Re: LUG: Server, funds, purpose - Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:58:15 -0500

Subject : Re: LUG: Server, funds, purpose

From : Jack Neely <jjneely@ncsu.[redacted]>

Date : Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:58:15 -0500

On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 11:34:16PM -0500, Edward Anderson wrote:
> Tonight at dinner, we had a great discussion regarding our plans for a
> server and LUG funds that are being recovered. Discussing where our
> funds should be spent led to a discussion of what our purpose as a LUG
> is. My goal in this email is to summarize what was said tonight and
> suggest a course of action to follow.
>
> We have over $1000 in escheated funds that are currently being
> recovered from the NC Dept State Treasury. These funds were untouched
> for over 5 years, under the philosophy that we shouldn't spend when we
> have no source of income. However, after having our funds escheated
> due to account inactivity, we realized that saving the money was doing
> the club no good. We want to use the funds we have to benefit the
> group.
>
> Spending money to benefit the group begs the question of what our
> group's purpose is. Our money should go toward whatever our purposes
> are. It has been suggested that the LUG exists for these purposes:
> 1. Serve as a social group for those with similar interests
> 2. Serve as a resource for existing Linux users at NC State
> 3. Introduce Linux to users of other operating systems and make converts of them
>
> I would argue that it is all of the above, with the first being most important.
>
> (1) When I've asked the core people why they come and have continued
> to come to the LUG (myself included), they'll talk about the social
> aspect of the LUG. The LUG is primarily a group of friends with common
> interests. Anyone who comes for other reasons [help with a problem,
> interesting meeting topics, installfest] does not stick around unless
> they make friends with us become part of that core social group.
>
> (2) The NCSU LUG serves as a resource for NCSU Linux users in that we
> help answer questions and resolve issues that people have while
> working with Linux. We also sometimes share job opportunities for
> people in our various fields. This goal is largely satisfied through
> our mailing list and IRC channel, though
>
> (3)

If we are talking about the prupose of the LUG, it's also well stated in
the constitution:

The purpose of this organization is to promote the use and usability of
Linux in the NCSU community. This includes such activities such as
informational talks, installfests, and open forums.

Perhaps that needs attention and rewording as well at this point...but
I"ll leave that to you. :-)

Jack
--
Jack Neely <jjneely@ncsu.[redacted]>
Linux Czar, OIT Campus Linux Services
Office of Information Technology, NC State University
GPG Fingerprint: 1917 5AC1 E828 9337 7AA4 EA6B 213B 765F 3B6A 5B89

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Re: LUG: Server, funds, purpose