Fwd: Re: [wlug_org] Re: NZLUG discussion

[Brent Wood]

 --- Tony Wills <ajwills@paradise.net.nz> wrote:
 
> At 19:37 10/07/2005, Mark Foster wrote:
> 
> >Out of respect for other WellyLug'rs who quite likely arent interested in
> >the semantic discussion I'm not going to respond further to this thread
> >on-list ...
> 
> I urge members interested not to just carry on private conversations with 
> Mark but move the conversation to the WellyLUG org list.

Sensible. Prob worth suggesting Mark follows any discussion here as well. If
he subscribes I don't think the traffic will be a major issue for him :-)
 
> I am surprised at the level of heated discussion about NZLUG's 
> proposals.  Given that NZLUG already exists I see no reason to object to 
> them trying to ensure they are more inclusive and provide services for the 
> widest possible NZ Linux community.

Esp given the legal non-status of Wellylug, seems a bit hypocritical to
accuse NZLUG of not really existing! 
  
> Exactly what their role might be is obviously up for discussion, but a 
> spirit of constructive co-operation rather than suspicion might see 
> something useful achieved.
 
Anyway, my comments/opinions...
 
Yes it exists, but it does seem weak on having it's own identity. (Not a
criticism- gotta start somewhere & it has been a bit in limbo for a while)
 
The wiki is in it's infancy, not much more than a front page with links to
wlug library & a few others. 
 
But, if NZLUG is to be accepted by regional LUG's generally, I believe such
ties to specific regional LUG's need to go, and it should be as standalone/
independent as possible. It also needs to be something different from the
regional LUG's, so it has a distinct purpose & reason for being.
 
A link to the WLUG library is fine, but not as the "NZLUG" library.
 
My feeling is that NZLUG is prob best set up to provide the following:

portal to NZ regional LUG's
library of core iso's (perhaps each distro with it's own maintainer to spread
   the load & ensure each has a support contact?)
links (for each distro) for package sources & support
links to generally useful sites (distrowatch etc) 
link to NZOSS

 
If NZLUG is to support regional LUG's, then I believe someone from each
regional LUG needs to be appointed as a contact (can I use the other c-word
without raising various peoples' blood-pressure?) to ensure the regional lugs
have a point of input into NZLUG and NZLU has a contact the other way.
 
 
I have found that while most lug's seem to have some iso's available, once
someone has grabbed them & installed, there is no ready support from the LUG,
users are left to ask on a list or go to the distro's site (if they can find
it)
 
One recent example was someone who needed DTP, so wanted Scribus. Grab the
RPM& install didn't help, as there was no RPM for the distro/version on the
distro's site, and the user was quite discouraged by all the help which
didn't help. RPMfind was greeted with glee....
 
The package (esp 3rd party) sites for SUSE, Mandrake, Debian, Slackware,
etc., are seldom listed or linked by LUG's, so users get told "just download &
install, its easy". Unfortunately, if you don't know where, it's not easy,
it's enough to drive you to M$!
 
(& before someone points it out, I know I haven't done much here to help add
these resources at wellylug, sigh...)
 
(I'm waiting for my subscription to nzlug list to be approved, will copy this
there when it is...)
 
 
Brent Wood