[Liverpool] My mistake

[Lucy]

2009/2/18 Andrew Williams <andy at tensixtyone.com>:
> On Wed, Feb 18, 2009 at 11:52:15AM +0000, Simon Johnson wrote:
>> We're now at the point where lots of people have used free software on
>> Windows. We just need people to take the final step. That's one goal of a
>> LUG, to increase awareness.
>>
>> The other is to discuss technical topics with like minded individuals.
>> Personally, I prefer this side of the modern LUG to the politics.
>>

I think the goal of a LUG has always varied depending on the people
involved. As a very general statement, a LUG is a group of people with
the (GNU/)Linux OS in common. Some LUGs have been quite active and
political, others have just been an excuse to meet up with friends in
a pub (not to be underrated).

> LUGs are at a real crossroads at the moment. LUGs were born out of the need for
> like minded people to meet, in the early days of Linux users were few and far between, so a central
> meetup was required for people to discuss the topics that affect them. These days, takeup is larger than
> ever and the internet and forums have really limited the group's growth. Many have faded off into the
> background and it started to look like LUGs were no longer needed. I don't think this is right.

The use of technology and in particular the Internet has changed
greatly since LUGs were first started, it's only natural that LUGs
would change too.

> The people who would usually attend LUGs are now splitting up into two types of group, the Free Software
> groups (such as Manchester Free Software) and the more general technical collectives (Geekup). As LUGs
> are dying the new groups are forming to almost fill up the rift they've left behind. The people who had
> been attending LUGs for years are now trying to form groups to act as replacements to the LUG they knew
> and loved.
>
> It will be interesting to see if LUGs, as we know at the moment, are still around in years to come.

I would actually argue that as more people have become involved in
computing and started using more free software a need for different
types of groups has arisen and been fulfilled (geekup, drupal, ruby,
etc). I see this as a sign of a healthy community, I don't think LUGs
have necessarily suffered and I think with the increase in the use of
Linux (think netbooks and Vista) over the last year or so they still
potentially have an important role to play.

I'm sorry I won't be at the next meeting (a bit too far to travel) to
discuss this further, but should you ever have a Saturday meeting I
hope to come along and say 'hi' to people.