[wplug] Well wishes and found memories of WPLUG

Sat Jul 30 15:43:03 EDT 2011

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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> wplug at wplug.org
> http://www.wplug.org/mailman/listinfo/wplug

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