[Linux-aus] Can Linux Australia survive?

[James Purser]

I must say that your post is dangerously close to an accusation of fraud
by the committee members.

As to the rest of the post, in the short time I have been on this list,
I have not noticed any general sense of unpleasantness or childishness,
so I cannot comment on that, however I can say that I do have issues
with posts turning up hours, sometimes days later.

I will conclude by saying that your post seems to be full of complaints
but very little in the way of real solutions. This not meant as an
attack but more of a subtle hint, if you have any ideas to fix the
problems you perceive, let us know what they are.

On Fri, 2005-07-01 at 13:08, Bret Busby wrote:
> On Fri, 1 Jul 2005, Jonathan Oxer wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Sorry about the sensationalist subject, but I needed to do *something*
> > to dress up a boring topic!
> >
> > Just to make sure the relevant people (ie: you) see it, this is a story
> > I've just posted to my blog. Followup discussion welcome.
> >
> >
> >> From http://jon.oxer.com.au/blog/id/65
> > ============================================================
> > Can Linux Australia survive?
> >
> > AJ has just emailed notes from the face to face Linux Australia
> > committee meeting held two weeks ago in Adelaide, and last week Stewart
> > posted some thoughts about the sustainability of the organisation.
> >
> > I think it's an unfortunate confirmation of the problem that Stewart's
> > post didn't get much (any?) response.
> >
> 
> I appear to have not received that post.
> 
> However, given that Linux Australia has apparently spent $12,000 on 
> having a linux conference overseas, apparently for Linux Australia 
> committee members to travel overseas, the direction of Linux Australia, 
> and what it is really about, needs to come into question.
> 
> There are the different aspects of this issue, the first being the 
> holding of a "Linux Australia" conference, overseas, and, the second, 
> being the use of Linux Australia funds, to pay for committee members to 
> travel overseas, in relation to the conference being held overseas.
> 
> A great many people, in Western Australia, and, no doubt, in other 
> states, have voiced concern at members of the various levels of 
> government, going overseas on trips that have sometimes been regarded as 
> holidays at their constituents' expense, and, in this context, the 
> propriety of both using the funds of Linux Australia for paying for the 
> overseas travel, and, of the decision making, in deciding that the 
> conference should be held overseas, when the conference being held 
> overseas, appears to involve paid overseas travel for those involved in 
> making the decision, is worthy of examination.
> 
> The direction of Linux Australia, and what it is about, also needs to 
> be examined from the perspective of the nature of postings to this list, 
> from the aspects of inappropriate postings, that show the nature of the 
> organisation, at some times, to be childish and disgusting, and, also 
> the use of the Linux Australia list, for postings by ex-committee 
> members and others who have used this list for a long time, that should 
> more appropriately be posted to the poster's local Linux user group 
> list, and, to other lists, as their relevance to the operation of Linux 
> Australia, or to the objectives of Linux Australia, is lacking.
> 
> Until Linux Australia can itself, become mature and start to act with 
> some professionalism (and dignity), I contend that the hiring of staff 
> should be out of the question.
> 
> It must be remembered, that due to the nature of the postings to the 
> Linux Australia list, which have included offensive postings, and 
> irrelevant postings, some members of Linux Australia, have stayed away 
> from the list, as the list has appeared to them, to be more rubbish than 
> anything of value.
> 
> Perhaps, if the committee is serious and genuine, about the issue of the 
> sustainability of Linux Australia, it should contact members who are not 
> subscribed to the mailing list, and, get their input, both about the 
> direction and role of Linux Australia and the mailing list, and, their 
> expectations of Linux Australia and the mailing list, and, ask whether 
> their not being subscribed to the mailing list, is due to any 
> perceived problems with the operation of the mailing list.
> 
> I have seen mailing lists which are about far more informal topics, and 
> which are not oriented around either the operations of an incorporated 
> organisation, or the promotion of a product or a concept, conducted and 
> administered, far more tightly and professionally, and with more 
> maturity and dignity, than this list.
> 
> So, I say that Linux Australia needs to clean up its act, become more 
> mature, and become a bit more professional and dignified, and, 
> explicitly define its role and direction, as these appear to have been 
> left behind.
> 
> --
> Bret Busby
> Armadale
> West Australia
> ..............
> 
> "So once you do know what the question actually is,
>   you'll know what the answer means."
> - Deep Thought,
>    Chapter 28 of
>    "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
>    A Trilogy In Four Parts",
>    written by Douglas Adams,
>    published by Pan Books, 1992
> 
> ....................................................
> 
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-- 
James Purser
http://k-sit.com
Skype: purserj1977