Just an idea, ok?
http://xoops.meetup.com
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What is a Meetup?
It's a local gathering of a group of people brought together by a common interest. Real world, face-to-face, maybe over coffee or a beer.
Where are Meetups?
Meetups happen in hundreds of cities around the world. At local cafés, bars, bowling alleys, donut shops, dog-friendly spots, videogame displays, and lots of other places. People vote on where their local Meetup will take place.
When are Meetups?
Most Meetups are weekday evenings or Saturdays. Meetups are on the same day everywhere. Most topics have a Meetup Day every month.
Does the Meetup happen over the Internet or in real life?
Real life, real local communities, real groups of people.
Is this free?
Yes, Meetup is a free service. Some venues pay Meetup to be listed and to help coordinate events. (Note: We NEVER force a Meetup to be at a particular venue. Meetups only happen at places that the people vote for.)
Do Meetups for a topic happen on the same day in every city?
Yes. This is one of the neatest things about Meetup. Of course, due to time zones, Meetups don't happen everywhere simultaneously, they simply happen at the stated time -- in the local time zone -- in each respective city.
Who leads the Meetup?
Nobody. Meetups are informal; it's peers talking to peers. Most Meetups do have volunteer hosts that help make things go smoothly, but think of it as a casual get-together, not an official meeting.
What is a host?
A host is a Meetup attendee just like you. The only difference is that they've agreed to help people find each other at the Meetup. They might have printed out a sign and put it on a tabletop. Perhaps they came bearing nametags and a magic marker. Hopefully they've let the venue's management know that you're all coming there to Meetup. We try to make it so every Meetup has a host - Why not be one yourself?
How can I be a good host?
Be at your hostly best! Here are some tips on how to be a superlative Meetup Host.
* Get there 5-10 minutes early and be on the lookout for people in your group.
* Let the bartender/host/manager of the Meetup venue know that you're there and that you expect X number of people to show up for the Meetup that you're hosting.
* Print out a copy of our nifty little Meetup sign, bring it with you and place it prominently on the table where you're sitting.
* Make sure people can find you! Wear something distinctive
* and related to the Meetup that you're hosting. Stick around! Not everyone is going to show up on the dot. Try to stay for a full hour after the start time to greet newcomers. Be proactive about introducing people to each other once they've arrived.
* If you think it'll work for your group, get some name tags from the local stationery store. Bring those along with a magic marker and have people fill out the tags when they arrive.
Where else can I find answers to my questions?
If we haven't answered your questions so far, there are a few things you can do:
* take a look at our other FAQs. They're listed on the left side on the top of this page.
* Visit our Discussion Boards. They're a great place to chat with other Meetup Members to learn from their experiences.
* If all else fails, send us an email.
