[Ubuntu-US-CA] User Group Link

Thu Jun 25 01:56:17 UTC 2009

Hey, Ubunteros --

I am in agreement with what Grant writes below -- nice work all around,
Grant -- but I'm especially in agreement in regard to directing people to
LUG meetings (which, ideally, will be properly attended by Ubuntu LoCo
members) because in the short, medium and long run, it benefits Ubuntu and
any other distro or FOSS program that takes the reins on this issue.

Yes, I have a "vested interest" in this facet of what is written below as
one of the organizers of Felton LUG, but also my interest goes beyond just
the  LUG. That interest lies in promoting FOSS in the greater scope of
things and making sure newcomers aren't confused about what Ubuntu is (or
what OpenSUSE or Fedora or Mint or OpenOffice.org is, for that matter) and
the parameters that organizations like Felton LUG work hand in hand with
groups like the California LoCo to uplift FOSS in general and [fill in the
blank with your favorite distro] in particular.

Having said this, Grant is right when he asks that a link to "local
meetings" or "get involved" be returned to the wiki in some form.

Larry Cafiero

On Wed, Jun 24, 2009 at 6:07 PM, Grant Bowman <grantbow at gmail.com> wrote:

> I have tried to emphasize what we agree on.  I think that even if we
> differ in initial approaches, strategies or implementations we
> strongly agree on the most fundamental Ubuntu LoCo goals. I know that
> we can show humanity toward each other and work together guided by the
> Ubuntu Code of Conduct. http://www.ubuntu.com/community/conduct
>
> The link ("Local Meetings" under "Get Involved" on
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/CaliforniaTeam/Menu) was removed May 16th,
> 2009.  I feel a link with a different name should be put back.  A new
> link will need to clearly identify to wiki visitors what is contained
> in the
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/CaliforniaTeam/Projects/UserGroupContacts/Groups
> page while not misleading visitors into thinking "we" have local
> meetings.  I think the danger of a misperception by visitors is low.
> The difficulty in typing this long URL and finding this information
> without a link (shown at the top of almost all CaliforniaTeam pages)
> is very, very high.
>
> Choices for the new link include "User Groups" (some groups do more
> than Linux & still talk about Ubuntu) "UG Meetings" or something else.
> I encourage hearing opinions both for and against restoring the link.
>
> I hope the descriptions & links below provide some relevant context.
>
> Grant Bowman
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/CaliforniaTeam
>
> ----------
>
> In California there are many, many more Ubuntu users than there are
> LoCo team members.  This is a very significant factor.  The state of
> California is not only geographically large but the economic activity
> is hard to underestimate.  Per
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California#Economy "As of 2006,
> California's GDP is larger than all but eight countries in the world."
>  The number and size of Linux conferences held all over the state is
> tremendous.  These include SCaLE, OSCON and many others.  Linus
> Torvalds moved to our state in 1997 and lived here for many years.
> Through he moved to Oregon in June 2004 this should not detract from
> the important role California continues to play in the global
> technology sector.
>
> Many activities could be relevant/"in scope" depending on exactly whom
> we attempt to serve with our group's actions.
>
> If the target audience of our actions is all Ubuntu users within the
> borders of our state (or even all computer users in California), then
> for many people a physical meeting is much more "open" and accessible
> compared to virtual meetings using IRC.  This will become increasingly
> true as Linux & Ubuntu adoption by mainstream computer users increases
> and the average technical skill of Ubuntu users decreases.  Many quite
> technical people I meet have never used IRC or have not used it in a
> many years.  As our mail list and IRC channel are the primary means of
> communication, this familiarity with the tools we use can be a barrier
> to entry for Ubuntu users to join us.
>
> If the target audience for group activities is "regular IRC
> participants" or "mail list contributors" or
> https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-california/+members<https://launchpad.net/%7Eubuntu-california/+members>then activities will
> have a different focus.
>
> In thinking about how LoCos might choose to work with user groups,
> some links and quotes I find helpful are:
>
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoFAQ states "...Most importantly however,
> [a LoCo Team] lets people find other Ubuntu users near them..."  Even
> if we do not play a direct role or think of user groups as "part of
> our group," user groups in California can and do help Ubuntu users
> connect with each other.  I have seen this first hand.  Computer users
> not familiar with user groups are often tremendously grateful for the
> help that is available that they did not previously know about.
>
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoTeamHowto has a section which says:
>
> Get your LoCo working with area LUGs
>
> LoCo teams that get involved with their area LUG groups expand their
> base and garner goodwill in the open source community. LUGs need help
> and we can give it, and we can do it in a way that will further
> promote Ubuntu. LUGs are non specific of distros usually, but they
> have a desire to promote open source computing. They generally lack
> the resources, and organizational skills of the LoCos, and that is
> where we can be most effective. Co-hosting events such as release
> parties and installfest allows both groups to pool their expertise for
> a more effective result. Just because it's a co-hosted event doesn't
> mean we can't advocate for Ubuntu, it just means we can do it better.
> Some events to consider are release parties and installfest. See
> LoCoWorkingWithOtherGroups
>
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoWorkingWithOtherGroups includes many
> ideas.  Among them are that LoCos can provide LUGs with:
>
>  * Marketing support
>  * Add LUG events to announcements in LoCo Team meetings, such as IRC
>  * Add LUG events to a calendar of events that is available to everyone
>
> The reasons we join together as a LoCo are identical to the reasons
> user groups exist.
>  https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoTeams says:
>
> Why Local Teams?
>
> Ever since the birth of computers, enthusiasts and fans around the
> world have collected together in garages, universities and pubs to
> talk about their interest, learn from each other and help promote
> their interest. Combine this with the huge popularity of Ubuntu, and
> you have the Ubuntu LoCo project.
>
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