[NTLUG:Discuss] Re: Do LUGs Still Matter

[Chris Cox]

Spicerun wrote:
> Dennis,
> 
> Fair warning....just some of my views with NTLUG.  If you had read the
> slashdot.org article, you would have seen my not too flattering post
> although I didn't mention any specific LUGs in it.  I've always had
> issues with this LUG....anyhow, you may wish to skip the rest of this
> E-mail.

... (from a different post)...

Spicerun wrote:
> To the NTLUG membership,
>
> Well, I screwed up again and sent what I thought to be a private
> E-mail to the public mail list.
>
> I want to apologize to the Entire membership about this E-mail, and am
> heartily sorry if it has offended anyone.
>
> I will not, however, apologize for my opinions, other than to say
> sorry for posting them in the inappropriate place here.  I will
> refrain from posting anything further on this maillist.
>
> Please forgive me,


Actually, I'd encourage you to post more.  I know that some people
don't like disagreements, but I like debate myself.  It's often
times the only way to REALLY know what people are thinking and
feeling.

With regards to starting a NEW certification program, all
I can say is that it takes a LOT of work.  Not a little
work.  A LOT OF WORK.  If you are volunteering to lead
such a task up and you get some help (or perhaps you
already have something completed?).... I can assure
you that you will likely receive the full support
of the officers and board.

Though not specific to this topic, the other threads about
having a conference, I'd say something VERY similar.
My biggest problem with having our OWN conference is
simply the lack of knowledge.  So... we need to become
more knowledgeable in that area before we can even
begin to assess the cost and liabilities associated
with something like that.  One large "expense" item
might be that the group would have to be structured
differently (from an incorporation point of view).
I do (I think) still have some contacts with the
Alanta Users Group which used to have (emphasis on
USED TO HAVE) on of the biggest Linux conferences
every year.  If anyone has some time to kill and
is willing to put in the effort, I can certainly
put you in touch with some folks that might help.

With regards to some of your other points, while I'll admit,
I'm a SUSE fan... it's certainly NOT the NTLUG distribution
by a long shot.  Ntlug.org runs on Debian.  And Dennis Rice
teaches using Fedora.  Now.. .if the LIP group volunteers
on a particular day are mostly SUSE folks, well... that's
just the way it goes.  I believe the group has several
people who are using Gentoo.

I've really, really tried to make sure that Novell (which
sits a few feet from where we meet) DOES NOT try to
take over NTLUG.  In fact, I think Scott Sigrist is
probably a bit upset that I (the prez) have not been
as active with Novell since they took on SUSE.  Novell
has offered to help out on "something"... but we
just haven't determined what the something is.  Novell
did help last year (or was it the year before?) on
off setting the costs of the Linux Fair.  NTLUG has
never been a group about "names in lights" or
"big money" or "promoting interests".  If you think
that is not true, I know that I and the other officers
and board would appreciate knowing... because it
is NOT our intent.

Just to express my opinion on some things related
to recent threads... I really like that Linux
in Wal*Mart thing we attempted to do a few
years ago.  Wal*Mart (at least back then) would
allow non-profit groups to setup tables inside
of Wal*Mart to give out information, etc.  We
thought we might do some Linux demos... shoot,
we could even help promote Wal*Mart's online
Linux offerings (maybe give them some feedback
too on how well they work).  Not sure.

(the Linux Fair is currently scheduled for March this
year... just fyi)