\documentclass[11pt,a4paper]{article}
\title{Draft Minutes of a meeting of the UK \TeX\ Users' Group Committee
held at LSE}
\date{9th May, 1996}
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\begin{document}
\maketitle

\noindent
Present: Robin Fairbairns (in the chair), Peter Abbott, Kaveh Bazargan,
 Malcolm Clark (Minutes Secretary), Carol Hewlett.
There were apologies from Alan Jeffrey, David Carlisle and Sebastian Rahtz.

\section{Minutes of the last meeting (25th January 1996)}
No corrections other than trivial literals brought forward.

\section{Matters arising}
MC was presented with the Honorary Membership Certificate.

Adobe Capture: apparently it would cost us a few hundred dollars. It was
agreed to pursue this despite the cost.\action{RF} It will enable us to scan
and make available old copies of \BV, for which we have no masters or
sources. A likely use would be to put all back issues on CD-rom in pdf format.

\section{Chairman's Report}
RF indicated that thee was little to report, but introduced the following
\begin{itemize}
\item TUG: it was noted that there are intermittent problems with
communication to TUG.
\item GUT: the FAQ in \BV\ 5.6 has been translated into French
and will appear in either \textsl{Lettres} or \textsl{Cahiers}. The FAQ
was also being translated into Czech and Russian.
\item archive: the archive is alive and well and continues
its pre-emminent position.
\end{itemize}
\section{Committee Secretary's matters}
CH had received some copies of Dante's \textsl{Kom\"odie}, which
she circulated. It was agreed that any suitable articles might
be used in \BV, if permission from Dante was forthcoming.\action{RF, PA}

Carol will clarify the existing committee's membership details prior
to the AGM.\action{CH}

\section{Meetings}
\begin{itemize}
\item \textsl{Portable documents}:  a high turnout, although slightly
down on the initial Bridewell meeting. Somewhat higher costs, due
to venue and audio-visual support, but covered by BCS electronic and multimedia
specialist group. At least one paper from this should be forthcoming
for publication in \BV.
\item \textsl{\TeX\ and the Internet}: in an email message,
DC noted that the punters who turned up seemed quite pleased with what they got.
But he continued that since a 
large number of speakers were drawn from the committee
it was not clear how often we can do this kind of thing. Unless we can
put up some new faces people are not going to want to come to hear the
same people next time. Bringing people in from outside costs money
(except when we can count on goodwill from Elsevier.) If we could be
sure further in advance of reasonable numbers of people coming, this
sort of thing would be easier to finance. 

\item \textsl{\TeX\ and \LaTeX\ for Publishers seminar}: 
KB reported on meetings he had had with MC. It is anticipated
that costs may be a little higher than first estimated. It was planned
now to accommodate 18--20 people. KB was expecting to try to
locate a date in September for the seminar.\action{KB} It was agreed that
this should be pursued vigorously, and that it was vitally
important to do this in a thoroughly professional manner.

\item \textsl{\TeX\ for University Admin}:  MC reported that this
was in Allan Reese's hands. He would pursue it with him.\action{MC}

\item \textsl{em\TeX\ and non-English \TeX}:  CH noted that there
had been some confusion over this with Anna Moraskawa.\action{CH} However it was
agreed to continue developing this theme, subject to being able
to find a suitable presenter (?Allan Reese). The second half of the
meeting was discussed and it was agreed that it would be about Babel.
Again, the necessity of finding a suitable presenter was discussed. RF and AJ
were identified as programme organizers.\action{RF, AJ}

\item \textsl{AGM and associated meeting}: confirmed that the
meeting would be held at Warwick University on October 16th.\action{MC}
MC noted that he would be at King's College, London by then. AJ was again
identified as a potential programme organiser.\action{AJ} Likely topics
suggested included Scientific Word, the Unix CD-rom (see topic~\ref{cd} below),
Maple\slash Mathematica interface to \TeX\slash \LaTeX\dots\action{All}

\item \textsl{Packages in \LaTeXe}: generally agreed that
this should be pursued.\action{who?}

\item \textsl{\dots\ and anything else}: in view of the very poor
attendence at the recent Warwick meeting, and at the last AGM, MC
suggested that we rethink our strategy of one-day meetings. The
general discussion which followed included a tentative proposal
for a two-day meeting which would include the AGM. The likely
costings need not be very high, and it would be possible to
have more diverse topics, or multiple themes. Since committee
members appear to comprise the bulk of speakers for meetings, it
would impose less burden on them. CH agreed to examine the
constitutional implications\action{CH} since incorporation of
the AGM could determine timings. Some enabling mechanism will
be introduced at the AGM.
\end{itemize}

\section{Additional committee members}
In email
DC noted that the current comittee is not really large enough to cope with two
or three people having other commitments at certain times. This seems
to be inevitable in a volunteer organisation.
He proposed  that some form of concession to committee
members might encourage wider participation. This proposal was discussed.
There was some sympathy for this, but no clear conclusion was
reached. A possible model was to give committee members free
or subsidised attendance at meetings. CH\action{CH} would examine
the constitutional aspects of this. Again, an enabling mechanism
would, if necessary, be introduced at the AGM. Naturally, those
availing themselves of such concessions would be expected to
fulfill their role of committee member fully at any meeting.
\section{Membership Enquiries}
As a gesture of goodwill, 
it was agreed to extend free membership for this year to Ahmed Hindawi,
in view of the difficulties he had been experiencing in arranging
membership through the TUG office.

