[wplug] NOTICE: Member Organizational Meeting

[jmh3 at linuxfreak.com]

On Tue, 9 Jan 2001, Weber, Larry A wrote:

> I have been reading some of the replies sent in repsonse to your
> "Organizational ..." email and I cannot say I am surprised with them.  I
> have attended a couple wplug meetings and installfests and can say I got the
> impression that I was not welcomed to be there.  I made the mistake of
> questioning some Linux abilities (such as why it is so hard to get a printer
> to work with the op system and apps).  I got the impression that the wplug
> 'members' were basically techie children and don't want others playing in
> their sandbox.  They feel they can do great things but don't challenge them
> to accept responsibility.  This may be a characteristic of the open source
> community.  I see the same type of people at Perl conferences. 
wrt the open source community (not wplug users). if you have a group of
say 50 people and one of them has terets syndrome. who do you remember?
who is the most noticeable? does that mean the rest of the group randomly
screams out profanities? (this is in no way intended to be a jab at those
with terets) when you are around a bunch of new people and someone talks
down to you or whatever you remember that. they tend to make a bigger
impression that the two or three people who responded civilly. 

most of the people in the open source community i have exchanged email
with have been pretty receptive (perhaps a little different but i can
appreciate that). the first person that comes to mind is donald becker. i
was having trouble with a nic and after i had exahusted all of my
resources i emailed him and he helped me out until the problem was
resolved. i dont know about you but that gives me a warm fuzzy feeling
inside.

so i guess my point is not to let the actions of a few taint your opinion
of a large group of people... within reason of course.

