Re: [SLUG] Encouraging New Membership
Jeff Waugh wrote: Well, Terry, you've been coming to SLUG for a while now, but I'm not seeing your flair... Fifteen is the minimum. Now it's up to you whether or not you just want to do the bare minimum. Or like Jaq for example, has thirty-seven pieces of flair on today, okay, and a terrific smile. But you know how much I hate it when the other kids get gold stars and I don't! It's not fair, just because they've got a nice smile and I don't! Speaking of coming to SLUG. I think Mary and I have agreed that we'll try to alternate, that way I can subject you all to my presence occasionally at least! That'll teach you for wanting to attract new members :) Terry -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Encouraging New Membership
Hey all, quote who=Terry Dawson heh, if you're going to do nametags then everyone should be encouraged to wear nametags, not just the newbies. Otherwise the name-tags alone can make you feel uncomfortable and 'marked'. Let's leave name tags to the few extroverts happy to be welcomers. That way if new people come and want to just be part of the crowd they can :) Everyone wearing name-tags, while perhaps seeming a bit daggy, could actually be a cool thing. You could, for example, have a scheme where other people could endorse a persons nametag for exceptional behaviour. You know, Gold Stars for being helpful or something. Maybe you could endorse your nametag with things that you're prepared to talk about, help with or that you are knowledgable about. This might provide a means of readily identifying who the helpful people are, and perhaps encouraging people to put in the little bit of extra effort to help people. We often end up identifying people by email participation :) Which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, but encouraging people to post to the mailing list and tracking participation that way is a good thing. Cheers, Pia -- Linux Australia http://linux.org.au/ Man is born free, yet he is everywhere in chains. - Jean Jacques Rosseau -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Encouraging New Membership
Pia Waugh wrote: Let's leave name tags to the few extroverts happy to be welcomers. That way if new people come and want to just be part of the crowd they can :) heh, you're right of course, I was being a little tongue-in-cheek :) The name-tag thing is all a bit north american for my taste. Participants in a volunteer community will ultimately be themselves no matter what else they're asked to do. The point I was really trying to make was that attempting name-tags for newcomers is likely in many cases to just alienate them. Which is precisely the opposite of what is intended : Hi, I'm new here, patronise me!. Ultimately they just want to be treated with some respect as individuals, to feel that they're welcome as members of a thriving dynamic community and some understanding that they're probably a bit confused and lost while working out who is who and what is happening around them. I mean really, can you imagine how bizarre it would be to have people sticking gold stars on your badge every time you did something useful? It'd be like kindergarten :) Everyone wearing name-tags, while perhaps seeming a bit daggy, could actually be a cool thing. You could, for example, have a scheme where other people could endorse a persons nametag for exceptional behaviour. You know, Gold Stars for being helpful or something. Maybe you could endorse your Terry -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Encouraging New Membership
quote who=Terry Dawson I mean really, can you imagine how bizarre it would be to have people sticking gold stars on your badge every time you did something useful? It'd be like kindergarten :) Well, Terry, you've been coming to SLUG for a while now, but I'm not seeing your flair... Fifteen is the minimum. Now it's up to you whether or not you just want to do the bare minimum. Or like Jaq for example, has thirty-seven pieces of flair on today, okay, and a terrific smile. - Jeff -- GUADEC 2006: Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spainhttp://2006.guadec.org/ So between a jazz musician, a murderer, and a congressperson, all called 'Dave Camp', I have a lot of pressure to be evil. - GNOME's Dave Camp -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Encouraging new membership
Hi SLUG and Linux Chix people, In response to Sridhar's questions: * getting people to attend a meeting in the first place * encouraging people to continue to participate afterwards I've wanted to attend a SLUG meeting for a while, but they've always been on nights where I'd have to get child-minding. Before I suggest or do anything involving much effort, I'd like to know how many more of you out there might attend or more frequently attend SLUG etc if there was child-minding available. It can't be just me ..? Mary Cudmore. -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Encouraging new membership
Mary Cudmore wrote: Hi SLUG and Linux Chix people, In response to Sridhar's questions: * getting people to attend a meeting in the first place * encouraging people to continue to participate afterwards I've wanted to attend a SLUG meeting for a while, but they've always been on nights where I'd have to get child-minding. Before I suggest or do anything involving much effort, I'd like to know how many more of you out there might attend or more frequently attend SLUG etc if there was child-minding available. It can't be just me ..? Mary Cudmore. For me its the tyranny of distance :( Living in the far reaches of the south west of Sydney, and working full time.. it's a hard gig to get to (with kids)... But in saying that I want to make an effort next meeting to make it.. (i have already started packing :P) -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Encouraging new membership
