[sclug] How to start a LUG?

[Alan Pope]

On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 12:01:55 +0000, Simon Heywood <simon at triv.org.uk> wrote:
> The optimum LUG size question is an interesting one, though. We're the

Is there even an "optimum" size for a LUG?

Take HantsLUG for one example. Pretty big, gets bring-a-box meets of
up to 40 people on a busy month (they're held every other month, but I
understand that may become more frequent). Then compare that with
Silicon Valley LUG near San Francisco. They cover a much larger area,
and as such get a huge number of people turn up. I went to one of
their meets last year which they said was "small", which consisted of
around 50-100 bodies. Their largest (packed to the rafters - hundreds
of people) meet was when Linus came to give a talk :D

I don't think a LUG can have a physical maximum size, so long as
venues, procedures, policies and infrastructure can cope. A minimum
size though.. is two people a "group"? They're meeting up and sharing
information, so fulfilling part of the remit for sure. I suppose
"optimum" is somewhere inbetween those two values.

Yes, that's helpful.. "optimum size for a LUG is between two and many
hundreds of people". That'll do.

Cheers,
Al.