[ale] LUG survival: was group merger ALE + GA400-Linux

[Jim Kinney]

On Wed, 2015-07-15 at 12:14 -0400, Steve Litt wrote:
> On Wed, 15 Jul 2015 07:38:18 -0400
> Jim Kinney <jkinney at jimkinney.us> wrote:
> 
> > But, yeah. Things are changing. ALE is on life support from a
> > formal,
> > monthly meeting standpoint. The mailing list is rather quiet
> > lately. 
> 
> I'm the president of GoLUG in Orlando, and in 2001-2002 was the
> president of the almost-defunct LEAP in Orlando. LEAP basically
> imploded, and it's a challenge to keep enthusiasm in GoLUG.
> 
> I'm on a whole bunch of LUG mailing lists, and most LUGs are having
> the
> same problem: Interest, enthusiasm, and attendance. I'm trying to
> change that for GoLUG, and of course as a side effect for all other
> LUGs
> too.
> 
> From my perspective, one huge change is the perception of Linux. In
> 1999, Linux was the revolutionary "good os" that was going to
> displace
> the evil Windows. Now Linux is just the OS we use, which would have
> delighted a Linux crystal ball gazer in 1999. But it means less
> enthusiasm, which means less volunteerism and attendance.
Yep! We had a long discussion about how people have changed over the 20
years of ALE. The Atlanta Unix Users group just shut its doors.
> Another thing is demographics. To my knowledge, LUGs were always
> predominently white and male, but now we're also somehow self selecting
> for those over 40. I look at a GoLUG meeting, and about half the people
> are the same people as when we formed in 2004, but now they're 11 years
> older. Back in LEAP before it zombified, you'd often see the same
> people as you saw in 1999. If Orlando LUGs are any example, and I think
> they are, LUGs are skewing older and older and older. Heck, we lost a
> member to dying of old age. He was over 90.
> 

Yep! Nice to know we're not alone in this. For ALE, many of the
original founders are still on the mailing list but have developed
other interests and rarely or no longer attend meetings.
> We've had trouble attracting people under 30, and I don't think we're
> the only LUG to do so. What I'm trying to do is form a stronger alliance
> between GoLUG and the local maker group. I mean, if you're going to
> DIY, what OS are you going to use? Certainly not Windows or OS/X. But
> we haven't been immediately successful at that for some reason.
> 

I feel for the < 30 crowd. The distraction level for their life is
horrible. Getting them to show up with out free food and/or booze is
not working. The student participation in extracurricular activities
related to their major is nearly impossible. 
> If we don't start attracting younger people, eventually we'll need to
> move our meeting place to an assisted living center :-)
> 

BWAHAHAHAHA!!!! Maybe we should start looking at how medical equipment
is running insecure and un-fixable software that can be cracked into
mobile death gear.
> As far as attracting women and people who aren't white, we haven't. Oh,
> one or two women attend our meetings, but one is the same one who's
> attended GoLUG and LEAP for 15 years.
> 
> So what ideas do all of you have about expanding demographics and
> raising enthusiasm?
> 

Corp sponsor with free beer would be great! We've added some publicity
by make a (tiny) splash on meetup.com. But that's a self-serving gated
community with a really nice calendar.  I've been trying to get some
contacts in Math/CS to show some interest and push meeting on students
or attend personally. 
Economics plays a large factor in this now. As belts have tightened,
the work load has climbed and people have fewer hours for non
-work/family activities. If the LUGS are going to retake the space of
Linux Community, they are going to have to provide a service that
people are willing to pay for. Once people shell out money, they are
more committed. The age of volunteerism is pretty much over.
> Thanks,
> 
> SteveT
> 
> Steve Litt 
> July 2015 featured book: Rapid Learning for the 21st Century
> 
http://www.troubleshooters.com/rl21
> 
> 
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-- 
James P. Kinney III

Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail. What you
gain at one end you lose at the other. It's like feeding a dog on his
own tail. It won't fatten the dog.
- Speech 11/23/1900 Mark Twain

http://heretothereideas.blogspot.com/
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