On 22/05/2006, at 7:51 PM, Charles Myers wrote: Mary Cudmore wrote: Hi SLUG and Linux Chix people, In response to Sridhar's questions: * getting people to attend a meeting in the first place * encouraging people to continue to participate afterwards I've wanted to attend a SLUG meeting for a while, but they've always been on nights where I'd have to get child-minding. Before I suggest or do anything involving much effort, I'd like to know how many more of you out there might attend or more frequently attend SLUG etc if there was child-minding available. It can't be just me ..? Mary Cudmore. For me its the tyranny of distance :( Living in the far reaches of the south west of Sydney, and working full time.. it's a hard gig to get to (with kids)... But in saying that I want to make an effort next meeting to make it.. (i have already started packing :P) Well, no kids... but distance I _do_ have :-) Sam, at Newcastle -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Encouraging New Membership
Matt,I think the use of offical greeters to assist new people get an orientation and feel welcome is a great idea.Who do we know that meets the outlined criteria of (i) extroverted (ii) willing to participate as a greeter (iii) knows enough existing members to provide intro's. I guess another option is to give the new members a nametag or something and then encourage an etiquette of existing members introducing themselves visitors during coffee time.Any effort to make guests and new members feel welcome has to be beneficial. Trent Murray -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Encouraging new membership
Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote: I see two main challenges to solving this conundrum: * getting people to attend a meeting in the first place * encouraging people to continue to participate afterwards Sridhar, I'd love to be an active member of SLUG. The group seems pretty healthy and by all accounts it reminds me of the best features of many of the computer usergroups I remember fondly from the 80's. I share(literally) Mary's child/meeting night problem. I have a schedule that makes it just about impossible to attend meetings unless they're on a Monday or Tuesday night. It's a very haphazard scheduling outside of that. I'm not suggesting you change the night of the meeting, but I wonder if for many people it's just logistic issues that prevent them from attending? Many of the most succesful user-groups and clubs that I have seen operating have achieved a great number of things, but they nearly always did it on the back of a very strong social network. Usergroups are great as places to make true friends and meet with them regularly for some face-to-face and focussed time talking about common interests. If you want to attract and retain members I'd maintain a focus on community and sociality. It's something that every member will need to practice too though; it isn't something that only a few can do. In the end that'll mean that attracting and maintaining members will probably have to be a shared concern. If it's only the committee worried about it you're probably in for a tough time doing much about it. regards Terry -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Encouraging New Membership
T Murray wrote: I think the use of offical greeters to assist new people get an orientation and feel welcome is a great idea. If you get the right people doing this it could make a big difference I'm sure. I guess another option is to give the new members a nametag or something and then encourage an etiquette of existing members introducing themselves visitors during coffee time. heh, if you're going to do nametags then everyone should be encouraged to wear nametags, not just the newbies. Otherwise the name-tags alone can make you feel uncomfortable and 'marked'. Everyone wearing name-tags, while perhaps seeming a bit daggy, could actually be a cool thing. You could, for example, have a scheme where other people could endorse a persons nametag for exceptional behaviour. You know, Gold Stars for being helpful or something. Maybe you could endorse your nametag with things that you're prepared to talk about, help with or that you are knowledgable about. This might provide a means of readily identifying who the helpful people are, and perhaps encouraging people to put in the little bit of extra effort to help people. regards Terry -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Encouraging new membership
On Monday 22 May 2006 21:23, Terry Dawson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
If you want to attract and retain members I'd maintain a focus on community
and sociality. It's something that every member will need to practice too
though; it isn't something that only a few can do. In the end that'll mean
that attracting and maintaining members will probably have to be a shared
concern. If it's only the committee worried about it you're probably in for
a tough time doing much about it.
