Labor Pains: The Los Angeles chapter of...

Labor Pains: The Los Angeles chapter of the Internet Society is expected to go legit soon.

An organizational meeting last week drew 57 people to the UCLA campus, where the Internet’s predecessor--the Arpanet--was born. Those in attendance ranged from Internet novices to trainers eager to share their knowledge with newbies.

At least 25 Internet Society members must sign the local bylaws to make the L.A. chapter official. The national association has about 400 members throughout the Southland, but organizing them into a chapter has turned out to be a surprisingly difficult task.

This week, chapter organizers Wendy Chou and Mike Todd will pick a date for the founding members to gather and sign the bylaws. Chou, who first tried to get a chapter together two years ago, said she is looking forward to it.

“It’s like being pregnant for two years and finally seeing the baby born,” she said.