PLUG Etiquette

[Lisa Kachold]

After interacting in PLUG events over the last 3 years here, teaching at
freegeek.org and running the POWUG for 3 years in Oregon while also after
interacting in technology for more than 25 years in the trenches, I have
seen a great deal of bad manners, ineffective competition, and behavior that
leads anywhere but toward free and open discussion and interaction.

I have also observed interaction styles and personality types that save a
group with their fun approach, easy going nature and humanism.

As you read these you might try not to descend to black and white thinking,
but see what each type ultimately provides to the group experience.

I am sure some of these basic types everyone will recognize:

1) Mr. OneUpMan:

Rather than happily bantering along in information exchange, he powers out
to look more Intelligent or rudely talks down to others.  This can include a
swift change of subject to something not even similar to the issue or
subject stream.   He can never just "play" with others, and never ever asks
a question.  He can be so dominating that the whole discussion around him
has to be limited to his experience, his training and his viewpoint.

2) Mr. Academic:

This person will always fill in extraneous details and add additional
information.  He is certain that he is the one and only authority.
Unfortunately, often this limits others from actually doing their own
research (via google or other written documentation).

3) Mr. Gossip:

This person, rather than discuss technology, complete lab exercises or
listen to others, spends a great deal of time discussing others, local
shops, history (skewed by their own resentments and losses or those of their
ally fellows).  Anything this person overhears in first person singular
humanism becomes fodder for their next ten sessions.  They generally do not
show up at events prepared for and interested in technical viewpoints.  They
often take "sides" without evaluating the truth from a distance or without
determining if it's actually their business.

4) Mr. Serial Processing:

This attendee cannot equate and absorb any information that he does not
direct.  He will take great measures of everyone's time by asking directed
questions to one individual about material that was just covered by group
discussion or presentation.  Often his frustration becomes anger whereupon
this person will accuse others of talking down to him.  This is common in
individuals who are experiencing a B vitamin deficiency (that ultimately can
lead to Korsakoff's Psychosis and confabulation) from nutritional issues,
but generally due to daily ingesting large amounts of drugs or alcohol or a
liver or other health disorder.

5) Mr. Rude Helper:

This PLUG attendee will approach someone who they don't know (who usually
vastly outspans them in education experience and even employment) and
attempt to help by directing them into the wrong direction.  This
disrepectful approach, while well meaning, is based on an arrogance and
grandiocity that is not matched by either their suggestions or their
ability.  They never ask the person they attach themselves to, if they would
like some help or happily attempt to play with them.  This is commonly seen
by women who are stereotyped and/or dominated and keeps women introverts
from interacting in labs and groups.

6) Mr. Did you Know?

This person dives happily in and expands any endeavor they are exposed to.
Their enthusiam is infectious as they look into and communicate with each
head in their circle of hearing, and intiates non-hierarchial happy fulll
duplex PLAY.

7) Mr. I Can!

This attendee is the one who does all the single tasks that someone needs to
do, often without most of the other PLUG people even noticing.  He adjusts
the video resolution for the overhead for the presentation laptop in a slick
teamwork concentric way, without, mind you, any great huge announcement that
he is the only one who knows how to do it.  If another, like #5 above
attempts to step in, he deftly and politely sidesteps the intrusion.

8) Mr.  Devils' Advocate Question Man:

This person usually asks all the pertinant questions to assist to flesh out
a subject for others.  It's not that he doesn't know, he just wants to make
sure a full discussion of the subject matter has occurred for others.
Clueless PLUG people sometimes attempt to take him aside or talk down to him
after he has performed these important functions.

9) Mr. Exploitation:

This person skews all communications to his (choose one):

a) Consulting endeavor
b) Security endeavor
c) Sales gig
d) Training endeavor

They exclude (or actually poo-poo use of or) mention of the long list of
other FOSS tools, library materials and online test preparation guides.
While all PLUG members have a variety of skills, this person fails to
interact in the true spirit of free and open source.

10) Mr. Hacker:

These people actually sit back and talk nice to you, while actually
attempting to gain access or damage to your equipment.  They are usually
swiftly caught, however they generally show up somewhere else with their
ettercap and wicrack.   Unfortunately, they are often successful.

11)  Mr. Aphasia:

They people are so vastly intelligent via written materials and
understanding, but cannot communicate or complete in useless stand around
and argue verbal sessions (with #1 above).  They are focused on doing, and
doing very very well.  They generally quietly endue all the other annoying
types and sit back and take in the information, at some deep level (like all
of us) lonely for others like themselves.


See yourself here?  Have additional types to add?
-- 
(503)754-4452 wiki.obnosis.com
scientology.obnosis.com
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