[ubuntu-us-ma] Too Little Time, Too Much To Do, RE: Website Stuff

Fri Apr 10 13:39:15 BST 2009

Hello Everyone,

I will offer my input as "the new girl" as the the general overall concept
of the MA LoCo.

When I decided to switch to Ubuntu I knew I would need to hire some guy for
a least a few hours to help me adopt, and maybe couch me a little on FOSS I
was already using, like Scribus and Gimp.

All of my local computer guys proved inadequate,  opposed to teaching me,
and practically scolded me for choosing Linux.

So I fantasized about finding this bunch of  young FOSS  guys who, having
been too smart to  get bogged down in  formal academics, lived a renegade
life of freelance tech service.    Maybe living in their Mom's basement,
doing things like hacking into highway LED signs and changing them to
"Zombies Ahead!"  Yes, I was looking for a group of geeky misfits from a
90's movie like "Sneakers" or the classic "Wargames".   What was I going to
bring to this group besides cupcakes and my ability to rent a van to drive
us to the SciFi convention in  Poughkeepsie, I did not know.  Would they
accept me?  Did I have enough potential?   And more importantly, would being
in the same room as Shatner give me the same chills I got at my first Tom
Jones concert?

The MA LoCo has exceeded my expectations, wonderfully warm and helpful
people who wanted to promote FOSS and help others benefit.  Sometimes when
asked about why I don't use WIndows...I say I'm going Old School.  Before
the monopolistic MS, there was a bunch of hippies in college compute labs,
writing software, sharing it, and making it better together.  No big
companies, no secrets.  I use the tuna noodle casserole recipe anthology.
Kinda of back to basics, humanistic vibe.  Photoshop just wants your $, they
don't care if you can learn the program.  In contrast, I can help you with
Gimp, and we can even get answers from the guys who write it.   So I guess I
really dig the Nieghbors helping neighbors angle.  The human face of
Ubuntu.  The public is tired of just paying their $ and being a customer #
who receives bad, if any support.

Well these are my thoughts today, the best I can express them...Tuesday
nights at the SETC are the best part of my week. I have never been in  such
an envelopment   so conducive to great leaps in learning,  and it has
motivated me tremendously.  I will do whatever I can to help further our
group and the mission we define for ourselves.

Thanks everyone.
Felicia W

On Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 12:20 AM, Ralph deGennaro <rmdeg ennaro at gmail.com>wrote:

> Hi Martin,
>
> I hope my questions weren't confusing things?  It wasn't my intent, and I
> hope others were not confused by them.  They were mostly to help bring out
> some more concrete thoughts about the aims.
>
> Your second question is exactly what I'm talking about.   What does the
> group think is important to tell the general public about those aims?  What
> are topics to educate the public?  Under those 4 aims, what are the concrete
> things we supply to the public, and what are the points to communicate about
> them?  Both in what the LoCo does, as well as the greater Ubuntu community.
> E.g. that cool SVG/PDF you did.
>
> I find writing things like this quite helpful, especially on a list with
> lines showing relations.  With clients, I use a whiteboard, and then take a
> picture or hand-copy it.  Sometimes make a diagram of things, depending on
> the rate.  ;-)  Either way, maybe a common wiki page or a whiteboard from
> Launchpad (though I've never used the later) might help us?
>
> Oh, I think we could also benefit by looking at the outside world and
> figuring out what they need, not necessarily what we want to give.  See how
> their aims fit into what they are looking for.  I.e. list their aims first,
> then see where ours can connect, then think of the pieces that fit into the
> aims.  This can bring about ideas of how to communicate to the public.
> Putting down in email or writing thoughts about what "regular" people look
> to get out of an OS or even just a computer would be good.
>
> And I'm sorry to say I probably won't have time to lead any discussions
> (beyond this now and random other emails).  I took myself off the list
> before; you're welcome to put it back up under you Martin.
>
> Now I should stop babbling and I've _got_ to get some sleep before another
> early conf call....
>
> Best,
> Rio
>
>
> On Wed, Apr 8, 2009 at 12:08 PM, Martin Owens <doctormo at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Hey Rio,
>>
>> > So I hope this helps, and please, everyone chime in, and if things do
>> > go I hope someone will take notes along the way....
>>
>> There are two main points that it's important not to confuse.
>>
>> First, what is the stated aims of the LoCo group? Well that is fairly
>> well structured. Education, Advocacy, Support, Community.
>>
>> The next important question that is yet to be worked though is "What
>> information is it important to show on our website to communicate our
>> intention and at the same time prove inviting enough for normal people
>> to get involved"
>>
>> I think getting the front facing website up, was the first issue. Now
>> that we have something to work with and Liz has got her little dev site
>> set up (and I learned more about setting the dev up on a fresh machine)
>>
>> Hopefully our next meeting can focus on this discussion. Although Rio
>> your still down as doing that, would you like me to move that off you?
>>
>> Regards, Martin Owens
>>
>>
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-- 
Felicia

CapesTreasures.com
CatLadyDiary.com
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