Linux community -was-( OT; wood group and LUGnut )

[Bill Mudry]

At 09:51 AM 11/7/04 -0800, you wrote:
>On Sun, 07 Nov 2004 10:00:33 -0500, David J Patrick
><davidjpatrick-rieW9WUcm8FFJ04o6PK0Fg at public.gmane.org> wrote:
>
> > Promoting LUGs is a challenge.
>Definitely !
>
> >There's NO advertizing budget, and never will be.
>With a paid membership or donations (possible as a result of a LUG
>software project) there could be.  VLUG (Victoria , BC , CA) seems
>fairly successful @ having a paid membership -- no doubt as a result
>of many hours volunteered by a some people .
>
>The group has some good benefits <http://www.vlug.org/vlug/membership.html>

Two of them include bulk buying purchases (needsd work apparently but good 
idea)
and a list of local businesses offering VLUG Discounts. Why not get 
especially the
second suggestion of merchant discounts going in the Metro Toronto area for
TLUG members. I bet they are charging for the banner ads, too.

> > The general public, and even most of the computer crazed
> > public, couldn't give a crap.
>Nobody gives a crap about anything unless you speak in language they
>understand and to their wants : cost , easy of use , word processing ,
>office , email , virus , spam , ...
>
>I have seen the following brochure in a public library in Victoria
><http://www.vlug.org/vlug/act/brochures/brochure.html> , which has
>been taken to (or combined into) <http://lbproject.sourceforge.net/> .
>Possibly , it would also benefit from versions that are "targeted"

That Victoria brochure does a good job of addressing a lot of the negative
complaints. It wouldn't take much to rewrite such a brochure for TLUG
using theirs for a template. Could a template be kept online at CLUE for
all Canadian LUG's to use if they wish? How about templates for business
cards, flyers, other promotional items?

> > The venues tend to be obscure and the
> > agendas last minute and of narrow focus.
>Obscure ?

One man's poison is another man's treasure. It depends in part what interests
people --- and it is impossible to satisfy everyone all the time (no matter how
much you wish you could).

> > The general media still thinks
> > linux is a kind of stinky cheese from Finland and the
> > computer trade
> > rags can't find the story, 'cause, most of the time, there ain't one.
>There are plenty of stories !

         Which part of the media? Some understand and some do not. However,
          if you do not make an effort to be present out there, those that 
think
          it is stinky cheese will have no reason to think otherwise.


> > Want to promote LUGs ?
> > One of us should  contact LUG organizers regularly, adopt a psudonym
> > (King P. Enguin, M. Peror, Rock Hopper, Adelie Pen Guin, Jen Too, Little
> > Blue ?), and write a monthly column called LUGnut. If you can get it
> > published, then after a few months, perhaps healthy competitive spirit
> > would arise, between LUGs, and they would put together more newsworthy
> > meetings and activities, thus perpetuating the promotion. Till then
> > there's not much to say, and nobody much to say it. Folks just gravitate
> > to the LUGs 'cause their friends get tired of all the "linux this" and
> > "linux that".
>
>Great idea !

Agreed. There are some articles and news that should be worthy of sharing 
across
LUG's. Why not get some commercial sponsor to provide a nice prize annually
for the best written article that explains and/or promotes Linux (one they 
could use
for promotion, too).

Actually, another crowd drawer would be to have prize draws at each meeting for
items or discounts given by computer/Linux related merchants in exchange for
promotion.

>--
>Peace be in you ,
>Lloyd D Bud

Grace and peace to you all,

Bill Mudry

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