[dundee] TayLug - light blue touchpaper and don't retire...

[Robert Ladyman]

> This is the situation right now, but you need to ask is it optimal?
> Yes, TayLUG is a mailing list (and a great one at that), but should
> TayLUG not become an entity in its own right?  The Linux Society has
> clearly done a huge amount to support Dundee's Linux community, but
> politically with its ties to Abertay and the Student body it might not
> be the right shape to do everything the community wants of it.
> 
> Hence, why not make TayLUG an entity in its own right...  which is
> free from University ties, it can have its own bank account, raise its
> own money, and elect its own officials, who may or may not be
> students.  There are (or at least were) non-student members who've
> wanted to engage more pro actively, but have been inhibited by a
> purely student-led organisation.
> 
> Note, I am not criticising students here... as they are without doubt
> some of the communities most active members, but having an
> organisation which can draw in talent and support from the wider
> community has got to be a good thing.  We could then benefit from the
> skills in our existing membership more easily, which includes students
> but also open-source professionals, entrepreneurs, business men,
> tinkerers and hackers.
> 

Absolutely with you on the student issue: my feeling is that we (the 
greybeards) perhaps aren't doing as much as we could - students holding 
positions have other priorities at various times of the year, and that's where 
we could step in to help. One idea might be to reverse the current roles of 
the two societies, so that there is a little more continuity (that absolutely 
would not preclude students from being TayLug officers, etc.). 
Also, the position at this year's FOSSDay, where funds for the TLS could not 
be reached, wasn't ideal (I'm also thinking about the cost of RMS's potential 
visit to Dundee, which will take a lot more funding and organisation).

On the other hand, perhaps we do not need two societies and can just carry on 
as normal, but Gordon is correct in that we should come to the meeting and put 
across our views or state them here (or both).

RJL