jon wrote:
"As of March, we have 37 financial members. This represents a decline
from 51 members twelve months ago. I suspect that this is merely due to
inadequate promotion on our part. A challenge we currently face is
presenting a good reason to become a member. Other than voting rights
and a warm and fuzzy feeling, the benefit is admittedly minimal."
I don't know if this is the place to raise this, but as a new member I
can think of two things that might help:
1. Make it possible to obtain and renew membership online -- or even by
snailmail -- rather than having to physically attend a meeting (right
now, for instance, I'm not a member because I don't get into town when
the meetings are on).
It's like donating to FOSS developers - you don't have to do it, but
equally the contributors didn't have to put their time in to coding.
It's a way of paying back to the community - *especially* for non-coders.
Having said that, I'm not a member because I don't often go to meetings,
so having an on-line payment option would definitely make it more likely
that I would contribute by becoming a paid-up member.
What would I like to see? For starters:
* New and upgraded applications demonstrated and discussed
I'm definitely a fan of the idea of workshopping applications - for
instance I've just given up on Linux video editors and returned to my
Macintosh. I would rather pay SLUG membership (including workshopping
applications like Kdenlive), than pay Apple for Final Cut. As a side
benefit, I imagine workshops like that would become de-facto beta
testing fests.
* Distros compared and evaluated
* Using Linux with various peripherals -- scanners, printers, tablets,
multiple screens
* Bash programming techniques -- but keeping it simple
* OpenOffice techniques and macros
* GIMP, Inkscape, Scribus techniques
* Occasional discussions of games and multimedia software
* Giveaways? Door prizes of distro DVDs? Free or discounted technical
assistance to members? SLUG wallpapers and themes?
I don't want to alienate the technical gurus, but I suspect that over
the next five years or so there will be increasing numbers of people in
the same situation that I am. So if you are looking for ways to promote
SLUG, that's my two cents' worth. Right now it all seems very technical
and insular.
I think the technical side is really important. It's the "insular"
that's potentially a problem.
Jon.
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