Longer Term

  • [ ] New PC (workshop?) @Joey
  • [ ] Wipe servers W1