[clug] [Wanted] Someone to manage CLUG meetings

[Kristy Bennett]

For the attention of John Telek and for the information of CLUG list
members:

I thought my first post to this list would be one with a genuine Linux
related question but after _your_ post John I feel I have to swallow my
pride and let the hormones take over[1].  So in light of this, here is
my considered response [2]:

>> I really don't know why you people call yourselves the Canberra Linux
Users Group.  It should be the ANU Linux users group. 

I don't care what it is called as long as I can get into an environment
that shows me that stepping away from M$ is not such a bad idea.

>> Most Canberrans I've spoken to are put off going to the meetings At
ANU for 2 primary reasons, the location...

Personally, I echo the response of others for those who come from
Northern Cooma (Mikal and the like) I thank you for taking the 25 minute
drive so that we can be at the meeting in 15-20 minutes from the other
side of town.  I am glad that Dept. of Computer Science is willing to
share its venue.  It has lighting, heating, toilets and a kitchen which
meets all my needs as a mum who brings a child along to CLUG.  (My only
issue is the lack of decent toilet paper.)  

>> and lack of access to the venue,...
>> You can't just waltz in there. You have to have a security card.
Don't worry, I like other visitors Have spent a half hour or so freezing
our asses off because we couldn't get in.

On the rare occasion that we were early, yes, we sat outside for a
period of time.  I am still alive.  My husband is still alive and so is
our son who was about 5-6 months old at the time.  As all people who
attend CLUG will notice there is a period of 'grace' for those who are
tardy and therefore there is no reason to the *early* unnecessarily and
freeze your butt off waiting outside (rather than sitting in a warm car
until 7pm).  I echo Bob, if you can find a more appropriate venue then
please let us know - but please ensure that they supply decent toilet
paper too.

>> and more importantly, the antics of it's regular members.

When was the last time you went to a night club?  Have you ever been to
a night club?  Have you ever asked a female what sort of *antics* have
been tried at a nightclub?  (And I don't mean the pathetic Canberran
attempt at a night club).  I have been married for a number of years now
and so clubbing has been rarely on my list of things to do for some time
now but I have sat back in my chair reading your email, envisioned the
people who attend CLUG and then tried to envision CLUG member antics and
nearly fell off my chair in hysteria!  (No offence to CLUG
attendees/members).[3]  

Can you be more specific here? Because as one of the only females who
attends CLUG I would like to know what *antics* go on?  Are guys
promising hardware in return for 'you can imagine what I am suggesting'
in the car park?  Is there something unusual in the behavior of one guy
suggesting that he will assist on 'devel team' [4] in return for
assistance with his TIVO?  Personally, I have never witnessed any
'antics' from any people attending CLUG regular or irregular [5]
attendees.  And I hardly felt the need to protect my 10 month old from
any of the people attending as the worst things that have been done by
anyone at/after a meeting is comments of amazement at his pizza crust
eating abilities and questions about when he will have his first kernel
patch accepted.

>> And It's not open to the public. Those days are gone. Only the elite
may enter.

Is this related to the antics or this a separate issue?  Firstly, I am
far from elite.  I battle with small things that aren't even necessarily
Linux or open source related like PHP and Python.  I think if you asked
those in CLUG who know me whether I was elite they would laugh you out
of the room.[6] I only learned how to  write a web page in html this
year!  So there must be a bug in the database storing identified
elitists who may enter because I have made it to 5 of the 8 meetings so
far this year as well as some of the Programmers SIGs.[7]  You know what
I have learned?  That if you don't know understand what is being talked
about then ask questions.  The more questions you ask the stupider you
may feel in the short term but in the long term you have a full
comprehension of the discussion at every meet.  I hardly see myself
hacking my mood box, writing forensic tools, submitting kernel patches,
planning to turn Linux desktops into something that will take over the
world like Apple's desktops or anything else that has been presented so
far this year (other than maybe using some sort of power saving device
that doesn't screw up open apps on my laptop).  However, I have learned
a lot, I understand a great deal more than I used to and I was able to
ask Tridge what made him so special amongst PC/Linux users and let *him*
explain what Samba and R-Sync(?) were all about in a way that was
comprehensive, simple yet not demeaning.  I have also been able to get
on the FTA bandwagon and actively lobbying for those of CLUG who spend
way too much time working and therefore cannot avail themselves to do
it.  Does any of this qualify me as elite?  What about the undergrad
students who attend, who are too broke to order pizza?  Have you polled
them for their thoughts because those who are interested in Linux tend
to show up regularly?

>> Also, I don't know why people bother with the food. I have
contributed to pizza only to find those regular gannet's devoure most of
the food before the rest of us get upstairs and then there is none left.

On the pizza note... I admit it I AM A GANNET!  Okay, so I am a pregnant
gannet (aka regular CLUG attendee) and when I observe that pizza
consumption has slowed I dive right in and help clean up the remaining
(non-prawn topped) pizzas but I don't think I have ever topped 5 pieces
using this method.  Also, I need to make arrangements with the pizza
order person to calculate what we need to pay for my son as he is hardly
as bigger eater as the average CLUG attendee.  How much does it cost for
the crusts of 3 pizza slices.  I am also one of the last to arrive
upstairs as I have to take the lift with the pram/stroller and always
manage to eat my fill.  I thought the process was designed so that those
who loiter miss out because if you loiter you are a suspect for
disappearing with a data projector or three and therefore relinquish
your right to any pizza.  As far as I am concerned, if you are later
upstairs than me then you either need to get a motorised scooter to move
faster and take the lift with me or quit gasbagging until you get
upstairs.

>> Maybe this should be considered and a new approach taken to get a
more rounded cross section of the community involved.

This may be the one real positive suggestion from your posts!  My
bandwagon is not just the not so well versed Linux user/developer but
also those that are of the female gender.  However, I am yet to find a
collaborative group willing to put an effort in getting more 'chicks' to
CLUG.[8]  If you have any suggestions as to what may need to be done to
assist on either the not so well versed Linux user/developer or 'chick'
front please let us know or at least me know.  

Going to bed now,

Kristy

[1] For those who don't yet know I am pregnant again.
[2] Does anyone know how to get an ISBN so that I can get this book
sized response published?
[3] Can you really call people CLUG members for a group of people who
aren't registered as an organisation?
[4] Pick a random need of a CLUG member to replace 'devel team' here.
[5] Does irregular attendees need defining or clarification here?
[6] Could those people referred to here please continue in letting me
feel as elite as they must be?
[7] My excuses for the other 3 are:
    morning sickness which only made me sick in the evening=2
    not wanting to leave the in-laws at home without any of our family
there=1
[8] If you would be willing to start a group of this nature feel free to
email me off-list.