Linux World / Network World 2006

[Evan Leibovitch]

Meng Cheah wrote:

> So if someone comes up to me and asks if I can suggest/recommend where 
> he can purchase a PC with Linux installed, I can recommend 
> www.sub500.com or Flipside Technology Services but not myself who may 
> be in that business?

If you are staffing the local user group tradeshow booth, you are 
representing a community which may include others who also sell PCs with 
Linux installed. The best possible answer (for the group, if not for 
you) is "come to a meeting or ask on a mailing list and you'll find a 
number of possible answers". That answer draws the person into the 
community, which is the primary reason for having the LUG booth there. 
Alternately, you can suggest one of the many companies who are 
exhibiting PCs with Linux installed elsewhere at the show. That's being 
helpful.

You can mention that you do the service yourself, and if the person's 
interested you take their contact info and talk to them after the show. 
Doing so gives you the benefit of the contact, while giving the 
questioner some confidence that the TLUG booth wasn't overrun by people 
looking to use it to sell their own wares.

Thankfully, though, this scenario doesn't happen often. People don't 
come to LUG booths looking to buy things (unless they're LUG-related 
things like T-shirts or memberships). They're looking for information 
about the community, how to get involved, and how to get help. 
Occasionally they ask for recommendations for good local sources of 
Linux-related stuff, hoping to get independent, unbiased opinions from 
the community.  If the only answer they get from TLUG is "I recommend 
me", we'll never see them again, and likely neither will you.

> What if he has neither the time or inclination to seek help from the 
> community?

If this is the case, why is he at the TLUG booth asking that question?

- Evan

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