Membership database (was Re: West Side InstallFest)

[Kimi A. Adams]

Kimi's thoughts and vision:

I came to this group because I inherited the job of making an ISP we bought 
work.  They used Linux on the servers.  I was used to DOS and easily took 
over some of the challenges we were facing.

However, when it came to finding out more, it was hard to know who to talk 
with.  It was even harder trying to talk with people at companies in the 
phone book about Linux, which I was using Red Hat at the time.  I had a 
problem once and had to find someone to fix it and ended up with an out of 
state company.  I soon started looking for others to talk with.  I found 
PLUG because of someone sending me an email.  I subscribed, then got busy 
and got unsubscribed.  I later needed help again and I spoke with Jiva, who 
helped me in like 10 minutes.  Wonderful person, Jiva is.  I joined the 
listing again and started really paying attention.

The reason that I stay and the reason that I feel a database of some sort 
will help is because if you need information, people aren't always sitting 
on the mailing list waiting to help.  Not that this list has every not 
responded rapidly, but just that sometimes it takes time and effort to read 
emails and such.  Where if there were a database, easily searchable, it 
would help to know that the person's information is right there.  Like 
looking for stuff on Google.

When we talk about what PLUG is or it does or how it helps people, it's 
about being a member anyway.  You are a member of a list, you email members 
and you talk with members all the time.  The difference is that since PLUG 
is getting a lot more attention, for those others out there that do not 
subscribe to the list, there needs to be more of an easy way to access this 
information.  Some people don't want to post because they feel stupid 
having 400 people see their post.  Even though this list has time and time 
again stated that this is what we are here for, that mentality is still out 
there.  When I help people, they are actually surprised and very glad that 
we help for free and talk about stuff willingly that will help them.

It's just my thoughts and it may not fit everyone, but the group as a whole 
needs this kind of interaction in a database for the community.  The group 
is over 400 people and that is a lot of help.  That is a lot of information 
to know in your head about everyone.  If you don't want to sign up for 
anything, then it's a choice you make.  Just like deleting emails you don't 
have an interest in.  But for those that need help and do not want to 
subscribe just to post emails, it's a way to expose our group further and 
gain more attention, in a database format.

: )    Onward.............

Kimi Adams
Unity Wave


At 6/26/02, you wrote:
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>On Wednesday 26 June 2002 09:35 am, Derek Neighbors wrote:
> > I will start an old war here.  I would love to see PLUG have a membership
> > database, that let people list their specialities etc..  This would be
> > nice so that if we wanted to ever do mailings for things like install
> > fests guest speakers and such, but more importantly if someone says "I
> > want to install Free BSD on an AMIGA" (or something) we could help find
> > someone who might have experience in that.
> >
> > More over, it would be nice to have people coming to the install fests
> > sign up so we could do adequate followup and inform them of training and
> > the likes.
>
>How would this be significantly different from a posting to the PLUG mailing
>list?  An expert who sees the title "Free BSD on an AMIGA" is just as
>likely to volunteer with or without being registered.  Additionally, please
>lose and gain skills constantly, but probably do not wish to maintain a
>PLUG profile (at least, I don't particularly care to).
>
>About the install-festees (can we call them that?), I am also in favor of
>the earlier suggestion that they sign onto the mailing list through a
>"subscriber box" while they are present.  This way the followup and
>announcements would be along the lines of 30-50 messages a day!  Certainly
>that is enough. ;-)
>
>It is a good idea, I just don't see it as being necessary given the nature
>of the PLUG mailing list.
>
>- --
>                                                 Logan Kennelly
>       ,,,
>      (. .)
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