[Gllug] Yesterday's GLLUG meeting

[John Southern]

Ivan,

I found your comments at the end of the meeting, offensive and abusive.
Your main complaint was WRONG !
There is no opinion on this - You were wrong.
You behaved like a spoilt brat and should have known better.
Also when speaking on the phone to me on Friday night before the meeting, 
threatening never to come again if you did not get your own way, like a 
petulant child stamping his feet for another ice-cream, did not endear you to 
me. You should be ashamed of yourself. GLLUG is not your personal fiefdom. 
You do not own it. You do have as much a say as everyone else but no more 
than that.


For the benefit of others who where either not present or confused by the 
idiotic outburst, I had better explain.

Five years ago, the GLLUG group met at Birkbeck college. This cost money and 
as we do not charge we needed to find another venue. We went to GND where we 
met Ivan.
Ivan over the years proved to be very helpful to the group, arranging 
speakers. This is actually quite an arduous task so was and is greatly 
appreciated. The down side was we could only have meetings when Ivan wanted 
them and he has always refused to plan the next meeting in advance as he does 
not like to be pressured with a timetable. Time passed, Ivan left GND, we 
changed venues going back to UCL then Framestore and now Westminster.

During this time we have as a group managed to avoid all forms of 
commercialism. Although Josette from O'Reilly and John from the Linux 
Emporium attended yesterday they are more like a fantastic resource and do 
not demand anything in return.
We have accepted money - Certainly Sun paid for us to meet at UCL but they 
got nothing in return. Possibly Veritas as well did the same but my memory 
fades at that point. FrameStore (CFC) was generous not in just providing 
rooms but also refreshments, as did GND and Turtle who held the Installfest.
While meeting occurred the mailing list continued. This is run by Frontier 
Technology (FTech) who thankfully do not charge us anything. They also host 
the website.
Some members have offered their own corporate servers so we could offer more 
services such as Yourname at gllug.org.uk mail forwarding.
The website was written by me and Colin. It was unashamedly text only, 
default settings and only ever changed to announce a meeting. (Usually at 
short notice whenever Ivan said we had enough speakers and a room)
Timed passed, no one else offered to do the website. This year some members 
said it was not good enough and so two alternative sites were put up. One by 
Richard and another by Janet. Richard offered to host but Ivan vettoed that 
for personal reasons So we now use Janet's website.
This is much better than the old site as everyone is well aware and we are 
all grateful to Janet for the time spent making it look professional.
Not perfect as there is a lot to do, but fantastic none the less.
This is indicative of how Gllug has operated. There are NO rules, 
constitution, mission statement, elections, bar from anything.
There is a so called committee but in reality anyone can do anything. Over 
the years many people have said we should do this or we should do that. If 
you actually do it then you are the committee. No bar, no limit, anything 
goes, and everyone gratefully welcome. Colin has always just got on with 
things. This has ranged from standing outside PC Bookshop handing out fliers 
to try and attract people to liasing for speakers and rooms.
When GLLUG was started Colin and I had problems with Linux. Things did not 
install correctly, we did not understand how to set things up etc., We lived 
the carefree life of newbies. Attending with a machine for yet another 
install. Of course after a while we could install, but we still brought along 
machines because others could see an install, ask questions, be shown how to 
do something. It became a bit of a running joke that we would always do an 
install. I benefitted most because everytime someone would show me something 
new. This was always an important part of the group to Colin as he felt 
because we had (still are) benefitting he wanted to make sure anyone new was 
always welcomed. This proved to be a problem with Ivan. Ivan has always 
thought that the lectures were the most important thing. Actually it runs a 
little deeper. Ivan has always been of the opinion that the lectures should 
be as technical as possible so the Gurus of the group would not be bored, 
leave and then the group collapse. Newbies were expected to RTFM and if they 
could not learn then tough! This does have the effect of limiting the pool of 
Linux experts in the capital and so keep potential incomes high.
Ivan also thought that the talks should be given by those outside the group 
in preference to members, because members could always be called upon if ever 
there was a need. This actually had the effect that two of the gurus felt 
unwanted and wanted nothing to do with politics so they left. The groups loss.
Colin and myself kept on trying to organise where we could, emailing out 
announcements (even if they were seen by everyone as late) etc.,
Eons passed.
Sean of Westminister University offered a room just as one at CFC became 
unavailable. Colin said yes as not only a lecture theater but a networking 
room. - Hurrah lectures and practicals. Ivan was not happy - Newbies being 
pandered to.
Westminister was not ideal. The lecture theater was small, and hot. Once in 
because we always overran lectures and the next started straight after it 
could feel like you were trapped. Networking room was on a different floor.
Still gift horse and all.
We went back - same problems but no one else actually came up with anything 
practical. Spring came - Ivan said we could possibly go back to CFC - Great 
(Chairs are comfortable - I am old and creak so like my creature comforts)
Time passed.
No meetings. Comments made. Time passed no meetings... You get the picture.
"Bugger this" I said. "Can we have a meeting on Sept 14 and Oct 19"
Dates were perfect for me - no one else - My daughter birthday is the reason.
I also wanted as much notice as possible. Fed up with people complaining they 
need more notice, I personally wanted to be able to arrange my life more than 
ten days in advance. Five weeks to the next meeting means we can ask people 
if they can talk and organise their lives.
No one did anything except Colin as usual who just got on with arranging it. 
No speakers or comments from Ivan came so Colin quietly organised talks.

