[Novalug] Meetings and purpose -- Outreach a good idea

[Paul D. Bain]

Maxwell Spangler wrote:
> On Wed, 2009-05-27 at 10:41 -0400, greg pryzby wrote:
>> I had an interesting discussion last week about LUGs and if they are
>> still pertinent. I thought so, but the person made some very good
>> points.
>>
>> What is our purpose? Are we doing outreach? Should we be focused on an
>> area instead of 'go linux'?

Greg,

	I think that outreach is a good idea, but not of the kind that you 
probably contemplate. I believe that we should reach out to our 
unemployed compatriots and help them as much as we can. Currently, at 
least half of all American-born IT professionals are unemployed. AT 
LEAST. And I am one of them. I have been unemployed for nearly a year.


> Years ago when I was passionate about Linux I made it to as many novalug
> and dclug meetings as I could.  

Maxwell,

	Same here. Years ago. Not anymore.

> I see LUG meetings as less useful these days because:
> 
> * So much of Linux can easily be done "out of the box" with much less
> effort than years ago and problems can fairly easily be resolved with
> clever googling.  Is this just me or is my experience and skill level
> with Linux giving me this perspective?
> 
> * If fewer people show up, you've got less reason to go to meet people,
> which recursively causes less people to show up and.. so forth.

Maxwell,

	Yes, I agree with your reasons, and I have an additional reason for not 
attending the meetings: my priorities have radically changed. Right now, 
my primary concern is mere economic survival, not Linux or open source 
software (OSS). I have been unemployed for nearly a year, and am far 
more concerned about economic survival than almost anything else. It is 
nearly the only thing that I think about these days. A person cannot 
engage in outreach (i.e., spreading the word about OSS and Linux) when 
the only thing that he can think about is how he is going to pay his 
rent next month. It ain't gonna happen.

-- Paul Bain