[clug] The harsh realities of CLUG

Jeff smee.heee at gmail.com
Wed May 19 03:22:13 MDT 2010


CLUG can be an "interesting" place, both the meetings and this list.  I
have found both to be mostly friendly, but as has been said, when it is
a room full of people that know each other sometimes being the only one
in the room that doesn't know everyone can be intimidating.

Whilst I find most of the topics at CLUG meetings interesting, a lot of
them either are not my core interest, or are over my head.  Either way,
they are still interesting, and at some point I might start
understanding those topics a bit more.  I fully agreed with Michael
about getting back to basics, then again it was shown that some peoples
basics are still over others heads.  (Not saying that I need the how to
change directory etc, but how inodes work, whilst interesting, is not
what I would call basics.)  :)

As far as the web page etc.  It is basic, but again as has been said, do
we really need to add another place to search for answers to problems.
I think leaving the web page to just state who/what/where and when is
fine.  I also do prefer the mailing list over a forum.  I am a member of
the Facebook group, but have no idea what that actually does (maybe I'm
getting old), I would be lucky to log into Facebook once a year.  I
don't really get what the attraction to Twitter is, and most blogs hold
zero interest for me.

A way of indexing the mailing list might be of more benefit that
reproducing the summary of a question on a wiki.  If a summary is
produced, will some people be put out if their fix or suggestion is not
included.  Will all posts to the mailing list be summarised and
uploaded, if so, what's the point of the mailing list archive going to
be?

Install fests are good, but the last one (at least the last one I
attended at CLUG) didn't seem to get too many people attending.  This
may be due to Linux becoming simpler to install and run, for the general
use things anyway, or maybe it just wasn't well known in the community
that it was on, or what an InstallFest was?  (Note I am not in anyway
knocking those that organised the even, as I think that they put a lot
of effort into it, and if I recall it was mentioned on the radio etc,
but maybe we just didn't get to the people that would have come along if
they had of known.)

At the end of the day, I think that those few that are organising the
meetings etc each month, and those that are giving talks are doing a
great job.  Obviously we can not have basic talks if no one puts their
hand up to give them.  I also think that there are probably many more
lurkers on the mailing list that never post, and are happy to stay that
way, just as there are the die-hards that come to every meeting (maybe
just for the pizza :) ) and those that only come along to the meetings
where the topic is of interest to them.  Any increase in regular meeting
numbers will eventually drop back down to a core few, as with any social
group meeting.

For me, the only real change I'd like, is a phone call on the day to
remind me the CLUG or PSIG meeting is on, as I seem to only remember
after getting home and sitting down, hearing the clock strike 8pm, then
think...ah CLUG...oh well next month.  :)

Cheers,
Jeff.



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