[wlug_org] NZLUG discussion

[Brent Wood]

--- Jamie Baddeley <jamie.baddeley@vpc.co.nz> wrote:

> On Mon, 2005-07-11 at 23:46 -0700, Brent Wood wrote:
> > Sweet, but are we talking about WLUG or NZLUG. I for one don't see them as
> > synonymous, but all your rebuttals to my suggestions for NZLUG simply say,
> > "hey, but WLUG already has these." So if WLUG already does that, what is
> > the role you see for NZLUG? 
> 
> Err, providing the value of the content but reducing the parochialism?
> 
> Sometimes labels are everything. That I think, is Mark's point.
> 
> I don't think anyone will disagree that nationalising the Lug concept is
> a good idea. All we're doing now is arguing over the detail.
> 
> Wasting time bickering/debating/whatever over these seemingly trivial
> points is counterproductive and we should support people who have the
> time and energy to put into this effort.

Wow!!! Lets spend time and energy building some new links to existing web pages
& call it NZLUG!!!  What an absolutely brilliant use of peoples' time, and so
productive!!! Linux in NZ will never be the same!!! I'm absolutely stunned by
such perspicacity!! 

After all, Linux & LUG's are all about branding. Let's make sure the names are
OK. Wow, that is such a Gatesian concept, how could we have missed it for so
long? No wonder most of the PC world still doesn't use Linux. We worried about
the actual product instead of the marketing! Obviously time to move :-)

I'm sorry if trying to work out just what NZLUG should be apart from some links
to existing pages is a futile waste of time. A pity I've been so shortsighted &
unreasonable as to waste peoples time by suggesting this course.

> 
> [expletives follow]
> Meanwhile we have fucking Microsoft attending LUG meetings and
> convincing people that where they're coming from is OK. It's not fucking
> OK, it's pretty fucking far from ok. Bill Gates described Linux as
> Cancer. Sadly I will stoop to his level. Microsoft staffers attending
> our LUG meetings is cancer for our LUG. Before you know it they'll be
> presenting 'shared source' as a viable alternative and tempting the
> easily led with bar tabs.

Ahh. Such a balanced reasoned argument. I can see so many non-Linux users being
swayed by this and embracing the obviously superior solution! The one with the
right label of course!

Obviously rather than reasoned discourse with anyone we disagree with, some
people prefer unreasoned expletives. As far as I'm concerned, I'm just thankful
most of the comments seem to come from people looking for constructive ways
forward. There should always be room for reasoned dialogue, if you want any
credibility other than blind faith.

> We need to move. Now.

OK, lets move :-)

> Anyway.. moving right along.
> 
> To give NZLUG some legs you really need representation from every
> region. You achieve a couple of things with this: 1) Bods to do stuff 2)
> Buy in at a regional level.
> 
> I'd suggest a couple of reps from each LUG, reason being a) buddy system
> works b) redundant systems are reliable c) more bods to do stuff.
> 
> Personally I'm all for repurposing the content that we've already
> generated at a regional level. If the regions support that then hell
> yes. Why reinvent the wheel? We don't need to write new source code all
> the time. Why not just hack at what we've got?

Fine, I have no problem with this as a starting point. But, by itself I think
an effective NZLUG needs to be more than a collection of links to regional
sites. Most regional sites already have links to each other anyway.

If Wellylug is to be involved & support the proposed NZLUG, I'd think some idea
of what NZLUG is gonna be might be useful. Personally I prefer to know what it
is we are supporting before jumping on board.

> Once we've got some form of representation from the regions then that
> has some form of mandate to make claims about being an nzlug.

As I understand it, there are already reps from several LUGS. But not yet
Wellylug. Perhaps the appropriate place to move is to agree on some Wellylug
representation?

> 
> What will the NZLUG do? I don't know. Let the representatives sort that
> out.

The key word is "representatives". If they are Wellylug reps, then they need
input from others so they actually represent the LUG. Otherwise they are no
more than individuals active in two different groups.


Brent