[wplug] Well wishes and found memories of WPLUG

Zachary Uram netrek at gmail.com
Mon Aug 1 15:27:51 EDT 2011


Good job Beth. God bless you.


On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 3:43 PM, Dave Sevick <sevick at computereach.com> wrote:
> Beth,
> Thanks for the historical perspective and fond memories of your early days
> at CMU creation of the WPLUG.
> I have worked with Jennifer Landefeld and Mark Dalrymple as well … great
> people.
> The WPLUG relationship with the Apple community will be growing through
> others in the upcoming months.
> Leaders with this much dedication to a cause …. in your case the cause of
> Free Software … is rare and I admire your long term perseverance.
> Best of luck in Chicago from all of the Apple folks aver at Goodwill and
> ComputeReach.
> Dave Sevick
> Apple Users Groups, Pittsburgh
> Apple Recycler, Pittsburgh
>
>
> On Jul 28, 2011, at 6:36 PM, Beth Lynn Eicher wrote:
>
> Dear WPLUG folks,
>
> It has been an excellent pleasure serving the Western Pennsylvania
> Linux User Group and the extended Free Software community here in
> Pittsburgh since 1999. I hereby announce as I had at the General
> Users' Meeting on July 9th that I will not seek re-election for board
> service for the nominations season this Fall. I encourage all
> interested parties in board service to secure membership in good
> standing to participate in the election process.
>
> As some of you know, I am moving to Chicago this Fall as my employment
> with Wellspring Worldwide has me going that direction. With this new
> opportunity, I am the Information Technology Director. I started work
> with them via the Pittsburgh office in June and I am excited to be
> working with an innovative company. And, for what it is worth, bug one
> is resolved here.
>
> Leaving Pittsburgh was not an easy one to make as it was here that I
> grew up, went to the University of Pittsbugh, made a home with my
> husband William, and started an awesome Free Software career. Much of
> my personal and professional success would not be possible if it were
> not for the love and support of my friends here at WPLUG.
>
> It was during my internship at Pittsburgh Supercomputing in 1999 that
> I first encountered WPLUG. I needed assistance installing a browser on
> my Red Hat Linux desktop on the ALPHA processor. The Mozilla source
> was just released and I tried, unsuccessfully, to build it for the
> ALPHA. I asked for help on the then named "Open Projects IRC Network"
> #wplug channel for help. It was there I met James O'Kane who had
> dreams of building a zero-cost Linux Beowulf. I agreed to help.
>
> James and I never did finish the beowulf cluster. In reflection, I am
> not sure what the problem was. Did we setup the job scheduler
> incorrectly? Maybe we had the wrong version of MPI installed? Could it
> have been hardware failure of the 386/486-class systems in James'
> non-air-conditioned apartment? In the end, I learned a lot and felt
> welcomed by the WPLUG community.
>
> Also, at the time of my WPLUG arrival in 1999, the founding members of
> WPLUG were Jeremy Dinsel, Jennifer Landefeld, and Alex Landefeld were
> leaving Pittsburgh. Jeremy had moved to Seattle and the Landefelds had
> moved to the California bay area. There was a moment of uncertainty,
> not only for the leadership of the organization, but the meeting place
> of WPLUG was in question. Jennifer, being a departing Carnegie Mellon
> employee in 1999 was reserving the room on campus for us. It was then
> that Jonathan Billings stepped in by reserving the room and being an
> organizational leader.
>
> Others had stepped forward to help Jonathan lead WPLUG minus the
> founders: Rob Dale, Zach Paine, Evan DiBiase, and James O'Kane. Rob
> and James made sure that there was a talk for each meeting, even if
> they had to give it themselves. Zach made sure the meetings were
> announced and took the lead on many PR initiatives. Evan put countless
> hours into the website. Jonathan made sure that people felt welcome at
> the meetings. This collective had continued the WPLUG tradition
> without any formal written bylaws for about a year.
>
> It was my controversial opinion at the time that WPLUG needed to have
> bylaws. Even though I liked and respected all of the leadership, I was
> concerned for the succession planning and overall survivability of an
> organization without basic structure. I kicked up a fuss and David
> Tessitor, a Pittsburgh independent political and non-profit
> consultant, stepped in. David wrote and proposed a document which
> represents the characteristics of the organization as it was. This
> document was adopted and became the first bylaws of WPLUG. These words
> are readable today at http://www.wplug.org/wiki/OldBylaws
>
> I was grateful that WPLUG had a set of bylaws and I continue to hold
> everyone I have mentioned so far in the highest regards. There were
> some unfortunate characteristics of this document that I would not
> wish of any Free Software community:
> 1. Any board member could veto any initiative. Abstention caused an
> initiative to die. Only unanimous affirmation would do.
> 2. The membership of the organization was limited to the board.
> 3. Board term was perpetual until the person quit.
> 4. Due to 1, 2, and 3, changes to WPLUG's board was only by unanimous
> approval.
> 5. There was no facility for handling member conflict.
>
> It was some time around 2001, I was taking a more active role in the
> organization. At the time, I too was working with Jonathan at Carnegie
> Mellon along with another individual named Brian Sammon. Jonathan,
> Brian, and I took turns making sure the rooms were reserved for WPLUG.