PA suggested that we offer membership to US students by asking them
to pay with a shiny new \$10 bill. This avoids problems of currency exchange.


PA noted that enquiries were trickling in at about one a  week.
\section{Publicity}
In view of the difficulty in communicating with JF, and the likelihood
that most of the information he has is now past its sell-by date, it
was agreed to drop this item from the agenda.

It was agreed that we would have a press release\action{KB, MC}
 for the \textsl{Publishers} seminar.

\section{Membership Secretary's matters}
\textsl{Membership statistics}: PA circulated details of current
membership.  Membership is about 42 down. PA\action{PA} will
follow up some non-renewers who were thought to retain a significant
\TeX\ interest.

\section{Treasurer's matters}
RF noted that the policy of the committee was to place
services to members before the need to accumulate capital.

PA recommended that there be no change to subscription levels for next
year. This was agreed by the committee.
It was stressed that it was of the utmost importance to
get details of TUG's 1997 subscription rates, as early as possible.\action{RF, MC}

KB pointed out that there are accounts into which foreign currency
could be paid, without swingeing commission. PA\action{PA} agreed
to look into this.
\section{Baskerville}
\begin{itemize}
\item \textsl{Editor's report}: DC noted that
     he was reasonably happy with the final result for \BV\ 6.1
     although it took longer to do than he anticipated. 
He would be unable to edit a second one this year, through
pressure of other commitments.

MC had circulated most of a draft copy of \BV\ 6.2 which he was currently
editing. He was experiencing some difficulties with production, but
receiving assistance from RF.

\item \textsl{Publisher's report}: nothing to report.
\item \textsl{Editorship arrangements}: 
Future editions are, or will be,
 in the hands of CH (6.3), AJ\action{RF} (6.4), PA (6.5) and
RF (6.6).
\end{itemize}

\section{Services to members}
\begin{itemize}
\item \textsl{Mac CD-rom}: in order to follow this it was agreed
that MC\action{MC} would look at the costs of a CD-rom writer for
use with a Mac. Some useful input had been received from Andrew Trevarrow. 
\item\label{cd} \textsl{Unix CD-rom}: SPQR 
reported (via email) that
 the CD is now called ``\TeX\ Live''. He  hoped to send it for pressing on
Friday or next Monday at the latest (i.e. 10th or 13th May); then to
 take 200 copies to CERN
on May 24th, and to launch on 29th. Documentation will be run
off on a Docutech at CERN that weekend, so he will bring 200 copies back.

See CTAN:\texttt{info/tdscd} for a list of files on the CD. It has ready to run
Unix binaries for over 20 systems and a very large
support tree of fonts, macros, documentation etc. It also contains the complete
GUTenberg distributions for Windows, DOS and Mac.

The CD bill is around \pounds1000  for 500 copies, and the documentation
costs may be `absorbed'. It will cost around \pound1  to post.
GUTenberg buy 200 copies immediately, NTG 50, and we lose 50 in
freebies to poor people and review copies. That means we have 200
copies with which to recoup \pound500.

The committee recommended that the CD should be sold at \pound15 to
members and \pound25 to non-members. Although this figure is higher
than that suggested by SPQR, it was felt that this level was more
in line with other comparable CDs, and that it would enable us to
consider other CD projects at similar overall cost to our members.

A further proposal was to include a voucher for (say) \pound5
which would be redeemable against future UKTUG-produced CDs. 
\end{itemize}
\section{Annual award for \TeX\ support}\label{cartoon}
Agreed to approach Duane Bibby with a view to obtaining a small
series of cartoons which can be used as awards, but which may
also be used as promotional items (coasters, t-shirts, mugs\dots). 
RF\action{RF} will obtain details of how to contact Duane.\action{MC?}
\section{Cartoon and/or t-shirts}
See item \ref{cartoon} above. 
Chris Rowley has the original. It was agreed that we would produce
a special 10th anniversary archive t-shirt based on the original
design, in time for the Dubna meeting.\action{MC, ??} 
\section{AOB}
\begin{itemize}
\item \textsl{relational database}: PA asked if the group could invest in
FileMaker Pro to enable him to maintain the membership database. KB agreed
to send him a copy of the manual to confirm that this software was indeed 
suitable.\action{KB}

\item \textsl{Dubna}: it was agreed that the committee was sympathetic to
providing cash for a bursary fund to be used to enable suitable indigent
\TeX ies to attend. RF noted that he had talked to Michel Goossens
about this, but had received no formal request.

It was also agreed that the committee should send a representative
to Dubna. The short straw was eventually accepted by Robin,
with the customary show of reluctance. The
committee agreed this was an admirable choice and that he would be
an excellent representative, anticipating that he would
 promote the group and its
activities assiduously, and expecting a suitable report
for \BV.
\end{itemize}
\end{document}
