[NTLUG:Discuss] Do LUGs Still Matter?

[Leroy Tennison]

Stan Gatchel wrote:

> I agree. NULUG is a great LUG. I have attended the Fort Worth LUG 
> meeting one or two times, but it's not as big as the NTLUG nor as 
> interesting (at least when I attended ;-). People make good 
> organizations and NTLUG has the people. I just wish we had more 
> activities for the newbies and those who are not so technical.. but 
> who knows if we would get the attendance?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Stan
>
> Neil Aggarwal wrote:
>
>> Stan:
>>
>> I have always found NTLUG to be a very good resource for me.
>>
>> Many very helpful people participate in the mailing list.
>>
>> So, my answer is an unwavering YES - LUGs do matter.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>     Neil
>> -- 
>> Neil Aggarwal, JAMM Consulting, (214) 986-3533, www.JAMMConsulting.com
>> FREE! Valuable info on how your business can reduce operating costs by
>> 17% or more in 6 months or less! http://newsletter.JAMMConsulting.com
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: discuss-bounces at ntlug.org [mailto:discuss-bounces at ntlug.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Stan Gatchel
>> Sent: Sunday, December 25, 2005 8:03 AM
>> To: NTLUG Discussion List
>> Subject: [NTLUG:Discuss] Do LUGs Still Matter?
>>
>> /Slashdot is carrying this article. Oh, this oughta be good:
>>
>> "Do LUGs still matter 
>> <http://software.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=05/12/23/193238>? Back 
>> in the day, LUGs were rowdy, popular, and highly contagious centers 
>> for aficionados of Linux. Install fests were a big deal. Members came 
>> from all walks of life, united only by a penchant for something new 
>> and cool, and a chance to place a bet on the impossible notion of 
>> world domination by an operating system hacked together by a ragtag 
>> bunch of students on the Internet. It's different today. Linux is now 
>> mainstream, it's being spread by slick corporate marketing, and with 
>> most distros, installation is a snap. So the question arises, do LUGs 
>> still matter?"/
>> _______________________________________________
>> https://ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> https://ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>
>>
>>
>>   
>
>
Concerning the Slashdot article, my first response would be to say 
"Define Linux".  Like many technologies it's not narrow - certainly not 
so narrow that installation is all that there is.  The more I learn the 
more I realize how little I know and how much I could know (how about 
mastering Open Office, what about using Linux as a NOS, what about Squid 
and Snort and ... - you get the picture).  This is where the value of 
LUGs lies, in answering (and providing answers to others for) the 
ongoing questions.  As an example, some of you may remember that I 
recently had a question about GIF editors and GIMP specifically.  I got 
better answers in a couple of replies to my post than I did in an hour 
of Googling.

Concerning attendence, although we certainly don't meet weekly (that 
must have been interesting) my perception is that attendence has 
increased over the past few years.

Stan,

A suggestion for you.  If you feel that there isn't enough activities 
for newbies then do this: During the month, write down a list of 
questions that come up and bring them to the meeting (my further 
recommendations are that you do so as they arise so you don't forget and 
that you print them on paper with enough room between each to write down 
an answer).  There's usually someone at the 9am Linux Installation 
Project who can answer them (no, it's not the primary purpose for the 
time but if someone has answers and you have questions and don't 
interrupt the installation process then who cares).  You can also use 
the time between meetings and after the main meeting to ask questions. 
 Finally, tell us what's lacking.  Chris has indicated that he is 
looking for new ideas and I believe that most of us are willing to help.