[Wylug-discuss] Suggestion for website

[Dave Fisher]

On Tue, May 15, 2007 at 10:15:09PM +0100, John Hodrien wrote:
> On Tue, 15 May 2007, Dave Fisher wrote:
> 
> >I agree that LUGs have many aims, including social ones, which the
> >planet idea might help.
> >
> >That said, many of our social aims are similar to those of golf clubs
> >and reading groups, so I think that we need to make sure the site's
> >overall focus remains on what makes us different from them.
> 
> That said, I think it's always worth remembering that WLYUG isn't a lobbying
> or advocacy group:
> 
>    "WYLUG is a group of people who use or are interested in GNU Linux and 
>    Open
>     Source software. We aim to offer informal help and guidance to GNU Linux
>     and Open Source software users through events, meetings, our email lists
>     and of course this website.
> 
> I'm not saying that I'm for or against this, but I wouldn't like the balance
> to shift away from the informal.

Just in case anyone is inclined to read the John's points as a mirror
image contrast with my own views, I'd like to make the following clear:

  1. I'm not opposed to the planets proposal in principle.
  2. I don't think that WYLUG should be wholly or even primarily an
     advocacy group.
  3. I'm not unhappy with the current balance between formality and
     informality.

When I said "we need to make sure the site's overall focus remains on
what makes us different from them", I was referring to topicality
(subject matter) not procedure, i.e. what we do should be related to
FLOSS in some way (rather than to kumquats).

Having reiterated point 2, I feel aught to also say that:

  a) Nothing in the WYLUG aims stated above, precludes WYLUG from
     advocay work.

  b) By concensus, advocacy work has been an accepted part of WYLUG's
     activity for years, so it is quite wrong of John to say that "WLYUG
     isn't a lobbying or advocacy group".  It clearly is from time to
     time ... and it's also a lot of other (more important?) things,
     more often.

In short, WYLUG is what its members wish it to be ... and, as far as I'm
concerned, that applies to the issue of planets as much as anything
else.

The purpose of my many contributions to this thread is not to oppose
Chris's suggestion, but merely to ensure that all of its implications
are properly discussed and agreed, before any action is taken ... so
that such action reflects the considered wishes of the membership.

Please see my response to Smylers's contribution, for at least one point
that may not yet have been fully discussed.

Dave