[FOSE] FOSE Updates and Wiki Updated

[David A. Cafaro]

First off, Alan, wear what you think is appropriate.  Just remember  
your audience, that's all I ask.  Now onto below.

On Mar 14, 2007, at 7:06 PM, Alan McConnell wrote:
> According to David A. Cafaro:
>> You have the "Choice" not to wear something similar to the rest of
>> group.  I'm not going to say stay out or go away, worst you will  
>> have to
>> worry about is that I'll be disappointed.
>>
>> It's professional in that it shows we are organized and care about  
>> our
>> appearance.
> 	Again, Whoa!  What do "care about our appearance" and "livery"
> 	have to do with one another?

I don't care about yours or anyone else's "appearance or livery", I  
do care about Tux.org appearance and presentation.  I personally  
believe that Tux.org is best served if we show an "in my opinion"  
professional look for a trade show.  I have some experience with  
Trade shows and organized coherent groups usually have more success  
at shows.

>
>> This gives others the impression that we care about what we
>> do and what we stand behind.  We aren't talking just to fellow  
>> geeks or
>> techies who understand that the ability to dress how we feel is
>> comfortable and appropriate to our position is something we all
>> appreciate (and some demand).
> 	Let me try to be a little light about this.  I have been a
> 	Linux advocate and proselytizer since 1993.  I have attended
> 	every FOSE conference except one, when I was recovering from
> 	surgery.  I bet I have had more interactions with people about
> 	Linux than anyone else on this E-list(try going to Eritrea
> 	and preaching the Linux gospel there)

I know you have done a lot, and as a member of the community I  
greatly appreciate that.  At the last two FOSE shows we have  
requested the exact same attire, and have had no problems with those  
who chose not to.

Also, I two have done a lot, spoken and worked with people across the  
globe.  You probably have interacted with more people than I, that's  
a given, you've been in the industry (let alone the world) longer  
than I.  But this has only a little bearing on this conversation.   
This isn't about either of our individual interactions with people,  
this is about Tux.org interaction with other organizations (and to  
the people in those organizations to a slightly lesser extent) and  
our contribution to that.

>
>> I have always gone to job interviews dressed in a suit or minimally
>> business casual (only in very specific circumstances).  Appearance
>> matters when you are talking to people who don't know you.
> 	Again, why is the discussion being changed from livery to
> 	personal appearance?  I bet I've been to more job interviews
> 	than the majority of people I'm writing to here.  And I
> 	claim that I've been extremely successful as a professional
> 	academic _and_ as a professional CEO.  I'll compare my
> 	resume' with anyone on this E-list.  And I have never had
> 	trouble with my "personal appearance"(except perhaps with
> 	the occasional babe who likes a full head of hair<g>).

It's not about personal appearance, it's about Tux.org corporate  
appearance (yes we are a non-profit corporation), and the interaction  
with other corporate and gov't types.

Also, I'm not going to go comparing resumes.  I'm sure yours is  
incredible, I'm sure you have had a very succesfull career.  I  
personally am not gunning to be a CEO.  But again this has absolutely  
nothing to do with "yours" or "my" personal appearance or career.   
This is about the image to other corporate and gov't groups who see  
Tux.org.

Can you honestly tell me that the majority of the business and  
government types who make financial or final division wide corporate  
decisions aren't more impressed with a coherent corporate appearance  
vs a discordant appearance?  Or that the standard Techies or  
Government workers will be turned off by us dressing in our lovely  
Tux logo Golf shirts?

>
> Bottom line: neatness of appearance goes without saying; please let's
> have no more discussion about that.  Otherwise, dress as who you are;
> which is presumably different for each person.

Bottom line: this was never about neatness of appearance, agreed no  
more discussion about it.

It is about Tux.org presentation to others, if you can and feel  
comfortable with it, we "request" that you try the Tux.org "corporate  
appearance".  If you feel strong about it, don't, I'm not going to  
kick you out or say go away, you are very much welcome, and please  
help us show what Open Source and Open Standards can do for  
government and business.

>
> Do we really want to make the impression that Linux advocates are a
> collection of 'droids??  C'mon, folks!

Not droids, but people who have there act together and organized.

Do we really want to make OpenSource advocates look like a collection  
of mismatched unorganized "slackers" ;-)?

Cheers,
David

PS.  This is a great discussion, and happy to be having it.

>
> Alan
>
> -- 
> Alan McConnell          Linux!  The choice of a GNU generation;
> Pixel Analysis          already at a site near you!

David A. Cafaro <dac at cafaro.net>
Cafaro's Ramblings:  www.cafaro.net