OT: LUGs dying out

[Josef Lowder]

.
On Mon, 23 Jul 2007, Alan Dayley wrote
> PLUG is as viable and useful as we PLUGgers make it.

> PLUG meeting attendance, in my view, has been at a plateau for 
> several years now.  There is a core group that "mostly always" 
> attends a given meeting with a few new people each month that 
> usually don't come again. I wish there was a way to make the 
> meetings more attended. 

While I am more sporadic than regular in attending the East 
side meeting, I am usually glad that I attended whenever I have. 
There is something comforting about just knowing that the meetings 
are there and available, and seeing familiar faces there.  I must 
admit that I kind of like the small group "feel," though I agree 
that it would be great if the attendance could be increased. I'm 
kind of on both sides of that consideration. ;))

There are several things that I believe might be helpful to 
encourage more attendance and repeat attendance by newcomers. 

#1. Whatever happened to the idea of printing some PLUG brochures? 
I recently saw an ad for www.CopyWorldInc.com offering 5,000 
flyers printed in full color on both sides for $99.  Seems like 
that should be do-able.  I'd be willing to chip in something to 
get something like that, and I'm sure others would as well. 
I'm sure we could find some good places to distribute them and 
we could all have some available to give away. 

#2. I wish that everybody would wear a name tag at the meetings.
Perhaps with name and favorite distros on the tags.  I am still 
unable to connect a name with a face on many of the group, both 
regulars and visitors. 

#3. As well as the "presentations" (which are always great to 
have), why not create a little spontaneous "show and tell" segment 
in each meeting to invite and encourage two or three plug members 
at each meeting to share a little something that they have learned or 
found helpful recently (strictly voluntary, of course - no pressure!) 

#4. Then how about starting a little "directory" of short plug 
member "bios" (with photos) on the plug website?  That way every 
new person could get better acquainted with regulars and in that 
way feel more a part of the group and would thus be more inclined 
to keep coming back. 

#5. How about having a little questions/comments/feedback form 
available at the meetings so everyone could have an opportunity 
to express whatever might be on their mind, and one of the meeting 
hosts/coordinators/moderators could look through those during the 
meeting and perhaps respond. 

> I always find them valuable and even occasionally "seminar" quality 
> in their content and presentation.  Others obviously don't feel that way.

I think most people would agree that the meetings usually do have 
some worthwhile value and sometimes are even of near-seminar quality.

> Think about it.  Here we have a metro-area of millions with easily tens
> of thousands working with or using Linux/FS/OSS every day.  And total
> monthly attendance to all PLUG meetings (just add up the number of
> people at each meeting) is about 60-70?  Does anyone else think that 
> is low?

This is an excellent point.  I'll bet there are hundreds of Linux 
enthusiasts and potential Linux users who would be very interested 
in attending the meetings and becoming part of PLUG if they only 
knew about it.  Just getting some distribution on a PLUG brochure 
should be a good way to get the word out. 

Has the steering committee ever considered putting a sandwich board 
out on the street whenever and wherever a PLUG meeting is in progress? 
Who knows, we might even get some drop-in visitors.  The sign could 
just say "LINUX meeting -- 7-9 pm tonight -- stop in anytime."

> But, then, many are not "meeting people" so, we do what the group wants
> to do.  And we will continue to have meetings, if I have any say in the
> matter.  If for no other reason than my own selfish enjoyment of them.

I think the meetings will continue to be valuable forever ... 

> Our email lists are the very best!

I totally agree and am very thankful for them.