[ubuntu-uk] Linux User Group of Glastonbury (was High Wycombe LUG)

[paul sutton]

On 29/07/12 11:24, Sean Miller wrote:
> On 29 July 2012 11:10, Mark Fraser <mfraz74+ubuntu at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I used to go to LUGOG when it was at West Camel or at Somerton when Andrew
>> Waldrond was running them, but when he left and it went back to Glastonbury it
>> was a bit too far for me to travel.
> Indeed... it never really "went back to Glastonbury", though... it
> just died, really.
>
> I liked Andrew's concept that we were going to build our own server in
> his datacentre from scratch and write a new website in php/mysql and
> have that for the LUG.
>
> Everybody involved.
>
> But then he disappeared to somewhere in the Far East or similar, and
> there was nobody really who had to passion to organise things, in the
> way that Steve Leonard-Clarke had started the group at St. Dunstans
> school in the early 2000s.
>
> One of my favourite sessions in those St. Dunstans days was the
> presentation by Tim Hall and the fella who wrote Rosegarden on using
> Linux to produce music... that was very enlightening and, indeed, I
> installed DeMudi on a machine but couldn't really get my head around
> "jack" and the way things interacted and had nobody to talk to about
> it really so lost interest...
>
> Martin Wheeler's idea to do a Certification course was a good one too,
> but - probably - not relevant to 75% of "Linux" users, but rather
> systems administrators.  So that died.
>
> Perhaps the key is that it's not about "Linux User Groups" but people
> trying to do specific things with Linux?
>
>> I did try to get something started with a user group in South Somerset (SSLUG)
>> but that went quiet too.
> I think our problem is that there simply aren't the number of people
> in the area to make it sustainable unless everybody turns up every
> meeting, and people have other commitments.
>
> And the said question as to whether peoples shared interest are
> actually "Linux" or whatever they are doing with it (eg. modelling or
> music)?
>
> Would, for instance, a group in Glastonbury meeting about recording
> music on computers (on any platform) get more members than a group
> focusing on the underlying kernel?
>
> The key is, what does a LUG offer over and above what people can
> already get on web communities?
>
> Sean
>
Hi

I am part of the Devon and Cornwall Group,  we are semi active in a
way,   Meetings in Paignton and Exeter (which is actually a sub group
exeter lug)  are generally well attended and they have the facilities
for talks etc. 

North devon meets up at a pub in Holsworthy,  and they seem to have low
attendance each month,

It is difficult but best thing to do is keep going,.

maybe on the talks front it would be worth looking in to collaboration, 
the LPI stuff sounds interesting but again that is more for the higher
end,  However I am not sure how many colleges offer Linux
qualifications,  they seem to fall over themselves to offer Microsoft
stuff.   I know there is a LPI centre in bristol (I think) maybe
attached to the Linux emporium.   Not good if you are at the far end of
Cornwall.

I still like lug meets,  its good for social stuff and physically
demonstrate things such as the raspberry PI,  in fact I think targeting
PI users could be a good way in,  and you reach out to a wider
community, weather they attend meetings or not may depend on what
happens,   do you arrange a speaker then risk having no one turn up, 
this is where you need sites like eventbrite (or somethjng people can
then get tickets (even if free) via the site, it gives you a way to
control numbers,  and you have an idea on attendance figures before hand.

Mention Linux and kernel and you lose people so lets keep it simple even
if we by doing so are not technically correct,  we can address that
later with people.

I know young people are probably more interested in internet based
networking e.g facebook etc,  however if a lug meet gives them an
opportunity to show off what they have done (e.g with a raspberry pI)
and learn from others then you may reach out to them that way.  

Its hard to find a solution too,  you need a wide large population and
people will come, i think the SW is far to wide spread,  however the
talent is out there.,  just need to reach out to people.


Paul


-- 



--
http://drupal.zleap.net
skype : psutton111
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/paul-sutton/36/595/911