[aclug-local] Re: Suggestions: Next Meeting

Although the Linux boot sequence can be covered on two sheets of paper (if 
generalized)... it may not be important enough info for a beginner to have 
to know.
I agree also that it may be a boring topic, and too much background 
knowledge needed to be worth the effort (for a short live presentation).

But, deep down (in the past), I have worried that ACLUG did not do enough 
to expand the Linux user base in the Wichita area. After going to tonights 
meeting (Feb 11), I think that it will have to mainly be done through the 
web site, and secondly through activities (and not through presentations). 
Being realistic, the web site is "the" most powerful and efficient tool to 
use (to attract more GNU users in Wichita).

I agree with you... "live" presentations must become more appealing to a 
general audience and must be taken for what they are (limited educational 
value / more of a social and exposing to new ideas thing). Also, maybe we 
are too pre-conditioned on what a presentation should look like, sound 
like and smell like.

Now, how do we share our combined aquired knowlege the best? I think it 
would be for us to get into the habit of writing quick and dirty howtos 
(or essays) and putting them up on the web site for help on demand.

You also mentioned Classes as a suppliment to live presentations (for real 
education on topics). I think it would take real committement from 
individuals to make this happen. Like was mentioned, the Perl class was a 
failure. I'm not sure how this could be made to succeed.

And... the newbie thing. With limited resources, I understand we cannot 
personaly and physically save the whole world from closed source software. 
But, I think by using the web site to its fullest potential, it may be our 
best shot in doing so.


James Galimi



On 2002.02.11 17:42 Tom Hull wrote:
> 
> I think your bottom line is off-base; it's not really a beginner/expert
> thing, it's more of a presentation/class thing. Presentations demand a
> fair amount of work from the presenters, but very little preparation or
> commitment from the audience. Unless you can assume an audience with a
> lot of specialized knowledge (e.g., in an academic forum), you have to
> find something to present that has relatively general interest and does
> not have a strict prerequisite level.
>