Bill Rosoman wrote:
I do not see it as an accusation just frustration a bit. I fully accept that beginners have to do the yards and use Google etc, but there is a limit.
Yes, though we have been blatantly accused of being "eliteist" in the past. :)
I have had pretty good support since using the Wiki and Mail-List but would appreciate the coming meeting about these topics and there inclusion in the Wiki.
The wiki is not an exclusive thing. With the exception of a few locked pages relating to the running of the society, and the maintaining of the wiki itself, anyone can add ANY content, whenever they like. Of course, that said, it makes life much easier for our poor hardworking wikignomes (thanks Craig, Aristotle, Perry, and all the rest) if the content is reasonably well constructed and logical. AdHoc required a fair bit of cleaning up! ;)
I love Linux and the challenge and freedom it gives let alone the cost etc. But from what I have seen and my attempts to use it, things get difficult when trying to get everything to work. Like Win Modems, WLAN etc. I believe that users are at different levels and their needs are different. The idea of a beginners stream sounds good. But we probably need more beginners involved.
We sure do. As I said earlier, the "old hands" have gotten very tired of practically BEGGING for new user involvement, and so we have just continued to do what we know how to do. It's a bit off when people complain. Ask not what your LUG can do for you, ask instead what you can do for your LUG! :) New / inexperienced users: Get involved! It doesn't matter if you don't think you know 100% of a topic. Ask someone for help presenting something if you like. A new user stream will only work if there is enough interest and involvement.
As I mentioned at the AGM, WLUG does not advertise itself very well, nothing at the Citizens Advice Bureau or in the LOOT to name just 2 freebies.
There are problems with this. The CAB is, in my opinion, pointless. Computer users do not ask the CAB, they use Google. If they are asking the CAB, they probably have the wrong mindset to start with! ;) The LOOT is aimed at people who are always penny pinching. They market themselves this way. We had lots of trouble at the installfest with people trying to run Linux on 486 machines, and wanting all the fruits of a modern distro. The Loot targets these people. We are targetting the type of user who reads Computerworld. We welcome *all* users, but we are not the Hamilton Computer Club. Our expected userbase are familiar with computers, and wish to utilise the power of Linux. Well, that turned into a bit of a rant! :)
That will be great, and appreciated heaps. I understand the difficulty about having newbies and gurus but there must be away to accomodate both.
There is, but it involves the newbies volunteering to do some work! :) Regards, Greig "The Fist" McGill