Re: Those IT guys are loony

Arthur Corliss wrote, on 3/16/2007 8:42 PM:
> I'm sorry guys, but if everyone thinks that this group is fine with no
> focus, no direction, no enticement for users to succeed (as users or admins,
> hackers, etc.), then this group is already dead and beyond resuscitation.

I think that Bryan's original point was one of inclusivity, and not
incompatible with the goals you're describing, Arthur. When he spoke
of 'no particular focus', I think that he didn't mean 'no goals' as
much as he meant 'no limits' and, perhaps, 'no ax to grind.'

A good Linux group (off of the top of my head) works towards the
common goals of advancing Linux, solving problems, improving their own
skills, helping to improve the skills of others -- and fostering the
Linux 'way' if you will: take it apart, do it yourself, get under the
hood, make things easier for yourself when appropriate, prepare for
contingencies, make things work in a variety of circumstances, strive
for improvement, leverage your work by sharing it with others, swap
war stories, etc. Members will be more involved in some of the above
at any given time, while others will be involved with others -- and
those balances will naturally shift over time. I think that that's
pretty much what you were saying.

Maybe we could build some bridges by having some presentations on the
pros and cons of various distros -- as long as the group agrees to
make any criticism constructive and sans rancor. I think that a bit
of a walkthrough of Linux From Scratch would be interesting, too --
might get us back to our roots a bit.

I think that we have more opinions in common on this topic than it may
appear from reading the posts. :) Many of us come from geek
backgrounds in which we have hard-won opinions, and its is often hard
to shake loose to see the other side of the argument -- for all of us.
 If we strive to remember that at one time or another we have all been
arrogant, have all been newbies, and have all been wrong for
understandable reasons, then we can keep our group (and personal)
cores solid -- even as the tide of membership ebbs and flows. Call it
our Linux 'chi' if you will. :)

Royce

-- 
Royce D. Williams                                - IP Engineering, ACS
personal: [first]@alaska.net                  - PGP: 3FC087DB/1776A531
work: [first.last]@acsalaska.net         - http://www.tycho.org/royce/
"Don't find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain."  - Henry Ford
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