[wplug] LUG Interest Waning?

[Bill Moran]

In response to "Brie Gordon" <brie.gordon at gmail.com>:

> I just started listening to the LUG two weeks ago or so. I've been way into
> Linux for years and had been trying to find a LUG in the area before I went
> off to college. I went to high school in Oakland and ran track/field at CMU
> and never heard or saw anything about you guys. Now, I'm at Slippery Rock
> and had given up, assuming there was no LUG in the area. I stumbled across
> you guys by chance. I guess that's my verbose way of saying that better
> publication would help - a lot! Maybe a facebook group? I'd help out with
> it. If that's something you've already discussed or I'm beating a dead horse
> let me know. Flyers? T-shirts (I know it's geeky but if they were sweet
> T-shirts, I'd wear one)?

I advocated and pushed through the official creation of a PR committee
last year for exactly this reason.  Personally, I don't believe we can
promote the LUG too much, and the membership (based on the vote) seems
to agree.

A lot has been done, over the past year or so.  We've teamed up with
folks from the PTC, VMWare, Coding Dojo.  We put up tables in prominent
places on CMU and Pitt campus.  I think it's all been good, and we've had
a few very well attended meetings this year.

But the LUG is volunteer-based.  I did a lot more last year than I have
this year because I had more time available last year.  Unfortunately
for WPLUG, my life has changed just enough that it's difficult for
me to spend a lot of time working on WPLUG activities.  The good news is
that other folks have stepped up and replaced my efforts with their own,
so I think the LUG is strong an healthy.

Now, to follow on that little prelude, I don't use facebook, and I don't
really grok those kinds of "online communities", but I don't think it's
a bad idea to use them to promote WPLUG where ever possible.  Put links
up to the site, talk about how much you enjoy meetings and the mailing
list and IRC.  Get the word out!

On the flip side, I'm absolutely amazed that you were unable to find
WPLUG easily.  A search for "pittsburgh linux user group" on Google
finds the WPLUG home page as the first link, as does a search for
"pennsylvania linux users group" (notice that we outrank CPLUG).
So I'm constantly shocked when people say, "I looked for a LUG and
couldn't find you."

That being said, my statement about more marketing being good still
stands.  Just because I can't comprehend how anyone would have
difficulty finding us doesn't mean that it doesn't happen.  To that
effect, any (positive) mention of us helps get the word out, and I'm
in favor of it.

On an official stand, Vance, as Vice-chair is the "voice of WPLUG"
and the head of the PR committee and has been doing a kick-ass job
in my opinion.

> 
> Everything waxes and wanes, just keep that in mind.
> 
> 2007/7/24, Greg Simkins <gregsim at telerama.com>:
> >
> > Slashdot today discussed diminishing attendance at meetings of Linux
> > Users Groups:
> > http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/07/23/1357259.  They report
> > that the mail lists are as active as ever.
> >
> > I have noticed at similar trend at WPLUG.  I think we have an active
> > group, but attendance does seem to have fallen off.  Should we accept
> > that as part of the normal trend?  Or are there suggestions on how to
> > make the meetings more attractive?
> >
> > Greg
> > (PR Committee)
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > wplug mailing list
> > wplug at wplug.org
> > http://www.wplug.org/mailman/listinfo/wplug
> >
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Brie Gordon
> 
> 
> 
> "The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war."
> 
> --Hyman G Rickover
> 


-- 
Bill Moran
http://www.potentialtech.com