From: "John St. Julien" <john.stjulien@lafayettecommons.org> You are invited to the  "Floor Raising" Tue May 12 6pm – 7:30pm
6101 Johnston St,, Lafayette, LA, 70503 (map) The premise is simple: Lafayette has a wealth of resources making some of the world's best connectivity economically available to all. That's a dream achieved. The task now is to make the best use of those networks. That's the work we hope you will help us undertake. In an ideal world Lafayette would have a common place to go to get powerful, free, productivity, creative, and collaboration applications. These apps would be world-class, like those used by large universities and businesses. Nonprofits and civic organizations would have the same access as any large organization to the tools. Everyone could join at no cost. Ideally it would be located on the net and be open to innovative extensions and creative additions. It would be a tool for keeping us in touch with others in our community and for easily informing us all of ongoing events. These tools would "raise the floor" for everyone in Lafayette. Something very close to that ideal exists and with a little help—well a lot of help—it could be done here and now. Lafayette Commons exists; it's currently running the top-level Education Edition of Google Apps and is openly and easily extensible. The programs are world-class examples of their type. It's free to us...and so free to Lafayette. The raw material is there. It can be what we make of it. What you make of it. If you work with a nonprofit or civic group that could use a great set of collaborative tools joining up will help build the community. If you can do a little programming you could help build some Lafayette-specific tools for all to use. If you are good at helping ease people into using new tools we need your skills. So...come...bring your thinking cap and a willingness to dream big and work a little for our community. There's lot's more to discuss, but no more space here. Hope to see you on Tuesday at the new Southside Library! (And, please: if you know of anyone who should hear this, please pass on the invite...the more the merrier.) Come join the adventure! If you plan to attend please feel free to drop us a line. We'd be happy to send you your own personal invite. If you are interested but unable to attend please drop us a line and we'll put you on the list. John St. Julien john.stjulien@lafayettecommons.org 337.739.6118 Mike Stagg mike.stagg@lafayettecommons.org 337.962.1680 |