One thing I love about SLUG is its excellent blend of technical and social
elements. There are some great technical presentations and discussions, but
at the same time there are plenty of avenues for meeting people and
socialising.
There is also DebSIG, which I hear is even more informal. Unfortunately, I've
never been to make it to one since I don't like to go out drinking in the
middle of the week.
--
Sridhar Dhanapalan [Yama | http://www.pclinuxonline.com/]
{GnuPG/OpenPGP: http://dhanapalan.webhop.net/yama.asc
0x049D38B4 : A7A9 8A02 78CB AB1B FCE4 EEC6 2DD9 249B 049D 38B4}
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but if you called it an onion
you'd get cooks very confused. - Richard M. Stallman, 2005-01-04
pgpi6EvV770WR.pgp
Description: PGP signature
--
SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/
Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
DebSIG [Was: [SLUG] Encouraging new membership]
quote who=Sridhar Dhanapalan There is also DebSIG, which I hear is even more informal. Unfortunately, I've never been to make it to one since I don't like to go out drinking in the middle of the week. Despite propaganda to the contrary, drinking is entirely optional, even at DebSIG. - Jeff -- linux.conf.au 2007: Sydney, Australia http://lca2007.linux.org.au/ Applications are just kernel testcases. - Andrew Morton -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Encouraging new membership
Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote: One thing I love about SLUG is its excellent blend of technical and social elements. There are some great technical presentations and discussions, but at the same time there are plenty of avenues for meeting people and socialising. I'm quite sure you're right, I wasn't trying to suggest that SLUG is lacking, rather I was suggesting maintaining a strong focus on the social element to underpin the other activities. There is also DebSIG, which I hear is even more informal. Unfortunately, I've never been to make it to one since I don't like to go out drinking in the middle of the week. I've been to one DebSIG which I really enjoyed. I'd love to be able to attend regularly, but unfortunately Wednesday nights are also nights I'm unable to make. Terry -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Encouraging new membership
One point brought up in the AGM a few months ago was that there has been little growth in the membership of SLUG. I have no clue how many non-financial members there are, but IIRC there are only about fifty paying members. My question is, what can be done to increase this number? I see two main challenges to solving this conundrum: * getting people to attend a meeting in the first place * encouraging people to continue to participate afterwards I would imagine that there are plenty of people who attend one meeting and never participate again. Many geeks are by nature quite introverted. It can be intimidating for such people to be in a room full of other people. Imagine yourself walking into a room of 30+ people, many of whom seem to know each other and have formed little cliques. How would a shy person break into these groups? Many potential SLUG members, I believe, are discouraged, and end up never returning. One solution I can think of would be to further promote the informal means of communication, such as the mailing lists, IRC channel and SLUGlets. We should make people feel that they can chat in an easygoing, relaxed environment. Small groups (10 people) are more hospitable than larger ones. It may be a good idea to encourage newcomers to introduce themselves on a mailing list first. They can say things like who they are, where they are from and what they hope to learn from the meeting. A SLUG member can then arrange to meet that person prior to the meeting, and can personally introduce them to the ways and culture of SLUG. I believe that this kind of 'buddy' system can provide an effective opening for newcomers into the group. Note that there is no magic bullet for this situation. A working solution will likely address a multitude of factors. It will take some effort, but I believe that this is important for SLUG and for free software as a whole. -- Writing software isn't about doing cool stuff, it's about watching your back. - Simon Phipps, Sun Microsystems chief technology evangelist, on software patents, March 2004 pgpNTjQvBWgaJ.pgp Description: PGP signature -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
