Historically, Hans has maintained the PLUG email lists in compliance with the rest of LUGs across America in non-moderated fashion. Various PLUG controversies about the lists have consistently been waged: A GREAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE LEFT PLUG DISCUSS because of these issues: 0) Job Post clogs (even from other cities/states) 1) Chattiness of the List Members. 2) Off-topic Posts. 3) Posts from PLUG members who don't address the technical question at hand. 4) Threads that have degenerated to a personally negative level clog inboxes in email war fashion. 5) Distro warz & Microsoft bashing floods boxes that are only interested in learning. 6) Politics. Many have suggested that PLUG Discuss slice up to a greater group format like other UGs, to include: PLUG OT PLUG Politics PLUG Security PLUG JobPosts (this exists already) Hans or Alan PLEASE create these lists (I don't have access unless I hack Mailman  from root on the server): http://lists.plug.phoenix.az.us/cgi-bin/mailman/create And members can post appropriately to limit chatter for the purists, who like only technical linux with their high volume lists. Others want a member to be appointed to moderate lists or at least moderate the PLUG discuss.  Old time members will leave if they have to endure moderation. Archives of threads with valuable information are not available from our Drupal mailman installation, but are archived on other sites who pick up the RSS feeds.  Why is this? Members who have become argumentative after failing to understand technical direction and information volunteered from an experienced member on the PLUG discuss list have gone to IRC to bend anyone's ear who would listen complaining about a situation they started via degeneration into defensive arguing and personal bias'ed type distro bashing.  Other constructive critique from some of the teachers in our midst drawing attention to symantics, linux defintions, and "staying on subject" & "in the solution" has been misunderstood as additional personal attacks without sufficient context from following the full thread and emotions are mis-read since personal expression in email is limited. Idealistic volunteers have tried to moderate both IRC (which has likewise no policy against "trolling") and intervene in the PLUG discuss lists with the resulting lack of unity, harsh critique and hurt feelings. None in Linux land like to be censored or hear others constantly reminded to start or stop talking, drop or continue this thread or that.  Moderation, maintained on other lists, is a matter of using technical tools to simply post list rules, warn members, drop posts to threads and ban members. Various meetings have folded through lack of support, partially due to economic industry factors, and partly due to the level of gossip, disorganized agendas, and failures of members to keep commitments. Obtaining good meeting space has been historically difficult without non-profit status or bonding.   We have had to go to The Foundation for Blind Children, and private colleges, where community rooms are available or bonding under another UG name is done.  Gossip that covers subjects as deep as employment history, personal grievances, personal health and other life choices of members, and annoyances as shallow as discussion of member's criminal history or ability to compete for jobs due to credit issues.  NONE of this petty bantering about of personal information is acceptable in any professional organization.  Members who apply for work from various consulting and contracting or employment firms in Arizona or who interact volunteering for PLUG should never be exposed to such disrespect for confidentiality.  Others who are promoting classes exhibit severe lack of ethics and professionalism by nattering about this or that other teacher or member's presentation or technical skills. People consistently want to volunteer yet don't know how to do so, even erroneously assume that they have to approach Hans to work with InstallFest or Hackfest projects.   The Drupal 4.7 (updated) website is in need of rebuild (completion) and database updating for role based signups, RSVP for events, reminders of events from the Drupal modules, and other items that would assist volunteers to simply choose a slot and download or read the role that they just volunteered for. There is no process of interviewing for this or that presentation of role.  Scheduling is immediately managed by Drupal calendering.  Rooms and other resources, including treasury money from sale of tee-shirts can be tracked via PayPal accounts linked with Drupal. Projects fail where organization or authorization is required.  Time for volunteering is all eaten away simply by appearing at a multitude of "planning meetings" and nothing ever gets accomplished; a calculated nothing controlled carefully? People who have interacted in well organized volunteer endeavors or LUGS, Freegeek.org, and/or attended regular cons or Perl Mongers, well know that an organization either grows or stagnates and dies.   Few want to waste time "playing at Open Source", or give time to an endeavor without positive results and clear accounting.  Others see that scholarships and mentorship programs available and organized in other cities at the UG level could be so easily provided, with self supporting endeavors.  It's really hard to watch floundering year in and year out depending on one of two volunteers.  People often are heard attempting to volunteer in vague ways, but when it comes down to it, no specific coordination (which can be managed trivially via Drupal or JIRA, or vTigerCMS/SugarCRM) happens, so anything that requires resources, project dependencies, scheduling and reminders fails horribly.  This includes having a primary and backup UG moderator role each month that people go subscribe themselves for.   If we don't have someone to take on a meeting moderator role (or any other volunteer role) in  "One Man Show" style, doing everything, the meetings (and web development) simply don't happen.  I am not sure exactly where in the project management volunteer coordination is failing, but a black hole exists that seems to suck in all progress. Overall, I would like to request that everyone model unity, foster respect and win-win solutions.  Please leave off the gossip and personal nattering over imagined wrongs and try to implement solutions using technology, asking Hans for direct solutions or commitment until PLUG gets over these growth pains or economic strife while communicating to the right source directly will help. Since the Email lists currently are not moderated, please respect each others free speech.   Privately suggest others take personal discussions off list, or to another list.  If we all follow these simple policies, reminding each other politely with a nice request, we will foster unity and ensure a safe place for everyone to play. Others have started non-profit endeavors in Arizona here, under which a LUG might be in the works, completing in various ways, built upon a role based signup Drupal with roles and presentations etc. The mere change that allows people to signup for their own volunteering, including setup/signup to present a training event or talk, and get reminders out for everyone of it, builds community, provides users a way to have some control over their UG, etc. And might very well be the item that causes great success in a PLUG for this huge number of professional Nix people in Arizona. Alan/Hans let me know when the lists are added, I will edit the Drupal page with desciptions etc. Thanks for lending me your ear. -- Skype: (623)239-3392 AT&T: (503)754-4452 http://obnosis.110mb.com/nuke/index.php http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/ Noob of the Month January 2010 -- Skype: (623)239-3392 AT&T: (503)754-4452 http://obnosis.110mb.com/nuke/index.php http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Arizona --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss