Regarding the SF Bay Area, I personally would be happy to help create and run such a group if there is adequate interest. Since this discussion has mostly local/regional interest, I've set up a group on my site where this thread can be moved.
Go here and you'll get to the main group page once you've bounced through registration. Then click the request to join link (I've set this group on with a 'wait' policy.) I've created some group-scoped forums and polls to facilitate discussion of this.
If there is enough interest, I also am happy to offer Epimetrics World Headquarters (ok, our house) as a meeting place. We're very close to Muni in SF and also have abundant street parking on our block.
(For those who don't live here, having a parking strategy is a crucial survival skill in SF. There a story told of a woman who the cops found lying in the street along the curb, and when they asked her why she was there, she said, "This parking space just opened up, so my husband has gone to buy a car.")
Anyway, if we end up meeting here, I'm also happy to provide beer&munchies. Even if there isn't adequate interest for in-person meetings, I'd like to foster better connections among local developers. It would be useful to know who is interested and available to collaborate on gigs. I have some things potentially in the works on which I may need some help.
Stan