> After a few times serving as room host, I asked the board to vote me
> on and they did. I would setup the room with coffee and snacks and
> introduce the guest speaker. Brian would help new users get started at
> installfests. James and Jonathan would make sure we had good talks
> pre-arranged. Zack and Evan would still show up and record themselves
> talking about Free Software in a pre-podcast-era stream called
> "wplug-radio." Rob would show up at meetings sporadically due to his
> job but he did an excellent at maintaining the web server at site.
> Somewhere along the line, the board added Mark Dalrymple, an OpenACS
> web guru, who also ran the website.
>
> While on the board, I witnessed folks go as their personal lives
> changed. Rob joined the Army. Zack and Evan became college students
> and found other interests. James moved to California to go work for
> Google. Jonathan followed his heart and left the state. I looked up
> and we were a board of two: Mark and me.
>
> Mark and I knew that the comings and goings of the regular attenders
> and WPLUG board demanded new bylaws to insure for a survivable
> organization. WPLUG needed to be a member-own, member-run community.
> Vance Kochenderfer agreed to chair a committee who wrote the current
> bylaws. These were adopted by the board, Mark and me, on in September
> 2005. These are the bylaws that govern this organization today:
> http://www.wplug.org/wiki/ByLaws
>
> I have served on most boards of WPLUG since 2005 and had the pleasure
> to serve with many outstanding people. It is due to their outstanding
> dedication to community, and not due to any technical knowledge, has
> kept WPLUG operational, relevant, and thriving in a post-desktop era.
> It is up to you, the local Free Software community, to continue this
> legacy. If ever in doubt, look to the organizational purpose:
>
> "
> The purpose of WPLUG is to provide:
>
> *    a forum for the discussion and exploration of Linux-related issues;
> *    technical assistance to participants by participants;
> *    education about, advocacy for, and development of open source
> software, standards, and protocols; and
> *    opportunities for socializing among WPLUG participants and/or
> other Linux/open source users or advocates.
> "
>
> My advice based on WPLUG's purpose is:
>
> Do what advances Free Software. Don't do things that distract from that.
>
> I will be forever grateful that this community has made me the leader
> that I am today.  If it were not for this organization, I would not
> have the background to be involved in the Ohio LinuxFest. It is my
> hope that WPLUG will continue to have a strong presence there and that
> we will continue to see each other annually then.
>
> It is my turn to leave this organization as others had, with much love
> and respect for it, for my own personal live-changing reasons. Long
> live WPLUG!
>
> And now, without further a-do, some Frequently Asked Questions:
>
> 1. What will happen to WPLUG?
>
> WPLUG is a member-run organization. A new board will be elected in the
> Fall. They will have many assets of the organization such as a
> projector,  a great working relationship with the frequent venue, the
> Wilkins School Community Center, and a modest yet sufficient treasury
> to sustain the internet presence. I will be available online or by
> phone to provide any tacit knowledge or wisdom I hold. While my advice
> is complimentary, it will not be in an official capacity. WPLUG, it is
> your time to soar.
>
> I have faith in you.
>
> 2. What are you going to do about the Ohio LinuxFest?
>
> I will continue to serve the Ohio LinuxFest as my work has always been
> remote.
>
> 3. What happened to your blog/prediction at whatwillweuse.com ?
>
> I will be tabulating the results of Microsoft's market share as of
> June 30, 2011 as-per MSFT FY2011 financial reports. The results will
> be delivered at a party this Fall at a yet to be determined Pittsburgh
> venue, date, and time. Nick will be present to certify said report.
> WPLUG will be welcome spectators. Please stay tuned for further
> details.
>
> 4. What is your moving schedule in relationship to WPLUG?
>
> I am having a yard sale this Saturday July 30, 2011 from 8 A.M. to 2
> P.M. at 4841 Flamingo Drive 15236. All are welcome to stop by, pick up
> *FREE* old computer stuff, and hang out. I am selling as much of my
> stuff as possible including my home and car. Those that stay after 2
> P.M. may make ridiculously offers. In return, I would like help
> donating the rest to charities that I specify and hauling stuff to the
> dumpster.
>
> On August 21, we will have our annual picnic. I will be there but I
> will be transferring many WPLUG assets such as the grill and the
> official WPLUG Tux to those who the board deems responsible for
> storage duties. This may be the last time we are holding is at Snyder
> Park unless another responsible Whitehall Boro resident steps forward.
> Please sign up on the wiki:
> http://www.wplug.org/wiki/Meeting-20110821
>
> On August 31 there will be an evening special event. Details are in
> the works. I will be present.
>
> The weekend of September 9-11 I will attend the Ohio LinuxFest as usual.
>
> October 8 and November 12 will be the WPLUG nominations and elections
> meetings respectfully. Due to my upcoming move, I can not guarantee my
> physical presence.
>
>
> All of the Best,
>
> Beth Lynn Eicher
>
> Western PA Linux User Group Chair
>
> Phone: 412 512 5761
> Chat: bethlynn on freenode
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>



-- 
Zach
http://www.fidei.org


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