I have been active in the PLUG, attending at least 1 monthly meeting
and putting on one security Lab for at least a year. Before that I
was attending one meeting every other month for a year, and I HAVE
NEVER HEARD OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE?
On 8/5/09, Alan Dayley <
alandd@consultpros.com> wrote:
> Another thread about the sonoran penguin and making a theme for the
> website surfaced some discussion about the governance of PLUG. I'd
> like to enlighten that a little bit.
>
> The Steering Committee
> ---------------------------
> PLUG has a Steering Committee, members in no particular order:
>
> - Hans, a.k.a. der.hans (plug@lufthans.com) is Committee Chair because
> we decided that he was.
>
> - Brian Cluff (brian@snaptek.com) still baby sits the server from time
> to time and was host of the East Side Meeting for many years.
>
> - Alexander Henry (alexanderhenry@cox.net) who, years ago, decided we
> needed Install Fest on a monthly basis, found a location and makes
> sure it happens.
>
> - Joseph Sinclair (plug-discussion@stcaz.net) a very smart developer
> and good guy who fills in the gaps and provides great programming
> knowledge along with organizational skill.
>
> - Me, who has historically mastered the web site and hosted the
> Developer Meeting for 6 or so years.
>
> There was one other who moved from Arizona some time back. There have
> been others in the past who we thank.
>
> Other Volunteers
> ---------------------------
> There are others who help and do things, like Lisa, because they want
> to. Nothing in PLUG could happen without people like them.
>
> Authority
> ---------------------------
> The authority of the committee is perhaps derived, as Joshua pointed
> out, by owning the domain name and having root password on the server.
I have the root password on the server; I must be an "Authority" and
Steering Committee member (or at least a "mascot")?
> There is no other authority structure. No bylaws or written rules.
> The group depends on the Steering Committee and defers to them to run
> the relatively small day-to-day issues and make meetings happen. If
> the group or a large part of the group were to want to take over or
> fork, what's to stop them? Nothing.
Gee, where is this documented?
How does someone submit requests, beyond email, to You, Alexander,
Alan and Hans?
> Money
> ---------------------------
> PLUG has no legal entity to handle money. There isn't any.
Wait?
It takes money to do everything right, beit create flyers, to stickers
to tee shirts.
Someone submits everything to the plug, yet members suffer because tee
shirts aren't available and all events that take real assets must be
supported by individuals?
No really cool things get done for the plug without extreme human cost
(like Hans who gives 110% himself).
> Events and Work
> ---------------------------
> PLUG has events and does any work because someone paid for it, worked
> it, promoted it. Or, nothing happens.
Right!
> My Comments
> ---------------------------
> Over the years I have researched and email or IRC interviewed
> participants of other LUGs. I made a special point to seek out LUGs
> that had problems resulting in dissolution or splits. The root cause
> of every LUG that experienced significant problems was power or money.
> No surprise, I suppose. This is big reason why PLUG has not gone the
> direction of formal structure and donations. It mostly avoids such
> problems.
That is simplistic thinking in the extreme. The problems you
discovered were due to lack of growth and organization, not money, or
non-profit status.
I am 53, been working in Linux my whole life, and seen a great number
of UGs in 3 states, so while you might use the "money is the root of
all evil" argument this to rationalize your decision not to grow, it's
patently false.
Growth and organization, including structure for submitting volunteer
program outlines, website upgrades, promotional flyers, tee shirts
(coolness sells - without being able to expand creatively, people
devolve to petty bickering and shadow agendas) is the glue for group
geek fun.
> It also blocks some good things.
Lack of a cohesive organization creates burnout; lack of growth
creates the same crisis over and over with regards to the associated
lack of organizational and personal success, etc.
People like to make contributions; few even know who to make
presentation submissions to.
I.E. do we have to show up and ask Hans? Wait lurking on the PLUG
list until Hans calls for presentations for an event in two weeks?
Not all members can do that!
At the very least, the structure needs to be defined on the website
(including discussion of the "Steering Committee"). Optimally, each
of the groups, East Side, West Side, HackFest, InstallFest needs an
organizational forum or CMS in the Drupal site. Alternately a one
button submission process for bursting PLUG promotional materials to
sister email listservers is needed for the group administrators.
How can PLUG grow unless people painstakingly promote everything
singularly (from their own websites) without even the ability to use
the "linux" FOSS tools available for PLUG, because of lack of
administrative decision making, duty and project role assignment
required to build a web maintenance & upgrade team?
Also, without a real structure, non-profit status, tee shirts, a real
volunteer group to maintain the website, big event sponsorship,
contests for new tee shirt designs, it just looks like everyone is
active in the PLUG to sell their own classes or promote their own
contracting.
> Where there is passion, things happen. Where there is passion,
> disagreements happen. Any organization that wants to make things
> happen needs passion but must survive the conflicts that arise. How
> does one create such an organization without the down sides? You
> can't. The down sides will happen so many people turn to rules and
> by-laws, i.e. contracts, to minimize the down sides. I suppose it
> works for the most part or people would come up with new structures
> with which to do it. There are new ways to do these things but PLUG
> may not be able to handle it.
>
> I am beginning to accept that PLUG will not grow and thrive without a
> more formal structure and maybe even money. Scary thought to me,
> knowing the history of other LUGs and volunteer groups. At the same
> time, the risk may be worth it for the gains that could be made.
Right now, everyone has even less time and attention to devote, not to
mention money.
> The Points
> ---------------------------
> My point is that PLUG is what the members make of it. The Steering
> Committee has no legal means of controlling the group beyond
> persuasion and respect, if given. So, if anyone want to suggest a
> change, create something, push an agenda, please do. In an open and
> transparent manner.
Members try to do things, email goes to black holes. One person (like
you) agrees - others on the list simply are not active.
Members get tired of there being no voice, no solutions and no follow
through. A prime example is the political discussions - can we not
implement a listserver email group for PLUG politics? Enough people
want it - other PLUGS have it?
Do I just go set this up? Email to Hans over 2 years has historically
gone to /dev/null?
> If anyone thinks the Steering Committee is out of line, doing wrong,
> whatever, please speak up.
>
> Right now PLUG is in a low passion mood, has been for a long time.
> (Except maybe politics!) If you have a passion for something
> Linux/FS/OSS related, speak up. Rather that then we just plod along,
> enjoying our Freedom only amongst ourselves.
Passion wans without satisfaction.
> Alan
> ---------------------------------------------------
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