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+\documentclass[11pt,a4paper]{article}
+\title{Draft Minutes of a meeting of the UK \TeX\ Users' Group Committee
+held at LSE}
+\date{9th May, 1996}
+\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{40pt}
+\setlength{\evensidemargin}{\oddsidemargin}
+\setlength{\marginparwidth}{2\marginparwidth}
+\newcommand{\action}[1]{\marginpar{\textsf{Action: #1}}}
+\newcommand{\BV}{\textsl{Baskerville}}
+\let\pound\pounds
+\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}