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I'll mildly disagree with a couple of points. First, in terms of KWLUG
acting somehow as a social site, I'm not opposed to the idea. The
mailing list goes off tangent, not the least of which is because I
sometimes use the list as my personal linux help forum. I'd like to be
able to still do that occassionally. In fact, a forum on the site that
would not only allow for this type of venue but also keep the
information out there in a readable format for others - well, I'd be
all for that. So while I'm not going to be a proponent for this type
of thing, I wouldn't discount the idea either.<br>
<br>
Along those lines, I set up this site: linuxexpert.ca . Right now I'm
using it just as a notepad for myself, but someday, somehow, when time
allows, I'll promote that out there. I don't mind the idea that the
lug was doing stuff along those lines.<br>
<br>
second point: In terms of commercialism - I recommend the lug members
get over their somewhat knee jerk reaction to any signs of
commercialism. We all need to put food on the table, this is not a bad
thing. And being a lug does not preclude dealing with or talking about
commercial aspects.<br>
<br>
For example, keeping commercialism out of the lug is actually a
disservice to many folks - myself included. No, my business shouldn't
be realistically on the LUG site. But netdirect? Uhhh - they should
absolutely be promoted on the lug. I'm don't do linux for a business -
I use linux IN my business. And when I need help with linux there are
precious few linux consultants in New Hamburg and even fewer in Baden.
Why wouldn't the lug provide me a list of potential resources, places I
can pay money to get linux help? That seems like exactly the type of
resource the lug should be providing - remove the distaste for anything
commercial and I think this is an automatic. And maybe I don't like
the way that the folks at netdirect cut their hair, I want to deal with
cleanshaven people only - wouldn't the LUG be providing me with choice
if there was some sort of directory of local linux firms? This is
providing a service to people interested in linux and assisting in the
propogation of linux.<br>
<br>
There's a regular poster here who makes money providing courses on
linux. I've not seen any of his courses that have caught my eye yet,
but as a linux 'user', I am interested in linux courses and have paid
to take courses a number of times in the past. Why wouldn't the lug
provide listings for linux courses? Again, this is a resource that
visitors can use.<br>
<br>
AND if I visit the lug and find a 'commercial' resource that I like -
and money changes hands - then this is a very, very good thing.
Because now people are making some money from linux. I see that as a
good thing, something that needs to happen more frequently. <br>
<br>
So that's my second mild disagreement - irrational fear of any aspect
of commercialism is unfounded and detrimental to linux rather than
being protective. It's likely to be better for the and linux in
general if there were some 'linux commercialism' aspect allowed. The
Lug doesn't need to make recommendations for that to happen, just
require any commercialism is linux related.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Lori Paniak wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:1262200130.3265.17.camel@callisto" type="cite">
<pre wrap="">++
I believe that the KWLUG website is fine as it is. If people want to
add features outside of blogs, they should feel free to set up their own
sites (as many of us do) and maintain them as they see fit.
There has been a lot of discussion recently as to what kwlug.org should
be/do. Let's try to agree on what it is not. KWLUG is a "lean"
organization by design and I don't think it should be in the web hosting
business. The web site should not be a "social site". I would like to
keep commercial logos/advertising from the site as well. The
maintainers of kwlug.org (you know who you are) have better things to do
than customize the site to each member's whim.
So long as kwlug.org keeps an efficient record of past and upcoming
FLOSS events in our region, I feel it is doing its job. The information
currently available there shows the KWLUG to be the pre-eminent Linux
user group in the country. And that is something to be proud of.
Only the "F/LOSS event calendar" needs some fixing up...
On Wed, 2009-12-30 at 18:36 +0000, Richard Weait wrote:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">On Wed, Dec 30, 2009 at 4:06 PM, Joe Wennechuk
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:youcanreachmehere@hotmail.com"><youcanreachmehere@hotmail.com></a> wrote:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">I guess one thing I would like to see on the site is more comprehensive info
about my fellow members. I don't know all of the issues about privacy and
what info should be posted, but I would like to see more about skills,
interests, maybe a picture?
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">KWLUGers can add a photo to their profile on kwlug.org. Things on
KWLUG.org are much more locked-down that on a social site.
We don't link to user accounts from blog entires.
We don't show user photos in blog entries.
If you do look at a user profile you won't see the optional photo
unless you are logged in.
Not many of us have added photos.
Even if you register, you need to have posting permissions added
manually by an admin. Just ask.
KWLUG ain't a social site. It's practically an anti-social site.
Except for the part where we invite everybody with an interest to join
us at our meetings.
Any user could add their desired social links to the site .sig file so
that those links would appear in their blog entries.
None of this "anti-social" is accidental. Much of it dates from my
rebuilding the site a few years back so the blame lies with me. My
goals were:
1) Make the LUG event calendar work without maintenance. And so it
does. Those who remember the old site remember that somebody had to
change the "next" meeting announcement after each meeting. Then that
didn't happen we ended up looking at stale info until somebody fixed
it. I didn't like that. That was my itch. I scratched it.
2) ...
3) Profit.
And that is it. I leaned towards privacy and minimum privilege where
I thought to do so.
The old site had, IIRC, Linux book reviews. It was underused.
We added individual member blogs. Raul uses that regularly. We're
all welcome to do so. Raul, can you share how you decide what to blog
at kwlug and what to blog on your personal site?
I think we have a LUG lending library with some presence on the site.
Charles might be maintaining that. We've had physical issues with the
library since moving from Queen Street Commons. It's a great
collection of books. Should we donate it to a place that can make it
more-widely available? High school library? Public library?
Does THE KWLUG need to do more as THE KWLUG? I say that the only
mission of the lug is to schedule meetings and hold them when we
schedule them. In support of that, we have a web site a mailing list
and mailing list <-> forum syncing(?) All else is off-topic from my
limited perspective. We don't need to do more. In terms of UNIX
principles we do one thing and do it well. We meet. Eight years and
running, right?
Can we do more as individuals and as a group? Sure. Some do, some
don't, no pressure.
Are deficiencies of the web site preventing KWLUGers from doing good
things? I hope not. If so, I think the web site is a poor scapegoat.
We can blog there and link off-site there and schedule events there.
What prevents us from linking from the site and mailing list to a
collaboration site to incubate the next big thing? Should the next
big thing take off somebody will migrate it to the KWLUG web site if
that is what is required. Or vice versa.
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<pre wrap=""><!---->
</pre>
<pre wrap="">
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