[Scottish] The Future of the LUG (was: Re: Next Meeting)

Wed Dec 10 00:21:05 GMT 2003

Ben Thorp wrote:
> 
> Unfortunately I don't have access to IRC from work, and I'm not always free
> in the evening :o( However, I will try and attend more.
> 
> I posted a topic with some suggestions for talks/topics for the next 6
> months on the webpage. It went something like this:
> 
> Jan - Bring your favourite Linux Book
> Feb - Debate - will Linux be ready for the desktop in 2004
> Mar - Individual speaker
> Apr - Easter pub event/quiz
> May - Installing Linux on laptops (individual speaker)
> Jun - Individual speaker
>
> Tony has advised that he doesn't think that a debate is a good idea, so we
> can change that one. But we've had two people offer talks - 1 on installing
> and running Smootwall, the other on installing Linux for beginners. Plus
> Tony has offered to do a beginners corner each month.
> 

I think this sounds like a good plan. Maybe a question and answer session like 
before, as we've done this already and it often leads to a good chitchat about linux
and computing in general.

> It would be nice to get all this confirmed soonish - can someone who
> listens here and is on IRC regularly pass it on there, and maybe we can get
> this all sorted before year-end, and not have to worry for 6 months!?!
> 

The IRC fans have seen this :-)

> Another alternative would be to specify an IRC meeting time so that all the
> IRC bods, plus anyone else who has access but doesn't always sit on IRC
> (like me) can attend and talk it over. Shouldn't take more than 30-60
> minutes.
> 

We recently did a similar thing on the Nixhelp network, so that the admins/ops 
etc could discuss things at a central point in time. It proved to be extremely 
useful, and everyone went away feeling positive. I'm not sure how to best go about 
this kind of meeting, but it could prove useful in the long run. On the other hand, 
email is a pretty instantaneous method of communication, it just needs people to 
be at their email client all the time :-p 

> It would be good for different folks to offer to do a month - not
> necessarily give a talk or anything, but just to take control, and make
> sure it all happens smoothly - for instance, someone who has a Linux book,
> who is happy to just bring it in January, and say "This is my favourite
> Linux book because...." for 2 minutes would be a start.

Also, sounds good, although requires some formality, which from previous situations 
some people seem to be opposed to. Maybe they will warm to the rotational style of 
organising, preventing any one person from leading the way. I'd be happy to try and 
sort something out. (But be warned, my public speaking skills are terrible :-p)
> 
> I believe we have a really good thing in our LUG, but that we need to give
> it a little TLC.

True. Every little bit helps
> 
> Ben Thorp
> 
> (PS - whats with the mailing list - keep getting funny reply-to addresses?)
No idea :-p

Regards

Kyle
> 
>                       William Anderson
>                       <neuro at well.com>                To:       scottish at mailman.lug.org.uk
>                       Sent by:                        cc:
>                       scottish-bounces at mailman        Subject:  [Scottish] The Future of the LUG (was: Re: Next Meeting)
>                       .lug.org.uk
> 
> 
>                       09-12-03 14:40
> 
> 
> 
> Willie wrote:
> > [snip]
> > OK not everyone is near Glasgow and like it or not, whether we call
> ourselves
> > the Scottish LUG we are effectively the Glasgow LUG. Although by all
> accounts
> > a successful LAN party was held through in the mysterious east at the
> > weekend.
> 
> Is it time perhaps to rename ourselves the Glasgow LUG?  Also, the Scottish
> 
> LUG could be reused as an umbrella organisation, perhaps uniting the other
> LUGs in Scotland to form a larger community ... This could be an excellent
> way of getting LUGs to work together in a variety of ways, maybe
> encouraging other LUGs to be formed to cater for local communities where
> there is no LUG (Inverness? Oban? Ayr? Orkneys?) and would allow ourselves
> to refocus on the task of being a user group for Glasgow, and not the whole
> 
> of Scotland.
> 
> I personally have been humbled and astounded by the membership of our LUG,
> both by the amount of knowledge we all have as a whole, and in the friendly
> 
> manner in which we (normally!) conduct ourselves.  But as a community, I
> think it's fair to say we're not performing under the remit of embracing
> Linux (and other Open Source / Free Software) communities in and around
> Glasgow, and helping those who haven't the time or experience to get fully
> into Linux.
> 
> To my knowledge, it's quite some time since an Install Day took place, and
> as Willie says, all we're really doing these days is meeting at the
> Counting House and drinking (not that that's a bad thing in and of
> itself!), so I think we should all take the time to have a think about the
> LUG, what each of us can contribute, and delurking if possible to have your
> 
> say, and have your contribution made.
> 
> Let's muck in! :)
> 
> > OK two suggestions -- non IRC folk, please consider joining in if at all
> > possible.
> > I suppose a mini HOWTO is called for here but for now....
> 
> excellent :)
> 
> > 1) get a client - mIRC is good for starters if you are just beginning cos
> it
> > is a Win prog and effectively free for 30 days - I won't presume to
> suggest a
> > Linux client but I'd be surprised if there isnt one installed by default
> with
> > your distro.
> 
> if not ...
> 
>       apt-get install xchat
> (or) apt-get install bitchx
> (or) apt-get install irssi
> 
>       http://rpmfind.net/linux/rpm2html/search.php?query=xchat
> (or) http://rpmfind.net/linux/rpm2html/search.php?query=bitchx
> (or) http://rpmfind.net/linux/rpm2html/search.php?query=irssi
> 
>       http://www.xchat.org/
> (or) http://www.bitchx.com/
> (or) http://irssi.org/
> 
> > 2) point it at eu.freenode.net  -- yes there  _are_  alternatives, this
> will
> > get you started.
> 
> connecting to irc.scotlug.org.uk would be a better bet, imo, as a) it
> already points to freenode, and b) if we ever decide to move irc networks
> (to escape the curse of the rehub-mad lilo), it's a clean move to make.
> 
> > 3) join #scotlug
> 
> /join #scotlug
> 
> :)
> 
> > 4) Have a lot of fun -- and dont be scared to jump in with the boots on
> and
> > ask for help, advice whatever.
> 
> Absolutely :)
> 
> --
> _ __/|   ___  ___ __ _________ "When Microsoft Office is your only hammer,
> \`O_o'  / _ \/ -_) // / __/ _ \ pretty much everything begins to look like
> =(_ _)=/_//_/\__/\_,_/_/  \___/ a nail. Or a thumb." -- Rob Pegoraro
>     U - Ack! Phttpt! Thhbbt!     neuro at well dot com  http://neuro.me.uk/
> 
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