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

[Andrew Cowie <andrew@operationaldynamics.com>]

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.

++

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.

++

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.

AfC
Sydney

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Andrew Frederick Cowie
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