BRAVO Michael,,,,,, You said it all.
> After attending PyCon 2008 (which was awesome) and chatting up various > people there, my view on LUGs and community groups has changed. Please > allow me to share my thoughts and questions with you. > > What ever happen to the local Linux Users Group (LUG)? > > As I recall MPLUG (Mid Pacific Linux Users Group) was rolled into HOSEF > to create a unified *nix group, or at least join forces, since at the > time few people were interested. I know this is no longer the case, I > think there are many people in Hawaii interested in *nix. I think the > flame-fests and lack of LUG events have turned people off. I see fewer > posts with *nix questions and more about infighting and power-plays. > However, I think some good has come out of the latest batch of posts > with regard to restructuring HOSEF. With that in mind... > > I'm confused about the membership thing. To be a member of the local LUG > (HOSEF), which advocates FOSS which is free, I must pay to be a member? > I don't believe most LUGs require a cash donation to become a member. > > If HOSEF is to continue to be the local LUG, I think it should start > doing more LUG stuff or perhaps MPLUG should rise again. Warren still > owns the domain and I think he might let us use it. > > I think LUG membership should be determined by interest and/or > attendance to meetings. For example, you can only become a member by > attending and signing up at OpenSource Pizza, the monthly LUG meeting, > or other LUG events. That way it gets the members and potential members > interacting. I enjoyed getting together for Pizza after slugging > computers around at PriceBusters. > > The membership list should be used only to show that there is support in > Hawaii. Right now I couldn't tell if there were 5 or 500 people in > support of the Oahu LUG. I say Oahu, not Hawaii, LUG because there is a > Big Island Linux Users Group [http://bilug.org/]. Not to exclude them, > but point out there is a Big Island LUG, where is the Oahu LUG? [1] Why > can't the HOSEF website say it's the local LUG? It looks like HOSEF, the > foundation, gobbled up HOSEF, the LUG. I think the LUG part of HOSEF > needs to be acknowledged more. > > If HOSEF is the local LUG, why hasn't there been a hosef-announce post > about the upcoming Shakacon? What about a calendar or ical feed from > google? Maybe HOSEF should pay a director to keep this active? > > As for money to fund to operations, I would rather attend OpenSource > Pizza, chip in $10 for pizza and drinks, and HOSEF keep the change. > > I would like to see an Unconference [2] at least once, if not twice, a > year. It doesn't have to be a 3 day marathon. Just a single weekend day > with some interesting talks and lunch. I found the Ruby talk and > Funding, Act 221 talk at the 2008 Unconferenz [3] constructive, > enlightening and informative. (Just to be clear the Unconferenz was not > run by HOSEF) I'd happily fork over $30 for a good lunch, a shirt and > the rest going to HOSEF. I'm sure this could somehow be hosted at UH or > a Community College. > > Maybe an Unconference and PFOSSCON could be the 2 main annual > conferences. The Unconference being a local community event. PFOSSCON > being a bigger deal with out-of-state speakers. I really liked the last > PFOSSCON. Perhaps the "extra money" could bring big speakers to the > islands. Or perhaps local sponsors could help fund it. Personally I'd > love to see Guido or Linus come to the islands. Isn't there a famous guy > from SANS that lives on the Big Island? > > Money received should go to support hardware/hosting for the lists, > website and mirror. The LUG should have direct control over the > equipment. An individual should not be footing the bill or have supreme > control over the operation of such. > > As for eWaste, I think HOSEF, the foundation, should stop taking in > computer trash for money and go back to a standards based approach. Only > take in P3+, 19+ CRT, any LCD, servers, server parts and cool tech > stuff. I think donations of money should be requested, not required, to > cover the pickup costs and to perpetuate HOSEF. For businesses, broken > stuff that's easily fixable should possibly require a donation for > pickup because HOSEF would be providing a service that would otherwise > have to be paid for. We don't want to become the free alternative to > proper disposal. Every situation should be handled with care. I wouldn't > turn away an 8-way server because the donator wouldn't pay to have it > hauled away. > > As for storage, each lab could have at least a little space for spares > and if possible extra storage for HOSEF. Once the cache of spares at > each school fills up, either dump the junker stuff or don't take the > donation. Perhaps HOSEF can work with one of the local big storage > companies to grant HOSEF some space for a set period of time (1 year+). > Maybe to have small storage caches at strategic locations throughout the > island. > > For any excess computer equipment, how about a waiting list of people > interested in R&D equipment. I recall one student wanting 4 computers to > build a cluster. Another went to someone without a spare computer to > learn Linux. Though I would rather see a student get a computer first > over a hobbyist. More given away (like the cluster) upon approval by the > board. I don't mean the list be like a free for all where anyone who > wants a computer gets one. It should be based on need and educational > purposes. > > I think HOSEF should continue to setup K12 labs and work toward building > a better support system for it. So when the Tech Coordinator is sick, > tired, busy, etc. HOSEF can step in and handle it. Perhaps HOSEF could > sell maintenance contracts and pay people to execute those contracts? I > don't know how well this can align with a non-profit, but I don't see a > problem as long as the profits support the foundation and its efforts. > > Once the board has filled out again, I think HOSEF should create > foundational goals. If large amounts of money are needed, apply for > Grants from the Hawaii Community Foundation [4]. They not only have > grants available, but also help train non-profit boards on governance. > > To reiterate, personally I would like to see HOSEF do a lot more > community outreach as a LUG (if it is a LUG), clean up this membership > issue, put more labs in schools, create a better K12 support system, and > train tech coordinators and teachers on using/administering *nix. > > What do you think? > > Michael > > > [1] > http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:GK5VuBZtG8IJ:lists.hosef.org/pipermail/luau/2004-August/015595.html+oahu+lug&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=us&client=firefox-a > [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference > [3] http://www.unconferenz.com/ > [4] http://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/index.php?id=22 - Hawaii > Community Foundation distributes charitable funds to Hawaiis nonprofit > organizations through a variety of programs. Our internal programs, such > as the Organizational Capacity Building > <http://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/index.php?id=71&categoryID=26> > and Mo Bettah Together Programs, are strategic investments in the > strengthening of our community. We also assist private foundations in > Hawaii in administering their grantmaking activities. Through > government-based initiatives and funder collaborations, we help increase > the level of charitable investment into Hawaiis community. We also > administer a number of smaller funds focused on supporting specific > fields of nonprofit work, such as education or health. > _______________________________________________ > LUAU@lists.hosef.org mailing list > http://lists.hosef.org/listinfo.cgi/luau-hosef.org > _______________________________________________ LUAU@lists.hosef.org mailing list http://lists.hosef.org/listinfo.cgi/luau-hosef.org