Structured Membership

[plug-discuss@lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us]

to paraphrase monty-python;
"supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not some farsicle aquatic cerimony!" and most politics is a "farsicle aquatic cerimony" anyway. :)

Technomage Hawke

On Sat, 29 September 2001, Alan Dayley wrote:

> 
> Very interesting comments, from direct experience.
> 
> The way PLUG works now is very loose, but just tight enough to get stuff 
> done.  Those that are capable and willing rise to the "top" and get stuff 
> done.  Then they fade to the back or stay at the front or are pushed to the 
> front by the group.  The group trusts, recognizes and places responsibility 
> on those that can and want to get things done.  The utter lack of politics in 
> the group is amazing and refreshing.
> 
> Paraphasing a well known document:  User's Groups are instituted among Users, 
> deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Members.  PLUG exemplifies 
> this all the time.  I vote to not clutter it up.
> 
> Let's pick a voluteer/drafted chair-person and keep going.  Maybe an open 
> steering committee meeting is needed to determine this transition?
> 
> Alan
> 
> On Saturday 29 September 2001 09:35 am, you wrote:
> > Dear Pluggers,
> >
> > I lived through the structuring and subsequent fracturing and demise
> > of Hawaii's Linux User Group (LUAU).  It started off much like our
> > Westside meetings in size and content, and as it grew to 35+ active
> > participants, and 180+ listserv members, the notion of structure was
> > presented.  In the interest of presenting a formal image to the
> > public, so we could spread the word about Linux with credibility,
> > we agreed to have a president, vice president/public relations,
> > treasurer (planning for the future), and secretary (meeting minutes
> > and webmaster).  This was done at the objection of the "charter
> > members" of LUAU, who subsequently left the meetings, and stopped
> > being an active part of the list.
> >
> > All went well for one year, until the positions came up for renewal.
> > The vice president made a bid for president and won, and wanted to
> > take the group in a direction that the group did not want to go.
> > After much infighting, name calling, deceit, and worse, the group
> > broke up and lost all credibility.  The charter members had their
> > group, the newbies went with the president, a new group was formed
> > by a close friend of mine, and everyone else went elsewhere.  This
> > took about three months.
> >
> > Linux is open because the people involved are free thinkers, and
> > generally do not like unnecessary structure (do not confuse with
> > anti-structure).  If we liked being restricted in choices, we would
> > be happy in a point and click environment where someone else gives
> > us our choices.  Trying to impose structure on us is a very tricky
> > endeavor, and one that needs considerable forethought.  I personally
> > oppose such actions as requiring members to perform some action (use
> > GPG to sign something) to be a member.  Our common bond is a love of
> > Linux, and the power of Linux, not our ability to use crypto keys.
> > If I should choose to not use crypto, that is my choice.  My
> > membership is with Phoenix Linux Users Group, not Phoenix GPG Users
> > Group.
> >
> > I've gone through a user group change that was thought to be for
> > the best that turned out catastrophic.  I would hate to see the same
> > thing happen here.
> >
> > George
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