[ncolug] Re: Direction and Purpose? What a can of worms to open!!!
- From: Chuck Stickelman <cstickelman@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: ncolug@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2011 21:26:04 -0400
If rms didn't have a government job what would he do?
I'd guess that he'd still have come up with the GPL and the GNU project.
His "free" is not "free as in beer" it's "free as in love".
The F in FOSS means that we, the lowly users, have the following
Freedoms:
* Freedom 0 is the freedom to run the software as you wish.
* Freedom 1 is the freedom to study and change the source code as you
wish.
* Freedom 2 is the freedom to copy and distribute the software as you
wish.
* Freedom 3 is the freedom to create and distribute modified versions as
you wish.
(http://flavor8.com/index.php/2005/12/20/rms-on-the-four-freedoms/)
These four freedoms put the user in the drivers seat, without them we
could end up with computers loaded with software that we could neither
change nor remove. This is not the kind of world that a free society
should tolerate. This group will continue to focus on software (and
likely hardware, file & data formats, etc.) that qualify as "Free" along
the lines of rms' definitions.
I will explore the current state of Open Source Societies and see what
aspects of them align with our group's direction.
Thanks for the input!
Chuck
On Wed, 2011-09-14 at 15:36 -0400, hbkeultjes wrote:
> At one time I looked into Open Source Society like
>
>
> The New Zealand /Open Source Society/ <http://nzoss.org.nz/>
>
> nzoss.org.nz/ - Cached
> <http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:aZ6gTO64_PYJ:nzoss.org.nz/+open+source+society&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a>Similar
>
> <http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=DCb&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&biw=1358&bih=539&q=related:nzoss.org.nz/+open+source+society&tbo=1&sa=X&ei=efxwTtm2N8aEsALN0JDUCQ&ved=0CCsQHzAC>
> You +1'd this publicly. Undo
> <http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1358&bih=539&q=open+source+society&btnG=Google+Search#>
> The New Zealand /Open Source Society/ is a non-profit organisation set
> up to educate, advocate and advance the use of Open Source Software in
> New Zealand. *...
>
> and another one I found then in Holland.
>
> If we are to broaden our horizon we might also invite Bill Danuloff
> (retired IT manager at Gorman Rupp) to one of our meetings since he is
> trying to revive the data processing group that was very active here in
> the seventies.
>
> I agree with a previous writer about the F in FOSS. The Free seems to
> be a Stallman thing and while I have nothing against Richard Stallman
> and have, as a matter of fact, a high regard for his IT mind, what would
> he do if he did not have some government/university job that was paying
> his bills?
>
> Henry Keultjes
> Mansfield Ohio USA
> *
>
>
>
> Jim Dolan wrote:
> > I almost feel I should apologize for this whole thing. As a regularly
> > attending participant of the meetings over the past couple of years
> > (and one of those looking for them over the summer), I was surprised
> > at the resulting discussion when I simply asked about next month's
> > meeting. (Yes I am that conceited as to believe that a silly question
> > of mine started a discussion like this <grin>.)
> >
> > The good news is that the discussion is begun and many are adding
> > their views. I will add mine here. I was introduced to the group as
> > the "guru" among my circle of friends who helped keep their windows
> > based machines running. I was told it might be interesting. I was
> > also told it was a group to learn from. I have learned from this
> > group, so, thank you all!
> >
> > However, when I was invited to attend a meeting, I was told it was a
> > "general interest" Linux group. I believe THAT group would have
> > attracted more members - one aimed at students, curious people, home
> > users, people with a need for an answer not available from commercial
> > enterprise computer providers. What I found when attending meetings
> > can be divided into three categories: Lecture on one aspect of
> > networked, enterprise computing, Project presentation, or meeting
> > broke down. The last was usually the most productive for those not
> > part of the five or six people who might have been co-workers
> > somewhere. With my apologies to those now indicted, turning a couple
> > of computers into a new phone system is really neat and interesting,
> > but to someone w/o a surplus of old phone hardware, not one they are
> > going to pursue, or even be able to. " I used this set of hardware and
> > software to allow me to take control of a client's computer system to
> > fix their accounting program and it saved me a trip to Phoenix." I
> > understand that is what people end up doing all day at their job, it
> > is NOT what someone not in that job does all day.
> >
> > Anyone want to make the group more inclusive? There are plenty of
> > things to talk about that are of general interest and that work better
> > if we use FOSS or Linux solutions. Give people a chance to discover
> > those ideas. I am all in for FOSS discussions and implementations.
> > What can my son do with a FOSS solution for his Astronomy or Physics
> > degree program at school? What can my friend do with an old machine
> > to make let them stay online and in touch with friends? How can one
> > safely install Linux so as to not break their one computer that they
> > need to keep working for school, home, finances? What programs are
> > available from the FOSS community to help them? Where are the fun
> > programs to help their kids learn, grow, and just have fun with a
> > computer? I learned many very useful things back in the day (DOS)
> > simply by getting together with a group of people with some curiosity.
> >
> > First idea: Unless it is a cost that cannot be supported, keeping the
> > Listserve (this medium) going is a no-brainer, many good things come
> > from it.
> >
> > Second idea: Outreach to other communities. For example, the joint
> > NC/OSU campus community where our meetings have recently been held. Or
> > perhaps people who have older machines and can't afford the latest
> > $1000 pc to let them keep up with daily use for email, web, etc.
> > While attending meetings, I was curious and interested in the fun ways
> > old machines were being re-purposed to "lesser" tasks. However, what
> > about helping someone who is not involved/required professionally
> > figure out how Linux and Open Office and other FOSS tools could save
> > them a real buck at home.
