[Linux-aus] Can Linux Australia survive?

[Anthony Towns]

Lorn Potter wrote:
> You guys all seem to be ignoring the fact that Linux Australia is 
> staging a conference in a different country, and more than one person 
> questions this.

I can assure you ignoring it would look vastly different. There wouldn't 
be replies, for a start. :)

> I don't see how anyone can think that having LCA in NZ can actually be 
> "helping the Australian Linux Community" at all.

The answer's actually pretty simple: holding a good Linux conference 
somewhere Australians can get to is a win for Australians. As it turns 
out NZ isn't very hard to get to, and for 2006, the Dunedin team were 
far more enthusiastic and prepared than anyone else. Which would you 
rather? Spend ~$200 extra ($300 extra if you need to buy a passport) and 
go to an LCA that outstrips all the previous ones by the usual country 
mile; or go to an LCA that's underprepared but a little more convenient?

Both other times we've faced that choice (Brisbane and Perth), we've 
chosen a rocking conference over convenience and just doing the same 
thing again.

> You are helping New 
> Zealands Linux community, which is fine. Did you ever think it may 
> actually be hurting Linux Australia to do this?

No, I've never thought that. I've certainly thought about whether it 
*might*, and what risks there might be to assess and deal with; but all 
up I really do think holding it in NZ is a win, both on its own merits, 
and compared to the alternatives.

(You should also note that Dunedin isn't Wellington or Auckland, so 
isn't even one of the most convenient spots in NZ to get too; for LCAs, 
enthusiasm and preparedness win out _every_ time.)

And yeah, you do need a passport. But they're not that hard to arrange, 
and they come in handy at keysignings too.

But then, I think the answer to the question in the Subject: is obvious 
too, and the only real question is "How will it best do so?"

Cheers,
aj, who finds it odd that an ex-pat American working for a Norweigan
     company is telling Australians they're not isolationist enough about
     New Zealand :)