<style>body{font-family:Helvetica,Arial;font-size:13px}</style><div id="bloop_customfont" style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial;font-size:13px;margin:0px;line-height:auto">Paul, thank you for your notes.</div><div id="bloop_customfont" style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial;font-size:13px;margin:0px;line-height:auto"><br></div><div id="bloop_customfont" style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial;font-size:13px;margin:0px;line-height:auto">I want to amend my prior message to clarify, "a major communication channel not be email\u201d was not ment to be exclusive, it was ment to be inclusive as in there should be additional channels to email.</div><div id="bloop_customfont" style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial;font-size:13px;margin:0px;line-height:auto"><br></div><div id="bloop_customfont" style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial;font-size:13px;margin:0px;line-height:auto">That said, I see you saying, "don\u2019t say it, do it". OSS has had a concept of sticking one's neck out to push a vision, I suppose a LUW shouldn\u2019t be any different. </div><div id="bloop_customfont" style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial;font-size:13px;margin:0px;line-height:auto"><br></div><div id="bloop_customfont" style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial;font-size:13px;margin:0px;line-height:auto">I have travel prep for this weekend but before I go, here is a first stab at \u201cdoing it".</div><div id="bloop_customfont" style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial;font-size:13px;margin:0px;line-height:auto"><br></div><div id="bloop_customfont" style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial;font-size:13px;margin:0px;line-height:auto"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/KWFloss">https://www.reddit.com/r/KWFloss</a><br></div> <div><br></div>I need to add some initial topics and refine the styling, suggestions are welcome. Also, being a bit new to managing s subreddit, if others want to be able poke around with the configuration let me know.<div><br></div><div>Don\u2019t expect much to start with, organic growth takes years, but I will commit to doing regular watering and seeing what happens.</div><div><br></div><div>\u2014Tim</div><div> <div id="bloop_sign_1760066649865061888" class="bloop_sign"></div> <br><p class="airmail_on">On October 9, 2025 at 12:31:09\u202fPM, Paul Nijjar (<a href="mailto:paul_nijjar@yahoo.ca">paul_nijjar@yahoo.ca</a>) wrote:</p> <blockquote type="cite" class="clean_bq"><span><div><div></div><div>(This got long and is mostly skimmable. Sorry.)
<br>
<br>On Wed, Oct 08, 2025 at 07:45:16PM -0700, Tim Laurence wrote:
<br>> There were a few ideas floated around. Mostly around a couple topics.
<br>>
<br>> 1. Updating the group a bit to feel a bit more modern. What that is is il
<br>> defined but perhaps having a major communication channel not be email. ;)
<br>
<br>
<br>In terms of communications channels: If people have the time and
<br>energy to set up and maintain/moderate these channels, then go for it.
<br>Keep in mind that none of these channels will bring in users for free
<br>-- you have to cultivate the audience.
<br>
<br>What I am not interested in: people demanding new communications
<br>channels and then expecting me (or other members of the the secretive
<br>society that operates KWLUG) to babysit it.
<br>
<br>A good example of this done well is LinkedIn. Jason Paul took over
<br>management duties of our moribund LinkedIn presence and as far as I
<br>know it is now a vibrant and thriving subculture I have nothing to do
<br>with.
<br>
<br>Because we are in principle a FLOSS group (more on that below) my
<br>inclination is to support FLOSS forums. But the kids are on Discord
<br>and Tiktok and Instagram (and LinkedIn?), so people who want to
<br>proselytize in new territory are probably going there. We can provide
<br>DNS subdomains/verification, email aliases and links on the <a href="http://kwlug.org">kwlug.org</a>
<br>website.
<br>
<br>If the proposal is to abandon email as a communication channel
<br>entirely then I am less enthusiastic. However, this could happen given
<br>an overthrow of the current leadership.
<br>
<br>In terms of making the group "more modern": I am also fine with this
<br>but there are some conversations to be had here. If somebody wants to
<br>theme us a spiffy new Drupal theme, then that is pretty easy. If
<br>somebody wants to replace Drupal entirely, then that is a larger
<br>discussion.
<br>
<br>
<br>> 2. Looking at using social media to expand our visibility.
<br>
<br>I am all in favour of this, but it seems that existing KWLUG members
<br>are allergic to Instagram.
<br>
<br>>
<br>> I(Tim) personally promoted the idea of something along the lines of a KW
<br>> FLOSS Sub-Reddit with a wider and simpler mission (\u201cCelebrate FLOSS\u201d ||
<br>> \u201cShare the FLOSS\u201d?) than KW LUG with to goal of making a OSS advocate
<br>> \u201clighting rod\u201d of which KWLUG would be a major part. I see a place where
<br>> KWLUG event s could be promoted and people could more causal and
<br>> conversational connect.
<br>
<br>
<br>If you want to start a subreddit, then feel free.
<br>
<br>It is also completely okay for people to decide that KWLUG is for old
<br>people and spin off an entirely new group that will appeal to The
<br>Kids. Others have done this to great success.
<br>
<br>From my perspective (and it is only my perspective, not dictat) the
<br>value of the LUG has changed over the years. In the early years it was
<br>partially a forum for people to get technical help with Linux
<br>problems. Then Stack Exchange came along and did a much better job of
<br>that. We were much more focused on Linux at the beginning, and now we
<br>are more broadly FLOSS (not that The Kids care much about FLOSS these
<br>days in the way we geriatrics did). For a while we did FLOSS Fund
<br>donations but then Kickstarter came along. Although it is not obvious,
<br>the group has changed over the years.
<br>
<br>So what is the value of a LUG in 2025? In my opinion (and it is only
<br>my opinion) the core of KWLUG includes the following:
<br>
<br>- An emphasis on free software as a lens through which we view
<br> technology
<br>
<br>- An emphasis on technical discussions rather than venture-capital
<br> based business development (although some other topics can creep in)
<br>
<br>- An emphasis on the geography of Waterloo Region (although people
<br> from outside the region are still welcome to participate)
<br>
<br>- An emphasis on holding regular meetings in Waterloo region, usually
<br> focused on technical topics
<br>
<br>- An emphasis on building a community of people who interact in a
<br> friendly and supportive way, and then using the energy from that
<br> community to do interesting things. (This mailing list is one such
<br> interesting thing. Some of the connections people have made over the
<br> years is another.)
<br>
<br>- An emphasis on informal do-ocracy and contributions over highly
<br> formalized and regulated organizational structures. (Yes, the
<br> Tyranny of Structurelessness applies here. But keeping things
<br> lightweight has meant less organizing work, which means the LUG has
<br> longevity even in maintenance mode.)
<br>
<br>
<br>I am sure that many people are in disagreement (maybe strong
<br>disagreement) with those principles. Many of those people tried a
<br>meeting out and felt unwelcome. I do not like that but personally
<br>don't have the energy to fix that. My hope is that enough people find
<br>the LUG a good fit to gain benefit from it, and those who find the LUG
<br>a bad fit find other communities that suit them better.
<br>
<br>If you make a KW FLOSS subreddit (or any other alternative channel)
<br>then the question is whether it plays to the strengths KWLUG offers,
<br>or is it trying to be just another forum in a sea of forums?
<br>
<br>There are also some principles/lines that are personally dealbreakers
<br>for me, in the sense that if the LUG insisted on adopting those things
<br>I would be stepping down from organizing duties. But that is not a
<br>conversation for this mailing list. (And arguably, I ought to be
<br>stepping down anyways.)
<br>
<br>- Paul
<br>
<br></div></div></span></blockquote>
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