> >
> > Third idea: The switch to more of a FOSS orientation makes sense to
> > me. It may have to be presented in a manner easily understandable to
> > general people, (FOSS is after all an acronym) but the idea is good.
> > And presenting tools that are accessible to people from different
> > interests is something to aim for in this arena. Remember, Free and
> > Open Source Software is good. FOSS is gobbledy gook to non-computer geeks
> >
> > Fourth idea: DO NOT abandon physical meetings if at all avoidable!!!
> > If we need a space, work to find it. I'll try to come up with one if
> > pushed. Though my first ideas won't have the nice presentation
> > hardware, etc. included. But believe it or not good things come from
> > physical conversations and the simple ability to point to the other
> > guy's screen.
> >
> > Fifth idea: Publish topics for meetings if at all possible. Whether
> > it be via the listserve, a blog, or papers on signs around campus
> > letting people know what is to be presented can attract attention.
> > For example, A simple sign telling people we will be discussing the
> > future of NCOLUG on October 6 at 6:30pm at (insert location) might
> > draw some curious people. Even more likely if the acronyms are
> > spelled out - North Central Ohio Linux Users Group, should we become
> > North Central Ohio FOSS Free and Open Source Software Group?
> >
> > Hey, Kory, I'm sorry you cannot get to the meetings physically. That
> > sounds like a fun project - getting you set up so you can attend
> > virtually. Since I deal with veterans from Korea, to Vietnam, to Iraq
> > in my other world, helping people keep in touch is important to me as
> > well. And your situation, whatever it may be, makes me curious about
> > virtual meetings. Software? Webcams? etc.? Or was it to just be a new
> > form of a listserve, after all that is what blogs and twitter
> > basically add up to, unless I'm totally mistaken about those technologies.
> >
> > Oh, and I'd be willing to volunteer for the #2 project on the list
> > below. Got many questions on that front and an interest in solving,
> > or getting answers to them. LOL, I could be the Manager of the
> > "Average" project. Compared to the members of this group I've met so
> > far, I am pretty average.
> >
> > Thanks again,
> > Jim Dolan
> >
> >
> > On 9/5/2011 7:37 PM, M. Knisely wrote:
> >> Like the others that have replied, I've not been able to make the
> >> meetings in a long time, but I very much want the concept to of the
> >> LUG to go on. I feel strongly that we should be project driven.
> >>
> >> 1: Big Blue Button - Scratch our itch for remote collaboration.
> >> 2: The "Average" desktop user setup.
> >> 3: Linux for Video Editing (NCOLUG the Podcast?!?!?)
> >> 4: Linux the SMB setup
> >> 5: Implementing PacketFence Network Admission Control system
> >>
> >> Each of these projects could be picked away at each "meeting"
> >> or throughout the month by the leader and teams for each project,
> >> then they could report on their progress and what they've
> >> learned during the monthly meeting. Each project could, and I feel
> >> should, be recorded in a blog form. Once each project reaches what
> >> the team agrees as success, a whitepaper "how-to" should be
> >> developed. Think of the LUG as Google's first hit for how-tos on our
> >> projects.
> >>
> >> That's my hope for the group. Hope being one thing and dedicating
> >> time another is one thing that I've realized recently. I know that I
> >> don't have the spare time to manage much, but I'd be willing to head
> >> up one project at a time. #1 and #5 above I will be doing over the
> >> next year regardless.
> >>
> >> I'm sure you'll make a good decision Stick... that's why we made you
> >> the Director Emeritus.
> >>
> >> Mike K.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Sun, Sep 4, 2011 at 11:38 AM, Chuck Stickelman
> >> <cstickelman@xxxxxxxxxx <mailto:cstickelman@xxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
> >>
> >> All,
> >>
> >> Recent conversations on this list have gotten me thinking about
> >> our group, its purpose, and its goals. Honestly, the LUG is in a
> >> slump and I have no one to blame but myself. When the LUG was
> >> formalized a few years back a Board of Directors was elected and
> >> that body recognized a potential for the LUG to fall into a slump
> >> such as this. The Board created the position of Director
> >> Emeritus For Life as a mechanism for providing perpetual
> >> leadership in the event such a slump occurs. Soon after I was
> >> honored with the title. As Director Emeritus For Life it is my
> >> responsibility to provide guidance and direction to help us get
> >> out of this slump. I still believe strongly in the principles
> >> embodied in Linux and other Free and Open Source Software
> >> (FOSS). But the term FOSS is self-limiting; those same
> >> principles can be applied to hardware and data/file formats, as
> >> well as software. More importantly, FOSS principles are at the
> >> heart of the free exchange of ideas and information necessary in
> >> a free society. To that end, I believe that by focusing the
> >> group on one tool -- the Linux kernel and related utilities -- we
> >> have limited are our scope and our potential.
> >>
> >> So what do we do? We can:
> >>
> >> 1. keep doing what we've been doing, (and continue getting
> >> what we've been getting.)
> >> 2. end the LUG and let whatever files the void (such as it
> >> would be) file the void,
> >> 3. re-purpose the LUG to be more inclusive of FOSS and
> >> FOSS-inspired projects in general,
> >> 4. do something not yet considered.
> >>
> >> Ultimately, the whole thing is fairly rhetorical, as there really
> >> isn't a "we". As Director Emeritus For Life, I and I alone, can
> >> make the final call. But I */do/* want your thoughts and
> >> opinions to be heard and considered. My expectations are that
> >> the direction and fate of the NCOLUG is to be resolved by the end
> >> of September.
> >>
> >> Please advise.
> >> Chuck
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>
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