[clug] Future of CLUG main meetings

[jhock at iinet.net.au]

Hi Bob et Al, 

Decades ago I used to work as a Sun Unix SV4 administrator but then I got into protocols for the "new" internet and then finally, before retirement, developing ISO standards to electronically exchange data. However, I have lost a lot of knowledge about Unix/Linux. I've even lost my "Unix in a nutshell" O'Rielly book (I would be grateful if anyone has a spare. It's amazing how quickly one forgets a simple command) so I don't consider myself a power user and don't understand the high tech discussions. 

However, I feel much more comfortable using Linux on my home computer mainly because I don't like Micro$oft' s money making intentions, security and privacy issues and how it just seems to treat me like an idiot. Hence a simple Linux OS like Ubuntu suits me fine. I can write emails, manage my photos, rip my music CDs, securely surf the Web using TOR, write documents and other general things, all for free and without the privacy issues of Micro$oft and Android. But I find things like setting up automatic backup systems via WiFi too difficult. Sometimes, I do something which messes up my system and I need help. 

The CLUG community has been very helpful to me. I've relied on it when I bugger up something and I am very grateful for that help. I've even been given help on off topic issues which I am again, very grateful.

When I see an email containing words like "or, I suggest, we may need to start discussing shutting it all down." I start to panic. Who's going to help me when I mess up? Will I have to convert to Micro$oft or even worse, the privacy eradicating, data slurping, Android OS? Maybe it's just the Tuesday night talks being considered for shutting down. 

I admit I've only been to two or three of these meetings. They clash with my son's piano lessons and karate. Those that I have been to are low tech such as, how to install Ubuntu and what the new ARM looks like. Yet those meetings were very useful. 

In summary, please, please, please do not shut down the CLUG and I usually can't attend the Tuesday meetings. 

John. 

On 23 June 2017 10:27:45 AM AEST, Bob Edwards via linux <linux at lists.samba.org> wrote:
>So we had a small CLUG main meeting last night, as to be expected when
>there is no topic/speaker announced. We had a bit of a Q&A session.
>
>One question that came up, and has come up previously, is how do we
>best support "beginners".
>
>Because CLUG was born more by university types (Tridge etc.) involved
>in doing daily open-source development, and not so much by pure
>"users", it has always struggled to identify strongly as either a
>technically-oriented group or a more traditional user group. It has,
>over the years, become somewhat bi-modal in this regard.
>
>My observation is that when we have solid technical talks announced,
>a lot more people attend the meetings, so there is a definite appetite
>in the local community for that level of talks.
>
>On the other hand, this leaves folk who are still finding their way
>somewhat out in the dark.
>
>It has been proposed in the past that we alternate between technical
>talks and non-technical talks. My problem is that, whereas everyone
>else in CLUG gets to choose if they want to come along or not based
>on their interest in the talks, I kinda have to be there each month
>to open up etc. I don't mind doing it when people are actually going
>to come along, but I also have other priorities in my life.
>
>Anyway, next month, George and I propose to have a bit of a showcase
>of Free and Open Source games, which we in the FOSS community should
>be celebrating. I'll demo and open up discussion on minetest
>(http://www.minetest.net/#about) and others can put up their hand to
>demo/discuss a FOSS game or three of their choice.
>
>Now is the time to come forward and propose future talks for CLUG
>main meetings, such as a beginners workshop etc., or, I suggest, we
>may need to start discussing shutting it all down.
>
>cheers,
>
>Bob Edwards.
>
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