[aklug] Re: Rebasing the discussion

I agree with most of this. However, I still think we should be open to all =
users. This doesn't mean I want to feed them some info and send them on the=
re way. We need to give them some level of training. That brings me to my s=
econd issue.=20

I don't believe AKLUG is organized or professional enough to give any real =
training. Not yet anyway. I'm going through computer training at Charter Co=
llege. That's serious training. I don't think we need to go that far. I do =
believe that a formal approach to Linux training would help a lot. That tak=
es time, effort and planning.

Is this something the group is willing to do?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Arthur Corliss" <acorliss@nevaeh-linux.org>
To: aklug@aklug.org
Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 9:18:30 AM GMT -09:00 Alaska
Subject: [aklug] Rebasing the discussion

Greetings:

We've definitely gone off on a hell of a tangent on this discussion, and
from some of the responses I fear people may misinterpret my position. =C2=
=A0So,
I'd like a chance to refocus the discussion on the core question, originall=
y
presented by Jon: =C2=A0what is our goal?

Before answering that I would take a step back further and ask who (AKLUG)
are we? =C2=A0The obvious answer is that we're a Linux advocacy group. =C2=
=A0At its
most shallow definition that means we're just a local PR outfit. =C2=A0At a
deeper level, though, I think it was intended that we be part of the Linux
and OSS community.

I don't think anyone here would deny that we are or should be part of the
"community" and community-minded. =C2=A0But I'm not sure everyone here has
understood the implications.

Let's go back a moment to Eric Raymond's "The Cathedral and the Bazaar".
Linux, according to his analogy, is the bazaar model. =C2=A0A lot of OSS so=
ftware
is also developed in the bazaar model. =C2=A0The bazaar is that chaotic mar=
ket
place with a hundred stalls, with vendors buying and selling, sometimes
combining the wares of other stalls into new wares in their stall. =C2=A0It=
's a
collaborative environment where the product is dynamically shaped by both
buyers and sellers, each according to their whims.

Now, it is definitely possible for an individual to come into the bazaar,
purchase something from a stall, and go home. =C2=A0That's a prototypical
consumer, not a member of the bazaar community. =C2=A0Shopping at Walmart i=
n the
Valley makes me no more a member of that community than shopping here in
Anchorage does. =C2=A0Consumption is a one-way relationship, a unidirection=
al
transaction. =C2=A0Relationships aren't built that way, nor does any meanin=
gful
collaboration.

And that's the point of the bazaar. =C2=A0Some of us may think we're member=
s of
the Linux/OSS community merely because we use it. =C2=A0But I don't think t=
hat's
the case. =C2=A0Users are consumers. =C2=A0You may tell your friends about =
the great
product that you purchased at the bazaar, but that doesn't make you a membe=
r
of that bazaar, either. =C2=A0In order to be a member of the community you =
need
to contribute, establish and nourish relationships, participate in the
development of the product.

Take Damien's desires, for example. =C2=A0The contribution and maintenance =
of
documentation is a valid participation in the bazaar. =C2=A0So is beta-test=
ing
new versions of your favorite app/distro and providing feedback to the
developers. =C2=A0And so is slinging and releasing code.

Jon, he's just an angry bald guy. =C2=A0But, so am I, so I can sympathize. =
=C2=A0;-)

So, out of this whole "RTFM =3D=3D Elitism" debate we've been having my con=
cerns
over the direction of this group has solidified somewhat. =C2=A0If AKLUG is=
 truly
to be a community participant, and not just a consumer of the community
product, we cannot have as our primary focus the recruitment of more users.
Users should be welcome, certainly, but we have limited resources, limited
volunteer hours, and limited effort being put into this group. =C2=A0We nee=
d to
create an enticing environment for producers, builders, *participants*. =C2=
=A0And
the prerequisite to that is to develop within ourselves that level of
participation and, when others have their curiosity piqued, provide
opportunities for newcomers to participate as well.

Something just occurred to me: =C2=A0say Damien does write the manual, and =
then
we tell the newbies to read it -- does that make all of you elitists as
well? =C2=A0;-)

Anyway, I'd like to see a concerted effort within the group to not breed
mere Linux consumerism, but more stalls set up in the bazaar. =C2=A0Thinkin=
g that
doing the former will be the gateway drug to the latter is extremely
optimistic in my mind, especially when we're not demonstrating the bazaar
ourselves. =C2=A0If we fail to do this we'll only end up with an extraordin=
arily
large, needy, and angry mob in the middle of the plaza, with perhaps only
three stalls to serve them all.

Linux and OSS will not be sustained that way. =C2=A0Just my $0.10.

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0--Arthur Corliss
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 =C2=A0Live Free or D=
ie
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Received on Thu Sep 17 10:41:47 2009