[Lopsa-regional-project] tasks

[Adam S. Moskowitz]

"der.hans" asks:
> What can LOPSA do that you think would benefit individuals and make it
> worthwhile for them to join?

So far as I can tell, *NOTHING*. I'm a member of LOPSA because of what I
can offer to LOPSA and it's members, namely, my experience and expertise,
and I'll continue to be a member for as long as I think LOPSA is doing
something "good."

See, here's the problem: It's been way too long since I was a junior or
mid-level sysadmin; even when I first started doing sysadmin I had over
ten years experience as a programmer. I've long since forgotten what
helped me in my career, and even if I could remember, the technology has
changed so much that what helped me back then may not help younger
sysadmins today. For example, the web didn't exist back then; Usenet and
NetNews were the closest we had. When I had a question about a problem
with a Sun box, I posted to comp.unix.wizards and Guy Harris would reply
(usually with snippets of Sun's kernel to illustrate the problem -- or
with a note saying he'd fixed the problem and it would go out in Sun's
next patch).

I think LOPSA needs to talk to less-experienced sysadmins, both LOPSA
members and not, and ask *them* what would be valuable. Here's what
Chris Palmer wrote about LOPSA benefits in a call for volunteers at
LinuxWorld Boston:

    an independent professional society for and by system
    administrators. We aim to provide membership benefits
    to sysadmins: educational conferences and workships,
    an active member-driven website, publications and
    professional tools. We also aim to be the voice of
    system administration in society in general, gaining
    a place for our profession in upper management,
    Washington, and beyond.

Is this what junior sysadmins want? Do they want it enough to pay money
to get it? I honestly can't tell you -- but I'm sure they could.

AdamM