john
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:	David Tessitor [SMTP:dttessitor at home.com]
> > Sent:	Friday, January 05, 2001 9:11 PM
> > To:	wplug at wplug.org
> > Subject:	[wplug] NOTICE: Member Organizational Meeting
> > 
> > While WPLUG's GUM (General User Meeting) WILL be held in its
> > usual location (RM 8220 Wean Hall, CMU) from 10a - 2p
> > tomorrow, Saturday, January 6th, 2001, the Member Organization
> > Meeting, which usually follows the GUM at 2pm is canceled and
> > will NOT be held for January because of the unresolved
> > arrangements for allowing the entry of attendees.
> > 
> > Better arrangements should be resolved by the time of the
> > February meeting, at which time we will continue the
> > organizational effort.  In the meantime, I am getting closer
> > to placing the results of the first meetings on line for all
> > to review and participate in the process.  -- DT
> > 
> > =============================
> > 
> > SOME  COMMENTS  for those who care about WPLUG:
> > 
> > A number of LUG's around the continent are quite dynamic and
> > demonstrate the potential which organized groups provide.
> > Vancouver, BC offers classes in addition to having meetings.
> > Many LUG's bring in big name speakers for special
> > presentations.  Kentucky operates an FTP site with member
> > priority (restricted to only 6 non-members at a time).
> > There's much more being done and there's even more which
> > hasn't been done yet, for some group to do first.
> > 
> > None of this is possible without good organization and people
> > being designated responsibilities which they fulfill.  These
> > things do not occur by people simply mulling around and acting
> > only upon the whim of the moment.  Such structurelessness may
> > be carefree, but as the saying goes, "You only get what you
> > pay for."  Yes, that applies to Linux, too.  Even if you spend
> > no money, you end up spending plenty of time and effort --
> > usually the more you spend, the better, more functional, and
> > more powerful is the setup you get in return.  This is true,
> > whether it's with one's installation or with one's LUG.
> > 
> > WPLUG has typically had a more laid back attitude than most
> > groups.  Its early membership was originally populated in
> > large part by techies and students who work daily with
> > computers.  WPLUG offered them the possibility to kick back,
> > simply enjoy, and have fun with Linux, a stark and welcome
> > contrast to the mandatory hassles of their employment and
> > course demands.  So it has been that as long as somebody has
> > arranged for a place to meet and someone maintains the list,
> > all anybody has had to do is show up, read, or do whatever
> > else one wants, whenever one wants.
> > 
> > Of course, there is nothing wrong with this, however, having
> > the opportunity available for everyone to enjoy depends upon
> > that somebody and someone who happen to do the work.  Usually,
> > under such a loose setup either the arrangements are hit and
> > miss or the individual(s) end(s) up feeling burdened and put
> > upon.  WPLUG has seen a bit of both during the latter half of
> > its brief history.
> > 
> > Now, Linux itself has shifted from being the endeavor of a
> > techie cult.  It has entered the mainstream and is starting to
> > make its way onto non-techie desktops.  So, too, the
> > complexion of WPLUG has been transforming.
> > 
> > While many "members" are perfectly content with everything
> > remaining just as it has been, the group's openness has
> > attracted people whose perspective of Linux isn't steeped in
> > their day to day professional lives.  Some of these people
> > would like WPLUG to offer more than it currently does, and
> > they have expressed a willingness to put in the necessary
> > effort to make it happen.  Unfortunately, while comfortable to
> > some, WPLUG's structurelessness renders impossible these
> > ambitions.  Furthermore, whether overt or covert, an
> > insistence upon continuing the present arrangements (with, at
> > most, superficial adjustments) effectively forbids any efforts
> > to try to do more.
> > 
> > As one member said,  "It's OK if people don't want to do
> > anything, but those who don't shouldn't prohibit everyone else
> > from doing anything."  Yet, in effect, in many cases that is
> > what the present situation does for nearly all but a small
> > inner circle of the LUG.  It's not that anyone is malicious or
> > power-mongering --- but being active and entertained with a
> > project of the moment can, unfortunately, leave one
> > inattentive to other's concerns --- it's just the way things
> > have come together.
> > 
> > What is missing is effective organization and that begins with
> > structure.  Organizational structure is the skeleton of any
> > organization.  It doesn't matter how much muscle, energy,
> > talent, and desire there may be to do anything, without a
> > skeleton upon which to function, an organism is reduced to
> > being, at best, a pulsating blob on the floor. -- In the
> > biological sphere, slugs, slimemold, protoplasms, jellyfish,
> > and worms represent about the highest level of life forms
> > which one can find without solid structures.  In an
> > organizational context, unstructured counterparts range from
> > the occasional, spontaneous mob action down to simple
> > get-togethers which may or may not be somewhat regularized.
> > 
> > The question now before WPLUG is one of simply continuing to
> > have regularized get-togethers, or of doing more.  The answer
> > comes down to whether WPLUG can devise a structure that
> > continues to offer a carefree environment for those who want
> > only that, while at the same time providing a framework with
> > positions, responsibilities and volunteer duties which enable
> > more to be done.  That effort is what the past months' Member
> > Organizational Meetings have been all about, and they've laid
> > the foundation for an ongoing process to develop a viable
> > proposal within the next few months.
> > 
> > Fortunately, despite some heavy foot dragging and initial
> > distrust, there has been positive movement, along with good
> > suggestions and comments from WPLUG members.  While this
> > serves as much welcomed encouragement, there is much that
> > remains to be done and its outcome is by no means certain.
> > One major determinant will be the level of energy,
> > involvement, and commitment among new and previously inactive
> > members.  Another will be whether key players behind WPLUG's
> > past and present will wholeheartedly assist the process.
> > 
> > While the future is somewhat tenuous, what is clear is that
> > there are two possibilities.  If the present effort is
> > successful, we stand to unleash WPLUG's tremendous unrealized
> > potential.  If not, it will be time to accept there are
> > irreconcilable differences, arrange an amicable separation,
> > and set up two alternative groups.
> > 
> > As we begin the new year-century-millennium, I look forward to
> > working with you as a fellow WPLUG member to realize our best
> > potential.  I hope to see you at February's 2pm Member
> > Organizational Meeting.
> > 
> > Thank you.
> > 
> > David Tessitor
> > 
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> > wplug at wplug.org
> > http://www.wplug.org/mailman/listinfo/wplug
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