[wlug_org] Linux Clinux...

[Carl Klitscher]

Or Linux Clinics if you prefer... continuing on the theme of support groups
for people starting out with Linux or wanting to expand their Linux
knowledge would it be worth taking a look at organising something on a
regular basis for this? Background to the thought is some things that go on
in other parts of the world e.g. one of my colleagues in Belgium runs an
IRC session every Sunday afternoon in conjunction with the local LUG where
people can join and ask support type questions. He does it from a local
cafe so people can drop by as well if they want to. Once people have been
up and running for a while the mailing lists do a reasonably good job of
this so the specific targets I am thinking of are the people who came to
the Installfest and want to follow up on some of the things that were done
there. e.g. Linda and the Dell and all those p*xy winmodems. I know that we
kind of want to do this anyway within the LUG however I personally don't
find LANPlace very conducive to this sort of activity. If someone wants
assistance it is quite difficult to do that without causing distraction to
others if there are presentations going on. It is also very daunting for
first timers to get into. The old J'ville community centre was easier to
get into but had a similar acoustic problem in this regard although it does
now have a CafeNet link I believe (but it's still in J'ville...).

Ideally I would like to see something that:
a) has little or no cost to rent/run
b) is easy to get to and get into
c) has internet access
d) has a separate area to work in if run as part of the LUG meeting.

Some of the above can be a little difficult given today's commercial focus
but would I be wasting my time if I started to do a bit of poking about for
a venue? The other side of it is getting people to assist. Doing something
every Sunday is a very big ask and I know I can't do it but a once a month
thing would be ok especially if it was part of the LUG.

On rereading the above I guess the net of it is that as a LUG we should
be/are doing the hands on support thing on a regular basis and I don't
believe LANPlace as it stands is the correct venue for that. I don't have
an alternative venue yet but wouldn't mind looking. At the very least I
think we need to work on trying to improve the access to LANPlace. That may
be as simple as putting a sign on the main door giving instructions to
first/one time visitors for example. We still have the interference problem
between the fixit section and the presentation section though.

Thoughts?

Carl