Hi, On another mailing list we are discussing some of the issues of the LUG:
(1) Relatively low attendance at meetings (2) Lack of growth in the LUG to match the growth of the Linux industry (3) Distance between some of the goals of various members I glean that there are currently four types of people in the LUG and on this list: (a) The people who just like to get together every once in a while, have a beer, talk about Linux and Free and Open Source, see some new widget or program (b) The people who just like to talk about Linux and FOSS in email, share ideas, talk about problems (c) a+b (d) The people who would like GNHLUG to be pro-active, driving Linux and FOSS forward, but also admittedly welcome "c" Now believe me, I have no problems with any of the people in any of these groups. Usually the people who become the 'leaders' are in group "d", and they go on a while and burn out. Part of the burn out (IMHO) is trying to make the people in groups a-c be more like them. I never really "burned out", I just started traveling too much to attend meetings (but then again I am crazed.....) In the past we have done some nice things: o New User Nights - gone out to towns and talked about free and open source in the libraries. Handed out floppies with information on them o Install fests o The Linux Business Show o Hoss Traders - You can't really say you have been at Hoss Traders until you have spent the night going around with a little flashlight looking for cheap (er, ah inexpensive) computer junk. o Had a couple of tables at the Northern New England PC shows, gave hardware compatability lists to the different vendors.....now I would just give them a KNOPPIX CD. o Had lots of good speakers so we have nothing to really apologize for, but I do think we need to get more people into the LUG and be active in it, while still meeting the needs of the current members. So.... What do you look for in GNHLUG? What brings you to a meeting? What drives you away from a meeting? What would it take to get you to bring new members to a meeting? Would you be willing to volunteer for helping to pull off some "activity"? Would you be willing to spend a Saturday once or twice a year in staffing some project? Could you get your neighbor to do it? If so, do you have any activities that you would especially like to do? Particularly ones that you would be willing to participate in? Finally, after thirty-five years in the computer business it took a kid from Finland to remind me that I got into this space to have FUN....so what things would you like to do that would be FUN? md -- Jon "maddog" Hall Executive Director Linux(R) International email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 80 Amherst St. Voice: +1.603.672.4557 Amherst, N.H. 03031-3032 U.S.A. WWW: http://www.li.org Board Member: Uniforum Association, USENIX Association (R)Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in several countries. UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the US and other countries. _______________________________________________ gnhlug-discuss mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss
