Re: LUG: Server, funds, purpose - Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:58:07 -0500

Subject : Re: LUG: Server, funds, purpose

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

Date : Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:58:07 -0500

...and I'm going to try and finish this later when I'm less tired and
can think straight. Sleep is taking me over

On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 11:37 PM, Edward Anderson <nilbus@nilbus.[redacted]> wrote:
> whoops, I sent that in a very half-completed state. Let me try that
> again in a few
>
> On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 11:34 PM, Edward Anderson <nilbus@nilbus.[redacted]> 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)
>>
>