On Thu, 22 Mar 2012, Eric Brackenbury wrote: > Some folks have started to come to meetings only to find the content way > above their knowledge level and so not returned (I know they should have > stayed to push the other brains to share and help).
Or maybe they just found the environment unfriendly ? I've been an OCLUG member since it started. I've been out to fewer meetings in recent years due to time conflicts that always seem to arise, and the difficulty of even finding the damned room on the Algonquin campus. (That's a 'skill-testing' question!) I attended the Arts Ottawa East (AOE) AGM at Shenkman Arts Centre in Orleans last night (which, BTW is an easy <30 min OC Transpo / walking trip from halfway across Ottawa). The interesting thing to me was how much more friendly it was there than OCLUG meetings (YMMV). The AGM was relatively short and there was plenty of time to talk after. Although I knew *nobody* there, except maybe to see a few employees, I didn't stop having engaging conversations with different people until they threw us out at 9 PM. Everyone was given a name badge upon arrival (and this is common at other non-profit get-togethers) and that certainly helped. >From my experience, OCLUG activities, whether at the meeting, or Beer SIG, often fall short. I could imagine a new person not making much human contact and not coming back if they didn't come just for the talk. So while I expect people to argue with me on the point that OCLUG activities are not as friendly to those not already knowing a bunch of people there, I will suggest that others may have already experienced what I am saying, didn't come back, and maybe are not here on this list now either. As they say, first impressions matter. If someone just came to the talk and left (even if they gained useful knowledge) I'd suggest that not much OCLUG community was built. Talks, learning etc. can be done in other means these days as others have noted. I suggest that if OCLUG really wants to talk about *meatspace* activity, then there are some attitudinal and procedural changes, that begin with each of us, that could be helpful to sustain and build that. But is that what OCLUG members want? Brett _______________________________________________ Linux mailing list Linux@lists.oclug.on.ca http://oclug.on.ca/mailman/listinfo/linux
