You know what is really interesting... I think Brian is right here. A lot of the general 
use of linux is really simple to use now, right out of the box most things work on 
most relatively new equipment. Because of this, people are not as likely to post to a 
mailing list. I would also add that Google is our friend and answers a lot of questions 
people new might have.

On the other side, Windows lists are growing... How ironic is that!

Nathan



On Wednesday, May 01, 2013 14:38:46 Brian Cluff wrote:
>  From what I have gathered, Linux has become extremely easy to use, to
> the point that a lot of people that used to post on the list and come to
> the meetings feels like they don't need the help anymore.
> 
> I always try and impress on them that if they got something out of PLUG
> that they should try and put something back in, in the form of helping
> other people or to give presentations, or just contributing to a
> project.  Alas, we don't see a lot of that.  PLUG tends to be an "add a
> penny take a penny" bowl where people tend to just take pennies.
> 
> There are approximately 500 unique email addresses subscribed to the
> PLUG-Discuss mailing list, but you would never know it.  There are
> really only 10 or so people that ever contribute on the list.  The
> people on the list aren't really showing up to PLUG meetings either, and
> I know there are a handful of regulars that do show up that aren't even
> subscribed to the mailing list.  The number of people that contribute to
> the meetings regularly could most like be counted on one hand.
> 
> Linux has come an amazing distance in a fairly short amount of time, but
> it seems that there is a glass ceiling that we have hit where people are
> comfortable enough with the status quo and don't want to contribute like
> they used to... if they would, I can't help but to think that we would
> have made a much bigger dent in the desktop area.
> 
> I would love to see the good old days come back so we could have some
> serious problems with finding enough space to hold a meeting.  It would
> make it a whole lot easer to get some big names in to give talks...
> thats for sure.
> 
> Brian Cluff
> (Sorry, feeling a little "ranty" just now :)
> 
> On 05/01/2013 11:54 AM, keith smith wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 
> > I belong to a number of tech mailing lists such as PLUG and AZPHP.  The
> > AZPHP list has gone almost completely dark.  It has been that way for
> > maybe 3 years??
> > 
> > I'm wondering if the social networking websites might be drawing down
> > membership and activity.
> > 
> > Any thoughts?
> > 
> > ------------------------
> > Keith Smith
> > 
> > 
> > 
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-- 
Regards,

Nathan England

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