I'm not going to say that I've been involved in TriLUG for a long time, or using Linux since time began, because I haven't. But I do know a lot about Linux, and currently contribute to several Open Source Projects including cAos (a new distribution with a Debian-like social contract), Serendipity (a PHP based Web Log System) and the PHP project. I was the president of the Duke Chapter of ACM from 1999-2000, and graduated from Duke University in 2000 with a BSE in Computer Engineering and Computer Science, and currently work as a Software Engineer at IBM (A recent development). The fact that always wows people about me is that I'm the oldest of ten children (six boys and four girls).
I believe we have a lot of potential within TriLUG and in the Triangle Area. Great strides have been made socially and technologically since I have become associated with TriLUG. Meetings have been increasingly interesting and stimulating. As a steering committee member, I will work to continue to improve those items. I'd also work to increase the educational potential: both for Newbies and Wizards by working with local experts and companies to present classes, seminars and labs.
In addition, I think that more needs to be done to evangelize Linux and advertise the services provided by TriLUG. I know of several people who run Linux at home or at work, but who have never tapped into the resources available in TriLUG: They haven't because they've never heard of TriLUG. As a member of the Steering Committee, I'll work to grow our membership in new areas by increasing the frequency of Install Fests and boosting publicity efforts. I'd also like to see a type of community develop around TriLUG. Not just a local SlashDot, but a collaboration of articles on how this person did this, or that person did that, etc. Taking notes that each of you makes daily to do what you do, and filling them out into Howtos or articles for the good of the group. IRC and the Mailing List are great mediums, but cannot compete with content on a website for ease of use.
GForge has been set up and is available for TriLUG members. Unfortunately this resource has remained mostly unused. I'd like to see some TriLUG "sponsored" projects started there, or some existing projects, run by TriLUGgers and hosted privately to be moved to forge.trilug.org.
In short, I'll work tirelessly on increasing benefits to the TriLUG members and growing our community socially, educationally, and technically.
Signed, Joseph Tate -- TriLUG mailing list : http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug TriLUG Organizational FAQ : http://trilug.org/faq/ TriLUG Member Services FAQ : http://members.trilug.org/services_faq/ TriLUG PGP Keyring : http://trilug.org/~chrish/trilug.asc