If anyone else wants to do something they are instantly wanted.
Because of this, those that do things for GLLUG have occasional clashes of 
personalities - an example of this is should the mailing list be moderated, 
and currently should the list require you to be a member before posting.
All mail to the gllug-announce list has to be approved, while only dodgy spam 
that the spam filters are unsure about do we have to kill by hand.
The mailing lists are administered by Colin, myself and Mark (FTech). Again 
this is down to no one else actually doing it. Spams killed since beginning 
of July number 710. Members on list =  398. Attendees yesterday was between 
60 and 70.

Enough of history. Back to the outburst in the meeting.

Ivan's first comment was that Colin had done a deal with Westminister 
University, giving them control. Apparently this was done underhand, with no 
ones knowledge. This supposedly allows Westminster to claim governmental 
money for running the group. - OK let me categorically state - There is NO 
deal. If there was cool - would not cost us a penny, but there is no deal.
Will we go back to Westminster - Only if nothing better comes along.
Are we prepared to move about - sure why not. Of course just asking the 
question politely of Colin or Sean would have got you the information.

Ivan's second comment was about Westminister not being suitable, because 
there is now a restriction on bringing in equipment so Westminster is bad for 
Newbies. - This is true and the first to complain will be Colin. But Ivan 
does not think the newbie demonstration area is important - so what did it 
matter.

Ivan's third comment was that we should not have regular meetings. This is 
because he thinks that they dilute and reduce the benefit and level of 
lectures. Fewer meetings, fewer lectures, better the quality talks we get.
I disagree but it is for everyone to decide not any one member.

Ivan's fourth comment was after a question by Martin Ling about internal 
speakers versus external speakers. Ivan wants emphasis on external speakers.
Again I disagree. This time with both. Any speaker is just as valuable. We 
all learn so what is the problem. I actually learn more in the pub after the 
meetings by talking to people so it should be down to first anyone who 
volunteers then anyone we can coerce. Why ? Well apathy rules. No one 
actually wants to do anything and if anyone offers anything we should jump at 
the chance.
On a personal note - I could never give a talk because I suffer from stage 
fright and everyone is more knowledgable.

Now I could be just being paranoid. I could have misheard Ivan all those 
times and got completely the wrong impression. If I have then I apologise 
unreservedly and I trust Ivan will correct my misinterperations. Or I could 
be right.

I trust all is well
John



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