[wellylug] Very Important: Meeting of 13th Feb 2005

Ewen McNeill wellylug at ewen.mcneill.gen.nz
Wed Feb 15 21:30:20 NZDT 2006


In message <Pine.LNX.4.62.0602151941300.15823 at maverick.blakjak.net>, Mark Foster
 writes:
>On Tue, 14 Feb 2006, Brent Wood wrote:
>> With the NZOSS for branding & support, & enthusiastic individuals who don't
>> need the LUG for these events, why do we have a WellyLUG?

There is purpose in a LUG beyond "promoting linux to the wider community".
A LUG, like most user groups, is "for the people by the people".  It's
about support for its members.  A way to stay in touch with like minded
folks.  A way to get assistance from others who might have had the same
issue and found a solution.  These are all "inside the community" things.
Plenty of user groups exist without doing any "recruiting" at all (and
promoting something to the wider community is "recruiting").

IMHO even if WellyLUG never did anything else to draw any attention to
Linux it'd be useful for its members for it to continue to exist.
(That's not expressing a point of view on whether it should be involved
in advocacy, just saying it's not the raison d'etre of Wellylug.)

>> I'm quite happy to work with & through the NZOSS to run installfests &
>> other Linux/OS related events, such as Software Freedom Day [....]
>> But I'd much prefer to have an active LUG in Wellington promoting &
>> supporting Linux.

For my part I'd like to see such things done.  But I'm unconcerned
whether the "name on the door" is Wellylug or NZOSS (or both; in some
ways I'd actually like to see both).

>NZOSS aren't really in the 'Installfest running game', bearing in mind 
>Linux is just one avenue for Open Source.  Theyd support Installfests - 
>perhaps run one in a region not already supported by a LUG - but not 
>replace the role of a LUG.... 

NZOSS, at least as it stands now, is unlikely to run an installfest
by itself.  It is, however, in a good position to assist a LUG, or other
interested people, in doing so.  Especially if there are other activities
to promote open source there (eg, like the talks we had last year).
Everyone I've spoken to involved with NZOSS is generally in support of
the "Linux Australia" model, by which regional groups do their thing
and Linux Australia (the country wide group) provides support for that.

For my part I wasn't suggesting that the LUG not be involved in
promoting Linux to the wider Wellington community.  Just that there are
means of assistance available to, eg, get some of the benefits of
incorporation for events where it matters without WellyLUG having to be
incorporated.  A half-way house.

Ewen




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