On 03 Jan 2003 15:34:27 -0500 Rob Lembree <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > 1. GNHLUG Mission Statement > > I'm not sure that GNHLUG has ever had a written mission > statement.
> Open Source Software Education and Advocacy > > The mission statement should be the guiding principle of the > LUG, and should be considered in all pursuits of the LUG. I agree with the need for a mission statement and I have no problem with the above as I take a broader view, but I also agree with Bruce that GNHLUG is a Linux Users Group. I believe it should first and foremost advocate and educate people regarding Linux and secondly do so with regard to Open Source software for all platforms. > > 1. Goals For First Year Towards Achieving Mission > > I'd like to propose that we attempt to organize a community > outreach someplace in the state at lease once a month. Too optimistic in my mind. Maybe four a year to start. > We > should organize such efforts six months in advance, and expect > that the membership share this work. I have just completed the > first such event with a talk at the Henniker Rotary Club. This is the type of activity we need to do along with projects that put Linux solutions on the ground and running such as helping a senior citizen's center effectively use donated computers, or selected nonprofits, or perhaps schools. We should have a variety of programs/talks and a set of hardware/systems for drop in demos. > I don't believe that our meetings (as they've been) qualify as > "education and advocacy", because I believe that our meetings > have traditionally be held for the benefit of the membership > (not the community). There is a value in meetings for the members and would not want to see that end. The other side is if someone wants to adopt/learn more about linux and comes to a meeting which is negative towards Windows and Windows users, then we have a problem if the goal is to encourage people to explore using Linux. Also there are somme topics that are educational, but mainly for existing linux users. For example, I would like to see a program on using Docbook and XML. Others might enjoy programs on some part of Linnux use that interests them. These might not be meaningful to a person not yet or who has just started using Linux. I believe appropriately publicizing the meeetings could address these issues. >Of particular exception however is Rob > Anderson's recent series on intro to Unix/Linux at UNH. This is > an ideal example of the kind of outreach that we need to be > doing. Sounds like something I wished I had seen. Which leads to another point, there should be a way as in a designated person to collect and maintain various presentations so that we have in essence a library of information that can be updated and available to members for personal use as well as in making oresentations. I also think it would be good to develop a collection of programs that would be useful to new users and have designated person as available via email to discuss and help with them. both of these could result in CDROMs that could form the basis for giveaways cuutomized for GNHLUG meetings/presentations. > > 1. Organizational Requirements of Achieving Missions > > I don't believe that our current informal organization is able > to support outreach programs such as I propose. Yes, the reality is you can have a fun club, but once you move beyond that, organization and accountability are required. I think GNHLUG has done some neat things and the meetings have been great on a personal level. Due to personal and business issues I have simply not held up my end last year and this year is not looking all that good now, but I have made a resolution. FWIW. I think the period of greatest outreach also occurred when there was a greater degree of organization so if GNHLUG is to do more in the area of education and advocacy, then it seems to me greater organization and accountability is essential. > I propose that we formalize our membership. This > doesn't mean that we need to do anything special, but it > may be reasonable to have some minimal hoop to jump > through to be a member. I think the requirements for membership should be minimal. Lots of people, including myself lately don't get/go to the meetings, but we still have a continuing interest and are working on Linux projects in terms of education and advocacy. > > I further propose that we eventually transition this > from a benevolent dictatorship to a simple election > process. We can do voting online, and do so on a > regular basis (such as annually). There have been elections in the past and it would be good to return to doing so at say the annual Christmas meeting. So perhaps a goal would be to build the organization up to the point of being able to have elections by Dec. 2003. > > Another part of formalizing will involve signing up > people to do work. I dislike the term 'committee', so > I'd prefer to think of these people and their groups as > daemons or subtasks. ;-) Yes, we need people who are willing and able to do certain things, assign more than one or two for mutual support and then support their efforts as needed. In other words the ultimate success of the subtasks and GNHLUG rests on the leadership, not the other way around. Important to keep in mind. > > Let's begin by assuming that the chapter chairs will > take care of lining up talks, and will keep in touch > with everyone else in the leadership group, so that we > have good communication. Agree. > > > > As soon as we have formality, we should have a charter > that describes how the organization works. The charter > is also a requirement of.... I think the second step after developinng a charter is to file as a voluntary association with the Secretary of State's office. I did the forms once and can easily do it again. > > * Not-For-Profit Filing > > ...which I also believe that we need. Education and > Advocacy costs money. Money for postage, copying, > coffee and donuts, etc., and being a 501(c)(3) will > allow those who donate to realize a tax advantage. Unless we are seeking and accepting substantial sums of money this can wait awhile. Even then you can file and the certification can be retroactive. The process is not hard, but it is time consuminng and it requires GNHLUG to have a budget, projected expenses and revenues, formal orgainnzation, etc. Obtaining 501(c)(3) is quite different from becoming a voluntary or nonprofit corporation with the State of New Hampshire. Last I knew, the IRS efffectively has a $20,000.00 annnual donation minimum before they really took interest. The Charitable Trusts office in New Hampshire no doubt may not be so forgiving. > > Linux International cooperation > > maddog has a plan for LI that involves LUGs, where LUGs > can use LI as a resource, and visa-versa. I'll let him > go into detail on this at the meeting, but I'd like what > we do and how we do it to fit into his vision for LI. > > > In summary, I feel that GNHLUG can be a truly meaningful > organization to the people in the communities which we serve > (and I do believe that we should think of ourselves and conduct > ourselves as a service organization). Well, I think it is a social club, special interest club, and hopefully an educational and advocacy group. Service organization seems a bit of a stretch as I'm not sure we want to be viewed as providing services. > To do this, we need > direction (a plan), organization (people who are expected to do > specific work), and execution (we start Monday). I feel that we > have the opportunity to be the prototype of how LUGs can work. I think we should make an efort to see how other LUGs operate and what they have found to be successful. that way we do not repeat the mistakes of others and can expend the limited resources on things that work and will build GNHLUG and effectively get the message out. My $.02 Ed Lawson _______________________________________________ Gnhlug-org mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-org
