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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> >
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> > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
> ________________________________________________
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>
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