Ubuntu SIG

[Arc Riley]

Before talking about SIG formation, I think clarification needs to be made
about the Ubuntu New Hampshire LoCo;

LoCos are teams within the Ubuntu project with a geographic focus.  Some
countries LoCos tackle translations and language-specific install CDs,
others just represent Ubuntu at conferences and events in their region, some
are primarily social groups where Ubuntu members in the same area go out for
beer once a month.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoFAQ
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoWorkingWithOtherGroups

The NH LoCo is in "forming" stage, not "accepted", and is still being
established.


At the BBQ a group of us were discussing the lack of "regular user" focus in
GNHLUG and different ideas were tossed around, including just hosting some
workshops at different chapters to starting a SIG.  The idea of starting an
Ubuntu SIG came out of this.

The idea behind this is a vast majority of "regular users" use Ubuntu and
many of the problems they face are distro specific.  We could and should
also be presenting workshops along these topics at the local chapters as
well, a SIG further promotes community building within this growing set of
GNU/Linux users and without having existing GNHLUG chapter members feeling
bored by sitting through a workshop on using Synaptic repositories, much
less having chapter members feel like they're being taken over by Ubuntu
users.  I think the distro-agnostic status of chapters is good thing to
maintain.

Speaking from my own experiences with past clients, most "regular users" are
more familiar with the Ubuntu name than even Linux, so with that goal in
mind and given that much of the outreach for the SIG will be through
including a sticker or card on distributed Ubuntu CDs, I think the name is
appropriate.

The SIG isn't about getting existing Linux users to switch to Ubuntu, it's
not about activism or outreach or promotion.  It's just a group for Ubuntu
users to socialize and learn more about the software they're running.  Some
of the workshops will obviously tackle applications, and I'm sure users of
many distros would find them interesting, but a good % will be specifically
about Ubuntu; every 6 months there's a new release, how to install Ubuntu on
specific hardware, Ubuntu variants (ie, edubuntu), upgrade issues and help,
unofficial package repositories, setting up Ubuntu for MythTV, etc.

I don't think it'd be helpful to merge the SIG as a cross-distro group, any
more than it'd be helpful to merge RubySIG and PySIG into a generic
Programmers SIG.  Yes, some of the topics between the groups are generic,
but most are not.  I also don't see a reason why there couldn't be a Fedora
SIG if a group of people wanted to form one.

If Ubuntu is surplanted as the leading "regular user" distro in a few years,
this SIG will fade out and may be replaced, and that's OK.  Heck, an Ubuntu
SIG workshop topic could be "Migrating from Ubuntu to gOS".

As the members of such a SIG are regular users, not "activists", an outreach
component included in it's purpose is misplaced.  I'm not saying that GNHLUG
shouldn't be involved in activism/outreach, just that it doesn't need a SIG
(much less included in this one).
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/private/gnhlug-discuss/attachments/20080802/a2e0ae17/attachment.html