Finally found this. Not sure if we can use it. But interesting reading anyway - many of you have probably not seen it, and I reckon it's ok to email it around at this stage. If we were going to use it, we'd have to ask Alan for permission, etc. (I imagine you could have an entire page or 2 pages with endorsements from CA staff if you wanted). Anyway, just throwing out ideas. Kp ----- Forwarded message from Nothingman <spock@redbrick.dcu.ie> ----- Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2001 15:53:03 +0100 From: Nothingman <spock@redbrick.dcu.ie> To: committee@redbrick.dcu.ie, admins@redbrick.dcu.ie Subject: Reference I have a letter in my hand from Alan Smeaton: "To whom it may concern. It is with pleasure that I write this note of support for DCU's Networking Society, Redbrick. Redbrick is on of the really huge success stories in DCU. EVidence for its popularity and size, and a catalogue of the services it provides for its members, can be found elsewhere but I write this note to add some interpretation and depth to the raw facts about the society. Redbrick and its services, the coursees it runs for its members, and the support it provides for students, is a tremendous asset to University life. In the school of Computer APllications, through their academic programmes, students get exposed to, and learn about the theoretical aspects of computing and they learn to put some of that into practice through their assignement work. Redbrick, however, procies a completely new dimension to the student experience. Their courses and the learning environments that redbrick provides are in an area of technical competence that is outside the realm of a formal University-level academic qualification, but it provides those students with a training experience that makes them very employable. Courses in system administration in a Linux environment would never form part of an academic programme but for those students who have taken part in such redbrick activities their skills set is now quite enrishched as a result. What makes this even more admirable is that all these efforts are provided by Redbrick members, for other redbrick members, so there is a huge sharing and transfer of knowledge going on within redbrick. And to cap it all, as if that wasnt' enough, the redbrick society provide all these facilities and resources not just for students in CA, but for students across the campus. If the University wanted to try and emulate the facilities that Redbrick provies to such members we would not do so easily. I have had some dealings with the society as HEad of School in terms of providing rooms for courses etc., and have always found dealing with the soiety to be mature and respectful. I try to accede to reasonalbe requests from them for facilities, for resources, and even for equipments, and I would have no hesitation in supporting them wherever I can. In summary I am delighted to state that I believe that redbrick is a wonderful asset to the University, that we are very licky that it is as successful as it is, andd that I hope their present success will continue long into the future. I believe this view would also be supported by all my colleagues in the staff in this school. Alan F Smeaton Professor of Computing" ----- End forwarded message ----- -- Hello. I'm Leonard Nimoy. The following tale of alien encounters is true. And by true, I mean false. It's all lies. But they're entertaining lies. And in the end, isn't that the real truth? The answer is: No. -- What was the question again?, "The Springfield Files"