[Wolves] LUG State of the Nation Address

[Adam Sweet]

On 17/06/2019 17:24, Peter Cannon via Wolves wrote:
> On 17/06/2019 16:33, Adam Sweet via Wolves wrote:
>> Hi all
>> 
>> TL;DR - LUGs are dying, need your help.
> 
> I think the biggest problem is knowledge. Back in the day, there 
> wasn't as much info on the web as there is nowadays and therefore 
> LUG's served a vital service in terms of experience and assistance.
> I think LUG's probably still have a place but possibly on the social
>  side more than anything else.

Indeed. As part of my existential thinking, I decided not to try to
answer the question of whether people need LUGs any more. Wanting one
is all that's necessary.

> I personally have no excuse for not attending meetings other than 
> being A. Lazy and B. Lazy.

And there's nowt wrong with that. Nobody should feel obliged to come.
Come if you feel like it, don't if you don't. My thinking is ultimately
'build it and they will come'.

> I always remember Jono Bacon saying about 15+ years ago "I come to 
> these meetings to socialise and have a few beers not talk technical 
> stuff." at the time I thought "Hold the phone here, your the 
> lugmaster and yet don't want to talk Linux?" thing is, he may have 
> been right, just ahead of his time. LOL

Different things work well for different people. Some people want to
talk technical, some people just come for the social side. I don't think
it's necessary to set an agenda, people will make their own.

> Wolves LUG has never been 'stiffy' about discussing any old subject 
> on the mailing list but possibly members feel that a LUG Mailing
> list is purely for Linux related communications? Maybe some posts
> about drizzled bake beans and a lettuce obsession would liven things
> up?

I'm assuming you meant stuffy there ;) Regarding topics, you hum it and
I'll play it. As long as a topic is relevant and interesting to more
people that it's pissing off then it's valid.

> Here's a question: Does Wolverhampton University even know we exist? 
> Or any other place in Wolverhampton for that matter?

Probably not any more. Our last contact at the uni appears to have left
and they were never able to offer anything more than informal mentions
to students who expressed an interest in Linux, though we are talking 10
years ago and more. I'll be looking at ways to promote the LUG over time
and suggestions are welcome.

> I joined the LUG because I found it on a list in the back of Linux
> Format do those lists still appear in magazines? Maybe we should ping
> Linux Voice and Linux Format? In fact, given we're all talking about
> the 10th anniversary of OggCamp how about those magazines write a
> piece on how it all started with LugRadio Live and Wolves LUG because
> without us there probably wouldn't have been any OggCamp.

Good idea.

> Course, Linux isn't sexy anymore, you need to be into RaspberryPi or 
> Makerspace these days. LOL

Again I agree. Other things are the new cool niche, Linux is passé. The
future of LUGs is in being social as you say.

> P.S. I actually miss some of the flame wars IMO all that was hurt
> was peoples pride and some people deserve a good shoeing anyway. 
> Bwhahaha

You make a point I hadn't considered, that some people like a good
barney. Personalities differ and conflict is natural, but at least while
we're trying build things I want to encourage participation and promote
an atmosphere where people feel confident enough to post. Again, we'll
have to build the right environment first before people will want to use it.

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