LUG: Server, funds, purpose - Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:34:16 -0500

Subject : LUG: Server, funds, purpose

From : Edward Anderson <nilbus@nilbus.[redacted]>

Date : Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:34:16 -0500

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)

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