To help bridge the gap between total newbies and veterans, as well as various
specialty interests, the club may want to consider forming breakout groups to
address the needs of the various members. The Tampa Writers Alliance has been
doing this (Cirtique/Fiction workshop, Poetry workshop, Nonfiction workshop)
and it's been very successful. They hold a general meeting for the month,
then the different groups have their meetings in the following weeks.
SLUG could conceivably hold some kind of a newbie workshop meeting for those who
are just geeting started. A way to get their feet wet and learn basics before
wading into things like configuring a firewall or setting up an Apache server,
etc. This would be a good place for new folks to bring in their systems for
coached installs, etc, freeing up time for the more experienced members to get
into the hairier topics at the main meetings. Of course, all meetings would be
open to all members.
Stealing another page from TWA, the club can hold meetings in public
libraries. The biggest "catches" are that meetings in libraries must be open to
anybody walking in off the street and no money changes hands. (Can't sell
stuff). The advantage is having a neutral location that's relatively easy to
find, good meeting room facilities, and they have parking.
I'm willing to pitch in and help if there's an interest in running workshop
meetings for newbies and the Linux-curious. I've run workshops in the Tampa
Writers Alliance, and organizing these things isn't that hard. I'm no expert,
but I've taught myself enough that I can help a rookie install the OS on his
box and get it running. Is a Newbie Workshop something SLUG wants to do?
On Sat, 28 Jul 2001, Brigitte wrote:
> There is such a great divide between newbies and those who have a system up
> and running that it's very difficult to have a meeting which will fill the
> needs of both groups. As a new Linux users, and someone who has to drive
> close to an 1.5 hours to attend a meeting, I often don't attend meetings
> because those I've attended in the past have focused on issues way beyond
> my comprehension. It would also be nice if each meeting would begin with
> an introduction so those of us who are new would have an opportunity to get
> to know the names and faces of the group members.
> - just my opinion
>
> After almost a year of messing with Linux, I finally have a dual boot
> system up and running! <yes!>
>
> Brigitte
>
>
> After all this is a Linux
> >club and we should be available to everyone that attends--even the total
> >newbie and make them as welcomed as possible and help them as much as
> >possible.
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