>I have a topic that I would like to address, one that affects us all.
>
>It concerns commercial interests in the LUG.
The following is just my views. Not official LUG policy.
>2) There is a marked difference between posting a job from the R-G want-ads
>and posting a job that you have a personal interest in. For example, you
>would be the supervisor of the position, or would be the one making the
>hiring decision.
Well, now, wait a sec.... I don't see that much difference....
>3) I would hate to see us become a bunch of money-hungry savages or
>mercenaries at the expense of Linux Advocacy or our usual activities.
I don't see that happening, even if someone offered us a pile of money.
(please someone... give me a chance...)
>4) We are the natural point-of-contact for someone who needs to network for
>jobs. Almost all good jobs are from networking (of the people kind of
>networking, not the usual kind of networking). I've even done it on
>occasion.
I think that is totally ok.
>5) If you are looking for local Linux IT professionals, where do you look?
>At the LUG, naturally. We make a great place for an employer to look for
>help.
Yes, that's fine.
>6) How does our tech support model fit into the picture? We give out free
>advice on the mail list, how does everyone feel about giving free advice to
>someone who gets paid to do Linux stuff? Or another way, how do you feel
>about giving free information to somebody who's getting paid to get that
>information?
I get paid to do Linux stuff. I both answer and ask questions (mostly
answer).
Balance is the key here. Just like Open Source, if you suck and suck
from others, without contributing, people will see this, and stop
helping.
>7) What if someone on a Thursday brings in a box from their workplace to
>get "fixed" when they are a professional?
No. It's a fine line. Stan asks us for help, and that's cool, cause
he gives the space and the time and even parts and such.
But I wouldn't bring a box from work in, and I don't expect anyone else
either.
>8) If we become too fixated on jobs and money, will that turn off potential
>members or newbies?
Don't see that happening... even as Linux gets hotter and hotter.
>9) Many LUG members are professionals. Some, like Seth for example, spend
>alot of time doing pro-bono work at the LUG. I know he's very cool about it
>all and actually learns something (so he claims) at every meeting, but it's
>not too hard to envision someone refusing to do freebies when their normal
>rate for contracting is $50/hour.
Then they won't come and help and they won't be a 'member' of the
LUG. It's really simple to me: He who helps, gets. In our case,
gets freebies, get response to hard questions (ie we spend more time
figuring out the problem) etc....
>just hope my life insurance policy covers acts of crazed Linux users. If I
>have already pissed somebody off by meeting this guy at the meeting, I would
>like to apologize beforehand.
Mike, if you can land a job cause of Linux, more power to you.
same for anyone else.
jsut my 2 cents,
Seth "yeah, I get paid to play with Linux, what of it?" Cohn
