[technest] Community discussion Re: LinuxSA & Adelaide Tech Meet Merge

[Andrew McDonnell]

Hi Grant, everyone

This is intentionally a top post to make it contiguously readable. So you will
probably need to scroll down first.

(Cross-posted reply to technest mailing list.)

(Cross-posted to hackerspace, hope this is OK but I mention you a couple of
times and am a little unsure of my facts so you may be able to confirm)

In my own opinion only, everyone will have their own perspective:   techmeet
is a fairly informal but very diverse gathering and sharing, sharing physical
meeting space with Hackerspace ADL, of which the topics discussed vary widely
over software, technology, history, radio, science and other areas, and often
happen to include some relation to open source, and occasionally even overlap
specifically into Linux.

I dont think attendance has really been a problem, more are always welcome to
attend! But I dont think having masses of people each time is an imperative. I
have noticed some people who come always, some sometimes, or even once or
twice a year and I dont think that really matters, it wouldnt matter which day
of the month we held it.

One thing currently about Adelaide is that things seem to run a bit more
organically, or laid back.  Of other similar organisations I believe (and
stand to be corrected) hackerspace has a running committee, but otherwise I'm
not quite sure what a 'Leadership Group' means in this context.

However I wonder if there might be community interest in forming a more
formalised open source user group of some kind, like how there is Taslug and
LUV, etc, with a proper organisational structure, and protected under the
Linux Australia umbrella.

Perhaps it could be called

'AFOS is not just a Free and Open Source Adelaide Linux Users Group' - AFOSALUG!

This being Adelaide, one way to boost inclusion might be to rotate the meeting
locations noth, south, west, center or something.  For example, if sya 3 times
a year the meet rotated to Mawson Lakes or some other northern location I
might even be able to be involved...

I guess I'm saying, lets not break a good thing (technest), and maybe
something new and additional could arise (insert your favourite acronym here) :-)

If your proposal is related to the possibility of ever running something like
LinuxConf or even OSDC or some kind of bar camp or unconference, my own
opinion is that in Adelaide is that this is more likely to happen via a
coalition of groups.

i.e. cooperate and stay agile!


Regardless of what happens I think the linuxsa list will continue.  Really, it
has a life of its own - people post when they feel the need, and I do see a
regular trickle of on-or-near subject postings.  Big isnt necessarily better.

Is the list moderated? If thats what you have been currently doing and you
want to pass on the baton, perhaps put out a call for that instead.  I noticed
the debian-au mailing list recently sorted itself out, and they way they did
it was to have a moderation-group rather than one person, perhaps this is
something that is possible here.


Thank you for your efforts


just my2c only

cheers,
Andrew

-- 


http://blog.oldcomputerjunk.net
https://launchpad.net/~andymc73
https://github.com/andymc73
Twitter: @pastcompute
GPG: http://www.andrewmcdonnell.net/gpg.html



On 01/02/14 23:05, Grant Petch wrote:
> Hi All,
> I've been in discussion with a handful of members off list & wanting now
> to see what the overall thoughts are of the group, and therefore
> hopefully can work to a fair & democratic outcome with an improvement &
> better use of people's skills & abilities.
> 
> The idea is for LinuxSA & the Adelaide Tech Meet to Merge & come
> together as one group.  This will hopefully pool our resources together
> (inc guest speakers, etc.) & for people who wish to stand for group
> leadership to better use their skills & attributes.  The added advantage
> in also doing this would help with group numbers as both groups are not
> high in attendance like past years.  Also realising the fact that more
> specialised FOSS interest groups have started up in recent years.
> 
> In doing this I would be more than willing to stand down as the current
> LinuxSA Chief Organiser with the view for Kim Hawtin to take the group
> over or to elect someone else through some form of online ballot, or
> even through this mailing list if it could be carried out??
> I would also be willing to be still part of the leadership group in some
> form or another, but probably helping out in areas that I'm more gifted
> & able to be a part.  This would also help me to also better balance
> what other things outside of LinuxSA that I'm also involved with doing.
> 
> Thanks for taking the time out to look at this, also with providing your
> comments, ideas, suggestions, etc. & how you would see our group heading
> into the future.
> 
> Warmest Regards,
> Grant Petch
> Chief Organiser LinuxSA
> 
>