[Gslug-general] GSLUG Newbie Thoughts

[JT Gray]

Greetings all,

I attended the October meeting but not November because the topics were not
filled in the wiki and I didn't want to commit to TBD.  Reading Eric
Butler's response, I agree with the assertion that "there is a real danger,
... that GSLUG will become another semi-clandestine geek group."  However,
as a Linux evangelist, I would rather see the community grow and develop
than play into historical stereotypes.

As for how to do that, I'm not exactly sure, but on the few Linux mailing
lists to which I subscribe, I see a lot of the threads are related to config
issues (mail, cups, etc) and converting businesses to Linux (windows app
subs, desktop use).  However, the topics at the LUG meetings are more niche.


As for teaching newbies the CLI, the monthly LUG meeting doesn't seem like
an entirely appropriate place for tutorials like that since they're already
on the web.  Moreover, if Free Geek Seattle is actually taking off, it'd be
more practical to run the CLI classes through there like they do down in
Portland.  Plus, I've taught both the basic and advanced CLI courses, and
you really can't cover that much material when you're having to make sure
everyone understands it (and that's with only 4 students at a time).

The CLI and GUI are both here to stay, and are both integral to Linux.
Learning how to use your computer is fundamental, but with the resources
available online (IRC, wikis, how-tos) in addition to all the countless
books on it, it seems to me the only thing you can't download is a sense of
community that also won't come from lightning talks and how-tos.  Just to
pull an idea out of thin air, I think it'd be a richer experience if each
meeting started out with people saying a few things about themselves, why
they're here and what they want out of it, so as to clear up the mystery of
what the GSLUGers want.  If at the beginning, we saw that half the people
wanted to discuss windows app subs and half wanted to discuss config issues,
they could split into two groups, discuss, and make a presentation to show
to the other group all within 4 hours.  Moreover, one or the other group
would probably be able to find a way to integrate some of the proposed
topics if they were really that useful, right?

This is similar to but unlike the panel idea, which smacks of a cathedral
when we want a bazaar.

Jeremiah
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.ifokr.org/pipermail/gslug-general/attachments/20071130/ab611fb6/attachment.html