What's Cheese Up To These Days?

Steam Linux Users Group (SteamLUG)

Involvement: 2011 - Present

URL: http://steamlug.org

URL: irc://irc.freenode.net/#steamlug

URL: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/steam-linux

URL: http://steamlug.org/cast

SteamLUG is a community of Linux users who use Steam natively or via Wine. Originating as an IRC channel to continue discussion outside the monolithic Linux thread on the Steam Powered User Forums, SteamLUG has grown to encompas a 5,000+ user Steam group which I became primary administrator of in October 2012.

Our community contains individuals of varying backgrounds and skill levels, ranging from newcomers to software developers. We aim to be welcoming and helpful to people who are new to Linux and/or Steam, and be engaging for more experienced users.

In May 2013, I launched SteamLUG Cast alongside regular co-hosts johndrinkwater and swordfischer. SteamLUG Cast aims to be a casual, laid back fortnightly discussion of Linux gaming and Steam related news. From time to time we've been joined by special guests ranging from prominent members of the SteamLUG community through to representatives from game development companies including Frozenbyte, Screwy Lightbulb, Over The Moon Games, Eden Industries, Witch Beam Games, InterWave, Double Fine, Muse Games, Unity Technologies, Feral Interactive, Leadwerks, Defiant Development, Flippfly, Question.

At the end of February 2015, I resigned from administrative duties to better focus on game development.

  • IRC channel operator
  • Manage Steam group
  • Coordinate events
  • SteamLUG Cast co-host

GamingOnLinux.com

Involvement: 2011 - Present

URL: http://gamingonlinux.com

URL: irc://irc.freenode.net/#gamingonlinux

URL: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/index.php?module=search&author_id=122

URL: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/category/Podcast

Shortly after launching the Humble Visualisations in December 2011, I was invited to join the GamingOnLinux.com team, primarily writing long-form editorials and cross-positing Cheese Talks content.

In the leadup to the launch of Steam for Linux, I provided timely coverage of Valve and Steam related news relevant to Linux gamers.

In February 2016, I joined the GOL Podcast team to bring some experience, and have stayed on as an occasional co-host.

  • Writer/Editor
  • GOL Podcast co-host

Tasmanian Linux Users Group

Involvement: May 2008 - Present

URL: http://taslug.org.au/

URL: http://cheesetalks.twolofbees.com/usergroups.php

I have been running regular monthly TasLUG meetings in Launceston since May 2008, and coordinating TasLUG statewide for a similar timeframe. In April 2012, I inaugurated what I hope will become a regular statewide TasLUG gathering in Ross.

In February 2014, I handed over control of TasLUG infrastructure to a new statewide committee set up to help support individual meetings across Tasmania.

Launceston meetings are held at 2:00pm local time on the last Saturday of the month, and are open to the public.

We typically structure our meetings around a focused talk with a solid takeaway in the hopes that attendees will be able to leave with knowledge or skills that they can make use of without further assistance. We start our meetings by going around the room and introducing ourselves and answering a brief question related to the meeting's topic (a great icebreaker that I stole from OCLUG), followed by the main talk (which can be anywhere from half an hour to two hours). To conclude, we do a round-table recap of any recent interesting F/OSS news, and then degrade to general discussion. To let people get settled prior to the start of the meeting proper, many of us gather for lunch beforehand - this has cut down the amount of off-topic chatter we get during talks.

Over the years, I've tried to reduce the number of talks I give to allow as much space for other members to produce and provide meeting content as possible.

Talks that I have given have ranged from basic Gimp, Inkscape, Blender, and Open/LibreOffice tutorials through to code walkthroughs, distro installs, WM/DE usage, and OpenGL programming.

  • Maintain TasLUG website
  • Oranise Launceston venue
  • Coordinate Launceston speakers
  • Organise and coordinate statewide meetings
  • IRC channel operator

Ottawa Canada Linux Users Group

Involvement: February 2008 and February 2009

URL: http://oclug.on.ca/meeting/40/

URL: http://oclug.on.ca/meeting/26/

Whilst visiting Ottawa in 2008 and 2009, I was invited to speak at OCLUG, where I gave talks covering running a LUG in a low population density area, LCA, Hugin and Luminance HDR/Qtpfsgui.

@Cheeseness