COSIG, Ubuntu SIG, or maybe both...

[VirginSnow at vfemail.net]

yawn... stretch... Good morning, Arc.

> Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2008 23:23:26 -0400
> From: "Arc Riley" <arcriley at gmail.com>
> Cc: gnhlug-discuss at mail.gnhlug.org

> Forming a group specifically for those activities and having regular
> "outreach organizing" meetings is very different from the model I've seen be
> successful.
> 
> In fact, most activist groups that try operating on that model rarely last.

Ah.  Real-world real-life experience.  Yes.  This is where I think you
have the most value to bring to COSIG: real-world experience with
advocacy.  From what you've stated, you successfully promoted FOSS in
Ithica, NY and did so on what sounded like quite a significant scale.
I would love to hear what kinds of lessons you've learned from this.
What approaches worked?  What didn't work?  Why do you think these
approaches worked/didn't work?  Information like that is gold...!

> of stuff in GNHLUG seems to get done, including the SFD organizing going on,

I wasn't aware that anything was being planned for SFD. :(

> If you want to grow it, do something that you and Matt haven't been doing -
> drop an email to the list saying that you're going to be doing something and
> inviting people to join you.  It may not be every time, but every so often

IIRC, Matt (perhaps via Ben or others) posted multiple messages
inviting folks to his movie series at the Holo-Dek.  The only person
who showed up to help was me.

> I believe you should form a group because there's energy and interest for
> doing so.
> 
> You seem to believe that you form a group in order to raise energy and
> interest.

I believe both the former and (though to a lesser extent) the latter.
You seem to believe only the former, and disbelieve the latter.

> 80% of human communication is non-verbal (body language).  If you want to be

That might explain why communicating with you by email has been so
difficult. :^P

> Spoken from someone who had to learn body language as a skill (I'm
> autistic), you may want to pick up a book on the subject and spend some time

You're not autistic.... a socialized Aspie, maybe, but not autistic.
You're too high-functioning.  (Look, my ability to read minds has
returned!)  (For the political correctness police who might still be
watching, "Aspie" is an affectionate term for those with Asperger
syndrome. "high-functioning" is a clinical term for a particular place
on the so-called autistic spectrum.)

A fair number of subscribers to this list, you can expect, will have
autism spectrum disorders as well.  That's not uncommon in technical
settings.  The predictability of computers and other kinds of machines
tends to attract the interest of people with ASDs.

Keep in mind that, like spoken language, body language too is
regional.  Body lanugage in Ithica, NY for example, is likely to
differ from body language in Dover, NH.  I've observed a significant
difference in body language between Albany, NY (where I'm from) and
Dover, NH (where I am now).  But if you really want to see regional
variation in body language, try taking a flight from San Juan to NYC.
More than the change in temperature, the change in communication style
will put your body into shock. :)

Personally, I find it more convenient to just use words.  After all,
that's what they were invented for. :|