PLUG Etiquette

[Scarlett Clark]

On Tue, 2009-06-30 at 10:50 -0700, Lisa Kachold wrote:
> 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
> 
> 
Ms shy that so desperately wants to fit in, but afraid of the flames so
stays in the background.