[kwlug-disc] why not pick a kwlug project for the web site?

Insurance Squared Inc. gcooke at insurancesquared.com
Thu Dec 31 11:24:09 EST 2009


I'd like to respond once again on this subject - prefacing this with 
these are my comments only, and I'm content with the current structure 
of a few folks doing all the work making whatever decisions they want 
without a lot of management from others. 

First, it's been suggested that the lug is meetings, with the email list 
basically to announce meetings.  I disagree.

I rarely attend meetings as I work most evenings.  I actively read and 
participate on the email list.   And quite frankly the email list is a 
poor place to create that kind of community.  As Paul noted, we're 
PO'ing people with the volume of email these last few days.  And I 
consider how appropriate my posts are sometimes when I hit the list with 
a stupid how-do-I question.  How many folks are meeting go'ers and how 
many are attached via the email list?  Perhaps I'm not alone in 
suggesting the lug can and should be an online community as well as a 
series of meetings.

So, the email list isn't the right venue for creating a community beyond 
the meetings, and I'm suggesting there may be a need/want for a 
community beyond the web. 

And that leads to my first suggestion - a forum on the site.  That 
answers much of the non-meeting folks need for a community.  I can ask 
my dumb linux related questions.  People can ask me questions about my 
area of expertise.  We can have a thread on 'top 10 linux commands'.  
And so on.  AND this stuff then sits around in the search engines, 
bringing in other visitors, far better than our 1975 version of mailman 
:). Get non-meeting related announcements off the list and onto the 
site. Plus, that means there's no more offtopic - just create an 
offtopic section!

Secondly, reach out a bit.  Take some presentations out to places beyond 
us linux geeks.  Many of the presentations are beyond my capability.  
For example, I know there's been presentations on media pc's. Maybe 3-4 
times a year someone does a presentation on media pc's from a user 
perspective - how to start from scratch and end up with a functional 
media PC.  Then contact local groups with an interest in that - some of 
the tech shops perhaps, or future shop, or I dunno. Or how to use linux 
for music production and contact local audiophiles for a presentation.  
Or contact the local chamber and have a presentation on linux in the 
workplace.

Thirdly, well thirdly it's been a while since I've thanked the folks 
that do keep the lug running so smootly so let me say Thanks!  I 
appreciate the work that you folks do and know there's a lot more going 
on that we even see - your work does help us all :).

g.







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