[TriLUG] Re: Survey for class focal points

Thu Sep 2 18:57:18 EDT 2004

Al, Jeremy, and everyone,

    I don't think that I know what "the answer" is, but just want to
help stimulate thought and conversation.  I know that some of the really
large UGs do split sessions, that doesn't mean that it's right or wrong
for TriLUG, just something to think about.

I'm fully supportive of the work that the SC does, and applaud them for
it.

If there are things that I can do for the SC from here, use of things I
know or have, please yell.

Kevin

On Thu, 2004-09-02 at 17:12, ALFRED JOHNSON wrote:

> Well, I for one (others may disagree) that we shouldn't move something 
> like this out of our present time and location, because a lot of us 
> have difficulty making it to the regular Tri-lug meeting. I'm thinking 
> that if you move these classes to Saturday that you won't get the great 
> feedback from our entire membership. I still consider myself a "newbie" 
> even now, but I'm eager to learn even more about Linux, and I don't 
> mind giving my opinions if you think that they might be helpful to 
> those who are knowledgeable about the subjects at hand. I'm thinking 
> right now that we need more simplicity, and less details on subjects 
> which could be put in the "advanced classes". -- 73, -- Al Johnson
> =====================================
> On Sep 2, 2004, at 9:38 AM, Jeremy Portzer wrote:
> 
> > Hi Kevin and all,
> >
> > I agree with Al that this past month's session was particularly
> > technical, and I apologize that we didn't have a particularly precise
> > description of the meeting ahead of time.  I do want to let you know
> > that the Steering Committee works hard to present a variety of 
> > different
> > topics at various levels.  Both our September and October meetings
> > should be less technical, starting out at a more introductory level but
> > covering advanced topics too.  This will allow everyone to learn
> > somsething and stay interested.
> >
> > The steering committee has tossed around various options for secondary
> > meetings as we realize there is a desire for "basics" topics.  I think
> > we *have* been doing this with the Saturday morning classes, which are
> > on a much more introductory level than some of the things discussed in
> > the meetings.    The planned Apache and Samba classes will definitely
> > start out on an introductory level, but the three-hour length will
> > hopefully bring enough time to cover some of the advanced ideas
> > mentioned in this thread.
> >
> > We also plan to have a class on Introduction to Linux (which maybe we
> > could subtitle "Review of Linux Basics" or something like that).  I 
> > will
> > work hard to make sure this is scheduled soon.
> >
> > It's a difficult task to schedule things that interest our more 
> > advanced
> > members but which aren't over the head of less-experienced people; the
> > last couple of meetings may have missed that goal, but I hope you'll
> > bear with us, and continue to provide constructive criticism...thanks!
> >
> > Regards,
> > Jeremy Portzer
> > TriLUG co-chair
> >
> > On Wed, 2004-09-01 at 20:37, Kevin Flanagan wrote:
> >> Al, and everyone else,
> >>
> >>
> >>     I agree!  I think that a scheduled "basics" session would be good,
> >> once every quarter?  Is it possible that it's time for TriLUG to think
> >> about split meetings?  Say two sessions at once, one on specifics,
> >> sendmail, apache, etc, and another on basics of redhat or the like?
> >> Most meetings are standing room only, I wonder if there would be 
> >> enough
> >> attendance to do that?  It would surely mean work to get a second
> >> location etc.  The current location is great, if we grow much more
> >> though it'll be time to move no matter what the plans are for the
> >> topics.
> >>
> >>     I know that I would drift back and forth if there were the 100 
> >> track
> >> and the 200 track meetings on the same night, based on my level of
> >> comfort with different things.
> >>
> >>
> >>     If either approach were to be undertaken, it would mean more work
> >> for the steering committee.   I would think that a subcommitte could
> >> work, that is if the charter allows, to handle booking events.  If 
> >> that
> >> approach were to be taken it could be one or two of the current SC
> >> folks, as well as a couple of others to pitch in, with high level
> >> decisions comming from the compete SC.
> >>
> >>
> >>     I think that the overflow crowds are a really great thing, and
> >> TriLUG is a great group.  In order to continue to provide real value 
> >> for
> >> the membership things like this should get a few minutes thought now 
> >> and
> >> then.  I fully understand if folks don't think that either of these
> >> ideas isn't right, just give it a few minutes thought.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Just my $.02
> >>
> >>
> >> Kevin
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Wed, 2004-09-01 at 17:40, ALFRED JOHNSON wrote:
> >>
> >>> All this sounds interesting, and useful. However, I'd like for us to 
> >>> do
> >>> something which we used to do, which is to discuss the BASICS for ALL
> >>> Linux users. For example, the meeting we had on RPMs, clearly
> >>> disappointed a good number of people because it had very little
> >>> PRACTICAL information on using RPMs Instead it focused on the Red Hat
> >>> history and politics of RPM development. If you recall we had an
> >>> overflow crowd that night, but the comments we heard leaving that
> >>> meeting was that a lot of folks were disappointed because they were
> >>> expecting something more practical. I would just like to see somebody
> >>> stand up and in one night give the minimum you need to know to keep
> >>> Linux running on a desktop, without all the fluff. In other words,
> >>> something for the newbies once in a while. If we don't do this, I can
> >>> guarantee you that we'll lose a lot of new members. I've discovered
> >>> that everyone needs to brush up on the basics because the rapid pace 
> >>> of
> >>> Linux software development is literally making everyone a "Linux
> >>> newbie". -- Al Johnson.
> >
> > -- 
> > /---------------------------------------------------------------------\
> > | Jeremy Portzer        jeremyp at pobox.com      trilug.org/~jeremy     |
> > | GPG Fingerprint: 712D 77C7 AB2D 2130 989F  E135 6F9F F7BC CC1A 7B92 |
> > \---------------------------------------------------------------------/
> > -- 
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