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Re: [LUG] Controversial ?

 

On 28/04/12 17:30, paul sutton wrote:
On 28/04/12 14:32, Grant Phillips-Sewell wrote:

I've been toying with the idea of setting up a PlymLUG (or PLUG) for a
while. It would essentially, for me, be a local extension of the
DCGLUG rather than supplanting it.

Grant.


perhaps the dclug has grown too large,

Sorry Paul but I am afraid I am going to have to disagree with that statement. I don't think the DClug has grown too large - quite the opposite in fact. What are there? 220 members over all of Devon and Cornwall. Far from large enough to my mind?

 and
as I said too widespread to be really effective on a local level

Again, I disagree. There is no reason why geographically local members of a widespread group cannot be "effective" at a local level.

I am not quite sure what you mean by "effective at a local level". Presumably meeting face-to-face for discussion, presentations and anything of a practical nature.

As an example, and largely due to your efforts (thank you!), the Paignton LUG meetings are regular, successful and normally well subscribed. Do you believe them to be effective at a local level? I certainly do :-) Yet we are *all* members of the same, *widespread*, group.

Probably due to their rarity, IT experts (i.e. most of the folk on this mailing list), are naturally spread over a wide area.

..and so, if a group of experts are to communicate and collaborate on a range on interests or problems then the group *needs* to be widespread.

I think that the DClug is effective over a wide geographical area - largely due to this mailing list. At a local level (read face2face) the DClug will naturally have varying degrees of success, largely based on the number of members in that area and the motivation of such members. For example, Rick in Exeter and Grant in Plymouth.

A lot of lugs around the country have regular talks and do
things on a really local level.

And what stops DClug members from doing exactly this right now?

I would say the main reason is time and the motivation. When you have both look what happens :-) (...Rick/Exeter; Paul/Paignton etc)

As long as each of these groups don't drift away from the dclug

Exactly! Fragmentation = Isolation and a reduced collective knowledge. It must be avoided at all cost! IMHO at least! lol

Note for Rick : Firstly the Exeter meeting sounds fantastic and I will travel up for a visit at some point - hopefully soon. Secondly, I am not quite sure if you intended setting up a separate mailing list for Exeter. I strongly feel that a separate mailing list would be a mistake. As we all know floss is all about peer review; if you limit the number of peers the performance of the group may be severely reduced? I hope that make sense? What are your thoughts? Good luck with it all - and hopefully I will see you soon. :-)

then we
remain effective,  ok if Grant is doing this in Plymouth,  perhaps
someone can do something similar in cornwall ?

Rather than thinking of separate groups just think of it as lug members doing their thing in their area. If others want to travel down/up then great. :-)

As Grant put it "a local extension of the DCGLUG rather than supplanting it".

Or, DClug activities in your area...

 The more linux users we can find / bring together and support
the stronger we will be.

...which means being widespread...

Of course these are merely my thoughts. Others may think differently. But I do hope some agree?! lol lol!

Best wishes
roly :-)

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