[kwlug-disc] (In progress) kwlug candidate meeting site sourced.

[Paul Nijjar]

On Sun, Dec 20, 2009 at 02:45:06AM -0500, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> 
>   that doesn't describe linux these days.  linux is most emphatically
> *not* a generic commodity.  corporations are still looking for linux
> expertise, now more than ever.  i was simply pointing out the logical
> disconnect in the ever-surging popularity of linux versus the fact
> that KWLUG seems to have plateaued.  if that observation offends, so
> be it.  but, as i mentioned in my earlier post, there's something just
> fundamentally *wrong* about being a linux user group in *this*
> technological climate in a geographical hot bed of technological
> development, and be begging for a place to hold monthly meetings.

Part of the reasoning is that we don't want to charge entrance fees.
If we did then this problem would go away. Some of our
members/attendees would go away too, but that's supply and demand for you. 

There's some analogy to be made between finding a home for LUG
meetings and financing open source software development, but I'm too
stupid (and sleepy) to see it. 

Another thing to consider is that we aren't alone in looking for a new
home. There is another prominent tech user group in the area which is
looking for a new home (for some of the same reasons we left 43 Queen,
in fact). I won't name names (not that it's hard to figure out)
but I am sure they would welcome leads for meeting spaces as well. 

I agree that KWLUG has plateaued (and even regressed) in some ways. So
let's find some ways (and some energy) to improve. I think John Kerr's
newsletter idea is a good one. There are other neat things that we
(as individuals or as a group) could do. 

Even if we don't grow, there are worse fates than plateauing. Being
present and holding meetings (with attendees!) for eight years despite
having no money and no formal organization is pretty neat. Growing a
community of users who know each other and do cool stuff together
(hello Ontario Linux Fest) is pretty neat too. 

My hope is that this meeting space drama will settle down over the
next few months, and we'll be good for another few years. But who
knows? 

- Paul