>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: [lb/2004] Getting the LUGs involved
> Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 17:43:55 +0530 (IST)
> From: Atul Chitnis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> To: Linux Bangalore/2004 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
>
>
> All:
>
> OK, this is a dificult subject, so please forgive me if I don't quite get
> this right on the first attempt:
>
> That Linux Bangalore has now become India's largest technical conference,
> and may even be one the largest in Asia, is now a fairly established fact
> (numbers, my friends, numbers).
>
> What many people fail to realise, however, is that LB is not supposed to
> be a technical conference alone - it is supposed to be (and in fact is) a
> community event - created by and for the community and driven by it.
>
> Over the years, we have been trying to get Linux and FOSS user groups from
> across India to use the event to draw attention to themselves. Given the
> huge national and international audiences who converge at this event, this
> makes a lot of sense.
>
> Now I can understand it if larger LUGs don't feel that they need this kind
> of exposure, since they are well established in their own rights. Not that
> we wouldn't love having them participate - it is just that they seem to
> feel that they don't need to. This probably explains why the Mumbai and
> Delhi LUGs are so poorly represented every year at the event (though there
> is no shortage of *speakers* from these places!).
>
> But our focus isn't really on the big LUGs - not even on the Bangalore
> Linux User Group (which, as we all know, is probably the single largest in
> India) or the Chennai LUG (the oldest and best established LUG in the
> country).
>
> We would like the smaller LUGs, such as Belgaum, Goa, Coimbatore,
> Trivandrum, Bijapur, Vizag, Pune, Nagpur, Mysore, {insert comprehensive
> list of LUGs here} etc. etc. to be seen and highlighted.
>
> This is made clear every year when Linux Bangalore is inaugurated not by
> some big name in a tie, but by representatives from the various LUGs who
> are attending the event. This is no gimmick - we have done this for three
> years in succession, and will continue to do this even if $deity is a
> chief guest at the event (in which case s/he will be *one* of the people
> inaugurating the event).
>
> So why this long note?
>
> Because we need your help.
>
> It is physically impossible for us to reach all the LUGs in India, but
> using the network effect (you know a couple, and can contact them, they
> know a couple each, and each contact them, and so on), it is possible to
> reach a lot of people and let them know about *their* event!
>
> It is a no-brainer getting technical people to attend, but that isn't the
> sole reason for LB's existance. This is about the community as well.
>
> As LB, we can offer LUGs some space at the expo, to tell people about
> themselves and their activities (even if it is just some poster space, or
> handouts), halls where they can meet with ther LUGs to discuss how they
> can improve their memberships, activities, etc. and a chance to meet with
> like-minded people.
>
> These facilities have always been available to LUGs, and will be available
> this year as well. All it needs is some prior planning.
>
> What I'd like to do now is to have a discussion (and please, let's keep
> the politics out of it) about how we can get the word out to the LUGs,
> what is it that would keep them away, what would make them come, etc.
>
> Over to you.
>
> Atul
>
> --
> Linux Bangalore/2004
> December 1/2/3, Bangalore, India
> http://linux-bangalore.org/2004
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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