[AUUG-Talk]: Re: Help keep AUUG alive!

[David Bullock]

On Jan 20, 2008 4:07 PM, Greg 'groggy' Lehey <Greg.Lehey at auug.org.au> wrote:

> AUUG has been in decline for years now.  At the turn of the century we
> had about 600 members (from memory); now it has about 30.


I feel it's probably time for it to end.  The appeal of user-groups is
really in regard to the early adoption of technology, and Unix is now a
mainstream technology.  It's also practically meaningless as a brand, and
people identify with powerful brands.  You will find more passion (either
way) about Ubuntu Linux than you will about Unix in general, or even Linux
in general.  In a way, a Unix User Group is about as exciting in these days
as joining the Advocates For Electrical Power'.  Yeah dude, let's get over
it already, my faviourite TV show is on.

That's not to say that if AUUG as a vessel had a few concrete aims, it might
be worth keeping it going.  But these aims will not arise out of consensus -
it would take someone to have the vision and do the talking and executing
and get the others on board.  That way, you might get together a bunch of
contributors who would pay their dues in order to see something done that
they cared about.  But you wouldn't see them paying their dues to get the
kudos of being associated.

This is a good thing really.  Who wants all those hangers on paying their
money so they can feel like they're a part of something important, while
contributing nothing of substance themselves?

This whole 'clubs and societies' thing is increasingly less relevant in
today's information-rich world.  As I said already, if you have some
concrete reasons for being, then that's good.  Your aim might be to 'have a
formal dinner every 4th Thursday, at one of the finer hotels in town' -
something that might be appreicated people who enjoy the whole atmosphere of
a 'night out' and is delighted to know there are some kindred souls.  So you
build your structure around your aim - a newsletter diligently posted might
well do the trick - no need for the formalisms of an incorporated body.

To put it frankly, the formalisms of an incorporated body are an impediment
to getting just about anything useful done.  They are mechanisms of
accountability primarily - to ensure that the cash-paying members don't get
ripped off by the board.  But when a short note to the tune of 'see you all
on thursday at 6pm at the Royal, where we've negotiated a 10% discount if 20
of us turn up' will do the trick and the members enjoy the discount for
their bulk buying power on the night, why bother with all that?  Same thing
goes when a bunch of propeller heads want to meet locally and talk about
stuff ... there's no need for money to change hands, except perhaps over the
bar.

On the other hand, if you dearly want an annual technical conference in the
NSW/Melbourne, then put together a group that is enthusiastic about putting
on great technical conferences.  But don't call it AUUG, and don't trouble
yourself about members, and don't form a board.  Make yourselves all
shareholders and appoint a CEO on a commensurate salary to carry out the
company's specific aims.

So anyway, AUUG has to be 'about something'.  If that something is 'being
unixy together', then fine.  If it's about putting on a technical
conference, then fine.  But make the structure appropriate to the activity.

cheers,
David Bullock
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