[Linux-aus] About a User Conference (was...)

[Michael Still]

Andrew Cowie wrote:
> On Tue, 2005-01-03 at 11:11 +1100, Michael Still wrote:
> 
>>I suspect the idea is going no where by the way. I don't sense a 
>>consensus happening on this list at the moment. There are approximately 
>>three competing visions for the event at the moment, and I don't think 
>>there is a clear winner.
> 
> If there's one thing I've come to learn in the open source world in the
> last 15 years its that mailing lists are absolutely hopeless at
> achieving consensus. Poles of opinion emerge, but rarely do people
> advocating those opposing views come together.
> 
> So I don't know that there needs to be consensus. Mikal, you certainly
> don't need David Lloyd's, Anand Kumria's, or mine, or anyone else's
> permission to run an event.
> 
> Now if you want funding, or branding, or umbrella support from an
> organization, then we go to the next step.

Yes, well.

That's what I'm asking for. Some sort of arrangement which results in me 
being able to use LA and AUUG money to run an event, with the assistance 
of LA and AUUG people teeing me up with potential sponsors.

If people want a little committee thingie to run the event, then I call 
on LA and AUUG to pick one or two people each in the ACT region to talk 
to me.

> ++
> 
> If Mikal wants to get funding and support from organizations like LA and
> AUUG, then obviously a well-organized plan needs to be presented, one
> which the respective boards can deliberate on and approve or disprove as
> they see fit within the mandate of their organizations and their roles
> as directors thereof.
> 
> Given a well thought out initiative, I see no reason why such a proposal
> should not receive support. If the community were to roundly and
> [almost] unanimously condemn such an idea, well, then a board would be
> foolish not to take that into account. But if no show-stopping
> objections are noted, and if at least a modicum of support is present,
> then I think an idea should be considered on its merits.
> 
> On the other hand, if Mikal decides, based on the feedback he's seen, to
> withdraw his proposal, well, that's his call.

Ok. In that case I'll tee up some time in the next couple of days to 
turn my proposal into something more concrete than what I have now.

> ++
> 
> The fact that others people have different ideas for whatever this
> chimera of a "user conference" might be is largely irrelevant, other
> than a) you benefiting from the wisdom of their ideas, and b) the
> community expressing support for various courses of action, and c) other
> people thereby gaining the enthusiasm and momentum to likewise pull
> together and propose their own initiative to pursue a concrete course of
> action.
> 
> I rather suspect we'll be hearing from the PLUG crowd fairly soon about
> what they want to do out west. I look forward to seeing such a proposal,
> but have no preconceived expectation that it can only come to pass if it
> were done in concert with what Mikal has in mind.
> 
> If, out of all of this, a perennial, stable, reputable and
> nation-wide-in-scope event (ie, an LCA-esque event) results, then that
> is to the credit of those with the original ideas, those who contributed
> to further shaping those ideas, and those that put in the work over a
> period of years to execute those ideas, learning from experiences as
> they go.
> 
> Facilitating enthusiasm 'n all that.

Cheers,
Mikal

-- 

Michael Still (mikal at stillhq.com) | "The geek shall inherit
http://www.stillhq.com            |  the earth"
UTC + 11                          |    -- The Simpsons

Linux.conf.au 2005 -- Quite like an excellent Linux and Open Source
conference. http://lca2005.linux.org.au