On Wed, 2004-01-28 at 17:42, Rob Lembree wrote:
> On Wed, 2004-01-28 at 17:16, Bruce Dawson wrote:
> 
> > Hmmm. I think we dropped something - Ed's workshop possibility - unless
> > he's described this earlier (like: weeks or months ago).
> He mentioned it this afternoon in this thread.  Linux training
> with the guy from Maine, for educators, etc.

Do you mean this:

> > Bob, you must have missed by e-mail.  I have collections of OSS
software
> > and a web interface for them that I burn onto CDs to give out at
> > presentations to educators.  I would be glad to prepare copies and
> > design a label for the project.  It isn't feasible for me to go to
> > Nashua for on site stuff.
> Great, that'll help.  Let's go offline with this.  Please send a
> list of what you've got!

That didn't mention anything about a "guy from Maine", and the educators
part was mentioned almost in passing. So I couldn't figure out what you
were talking about until I went pawing through the archives. 

Can we prevent things like this from happening in the future?

Yes - I've set up a TWiki page:
http://wiki.gnhlug.org/twiki2/bin/view/Gnhlug/WebHome (Fortunately, Ben
Scott was gracious enough to go through and re-organize the TWiki and
made this space available.)

But, if Ed wants his project to be a GNHLUG project, then it too should
be listed on that page - and maintained. 

> > But, I believe that, as far as keeping the organization in a operable
> > state, we currently have all that's needed. Of course, its a shell of
> > what it could be, but we can work on that later.
> Except people who aren't burned out to pitch in.  Pretty basic
> in my estimation.

My point was, the shell will continue to exist once the current
activists have gone away (for whatever reasons - burned out, relocated
to the south pacific, death, ...) Or if the leadership has changed, or
if <insert your experiences here>.

We have enough now to keep the formalities of the organization alive and
so that someone else can pick up (the pieces) if need-be. (And I'm not
suggesting that you step down - although you sound about as burned out
as I was when I stepped down, so you may want to).

[enter soap-box mode]

I for one don't appreciate someone holding the corporate papers hostage
just to get a fire lit under the membership. (If education is our
mission, then I submit that the educational paradigm requires the
majority of the membership be an audience - which almost by definition,
is passive).

> > > In short, we need to be doing things that fulfills our mission.
> > Or kill ourselves doing it?
> Ya. If we're not fulfilling our mission, why exist as an umbrella
> organization at all?

An operative word here is "we". I'd agree that the membership is a
little sluggish, but I believe we're far from not fulfilling the mission
- look at the mailing list - if that's not educational, what is? And a
lot of the meetings are educational too.

My point is: I believe you (Rob) are confusing the "we" and "I" - You
may believe that we're not fulfilling our mission, but I don't. And
we're both part of the membership - I suspect a lot of the whole
membership will feel either or both ways. So, this is not a sufficient
reason to dissolve GNHLUG (not that it has "precipitated" until the
papers are in the state's hands).

]exit soap-box mode]

> > I didn't understand that's what was needed of the "library project". For
> > some reason, I got the impression that it needs some programming and
> > presentations, ... 
> Just CDs for the moment.  It'd be nice to do talks too, and they'd
> like that as well.

OK. I can handle both of those - but maybe I should ask: what kind of
talks?

> > Oh. If that's what's needed, I can burn CDs (and possibly even DVD's,
> > and I need an excuse to try that out). Count me in. (But not until
> > March). I just need the ISO images...
> The idea would be that you'd burn stuff you use, so you'd download
> for your own use, and give the library a copy that you've tried 
> out.

I'm not clear why they want only stuff *I* use. 

If you can give me the URLs for the messages describing the project
(before Friday), then I'll enter it into the Wiki. It could clear up a
lot of confusion.

> > Ah ha! Now, who finds the library I give it to? (I need a name, address,
> > ... with which to deliver the CD(s)). Does someone already have them, or
> > do I have to find them myself?
> The original posting identified the library as Nashua Public.  I
> don't have time to hand-hold more than one at the moment.  The 
> rest are details that I'd work out with the contributors.  For
> example, you can mail them to me, and I'll deliver them, or I
> can put you in contact with the library folks who are lined up
> to package them to go into circulation.

Again, this information would be useful in the Project Description.
Putting it in the Wiki means *we* (not just one person) can fine-tune it
as things change.

> > For which library? And how are they being trained? Can you "release"
> > your training materials for others to improve/use? Also, what about the
> > sales pitch you are using? Can you share that?
> Sigh.  Again, these are details that I'd planned to share with the
> contributors who were to have signed up.  I didn't get any (but
> it now looks as though you may sign up?)

As I said, I'm interested, but I want to better know what I'm getting
into. 

> For the moment, we don't need training materials, just CDs that
> are tested, along with 1..many sheets of printed paper to help
> newbies find more docs, or perhaps donated printed manuals.  
> The idea is that the library have CDs for those w/o broadband
> who want to try Linux.  Once this is in place the library will
> advertise this in the paper and in publications that it produces.
> The CDs will have GNHLUG info for those who want more help or
> who are interested in training.  If there's demand for training,
> we get a few volunteers to deliver it at the library itself.

Ah Ha! The germ of the project. Just what I was looking for, but
couldn't remember or find.

> gotta head out to the merrilug meeting now.

Sigh. Wish I could make it tonight!

--Bruce

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