[Sussex] Thoughts On Contrubuting to the Community

[Steve 'Dobbo' Dobson]

Jacqui

On Sat, Mar 31, 2007 at 09:11:07AM +0100, Jacqui caren wrote:
> Nico Kadel-Garcia wrote:
> >Ahh, looking for that second date, eh? You shoulda gone for chocolate on 
> >the first data. Chocolate is always good, even for diabetics, who 
> >appreciate a bite of really good chocolate even more than those who can 
> >eat it more often.
> 
> I love the date analogy - it makes the point beautifully.
> 
> FYI:  One reason I stopped supporting firebird was the "my **ick is 
> bigger than yours" attitude[0] prevalent there. Looks like it is
> starting here - which is just the sort of thing that puts "newbies"
> off - not the intended effect...

That is the very reverse of what I intended when I started this thread.
I want everyone to say what they do with Linux.  I deliberately did not
put any limits on what a contribution is.  That is up to everyone to 
define for themselves.

Linux now needs the skills of non-geeks in order to grow.  It needs
artists to design the eye-candy, it needs musicians to compose jingles
for the events, useablity experts and the list goes on and on.

LUGs too need to grow and change.  Nik B & I have been talking about
Linux advocacy a lot recently so I started this thread because I wanted
others to think about that too.  But I'm getting so much more out of
this than just that.  I'm learning about what people are doing with
Linux, like you and your photography for example.

One of the spin-offs of this thread is that by finding out about what
people are going with Linux we might be able to generate some talk
ideas.  LUG charges no fees and therefore has to rely on volunteers
from within to talk. 

In the past Stephen W has talked about how he uses Linux in his musical
intrests.  It was both well received and well attended.  Would you be
prepared to take about how you use Linux in photography?

I wonder what else will come of this.

> Every time I have unsubed it has because a project/list has been ran by 
> "bigger than yours" jobsworth. I believe that you are not like this all 
> the time which is why I am still 'lurking' here.

Please believe me that that is not my intension here.  I've been laughing
at "empire" builders for years - I find the way the think and act funny
most of the time.

> IMHO If you cannot accept that fact that most mailing lists are made up
> of at least 50% lurkers then you really need to get out more :-)

Seriously, why should I have to accept it?  I believe that it is the people
that don't accept the status quo and try and change things are the most
important people.  It's only those that find better ways that improve things
for everyone else.

Everyone told Disney that no one would sit for 90 minutes to watch a 
cartoon, cartoons are those five minute jobs just before the main 
feature.  Who was right?

Sure, for every one success there are a hundred failures.  I may be one
of those failures, but maybe, just maybe, something will come out of this
that may lead us to find a better way to get more people involved in
the community.

> In other lugs I explain that end-user feedback is important *especially*
> if you are a complete newbie and have no computer experience.
> But I only ever do this face to face and after I have helped someone
> with a problem.

But with Sussex being such a big area we see a very small percentage of
our members at the moots.  The mail-list is the best way I have or reaching
everyone.

> I have met people from all walks of life and views at lugs.
> On list and face to face we have to agree to disagree. My experience, 
> attitude to life and beliefs will not match yours. if we learn
> something from each other that is the best we can hope for.

And a good thing it is when that happens, but in order to learn anything
someone has to start the dialog.  

There will be those on this list that say "you can set homework, but there's
no way you can make me do it."  They're right, I can't.  If that gives them
some kind of pleasure then they're welcome to it.  But I'll put them all in
the same room as your crowd of "mine is bigger than yours" and laugh at the
lot of them, because what is the point of being in a club like this if you're
not prepared to join in and participate from time to time?

Steve
-- 
                              Steve "Dobbo" Dobson
                                steve at dobson.org
                               SussexLUG Master
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