[Lopsa-regional-project] hello..

[Jennifer Davis]

> 1) If you claim you don't know what this project is about, why are you
> offering advice?  Isn't that like saying, "I love fresh produce!  Let
> me tell you how I think it's best to polish wood"?
>

I haven't offered any advice about the project itself.  I have
commented on an important point that groups individually need to do
before LOPSA (or any other group) can function to help them.. or
individual volunteers who are willing to help in whatever capacity
they can.

> 2) Isn't it a bit presumptious to assume that every group doesnt' have
> a purpose and/or goal? Or that they must have one?  Or that "figure
> out what people want before doing it" isn't the most obvious thought
> on the planet?
>

No.  It's not.  Please step back from the aggression (at least I'm
perceiving aggression from you) with regards to your message.  I have
been working on figuring out this kind of thing with BayLISA for over
a year now.. and my interactions with other groups.  I can't just jump
in and say "HEY I'll do this for you".  I have to take a look at what
is there, and the first question I ask is "What is the goal here" so
I'm not chasing my tail around.  My time is valuable.  You'll notice..
I did the same thing with regards to this list/project.  I don't want
to waste time getting intwined in meta discussions when I can be
_doing_ something.  I also don't want to be doing something that isn't
actually needed.  Someone mentioned on irc about this group a few days
ago.. so I've signed up.  I have tried the "Hi.  I'm here to volunteer
approach with the international organization before."  It doesn't
work.


> Your post may be well intended, but the beginning [asking what it's
> about] conflicts with the rest, where you seem intent on bragging
> about how great BayLISA is.  Good for you folks, but sheesh!   Not
> every group lives in an area with a huge population of both sysadmins
> and large computer-oriented companies.  Not every local group can
> count on large numbers of people at every meeting.  Not every group is
> a cookie-cutter stamp of another group.

I'm not bragging about BayLISA.  I was using it as an example of
possibilities.  I should have explained further.  A year and a half
ago, BayLISA meetings were dwindling down to 15-20 people a meeting if
that.  That has changed.  Effecting change was a long slow up and down
process.  Some people would be happy to have 5-10 people coming to
their meetings.  In fact that is what they are comfortable with.  So
no, not everyone is a cookie cutter stamp of another group.. and that
is my point.  For the individual groups.. they need to figure out what
they want their group to function as.. and LOPSA before interacting
with individual groups need to realize this difference.

I think that there should be enough people within any given geographic
area that 30-40 people are in the field, or are interested in the
topics discussed by a system administration group (except for some of
the very rural areas).  I think the problem is that the energy
required to jumpstart it is more than any one person is willing to put
forth.. OR that the individuals don't know HOW to go about getting the
group going.

>
> As far as Pittsburgh is concerned, our "goal" is to have fun and get
> together to talk geek, not to play "let's keep up with the Joneses"
> with places that have many times our population.  We can figure out
> where we're going without needing to show off, too.

It's not a matter of "keeping up with the Jones".  I have my
expertises..and I'm quite happy to help whomever _wants_ that
help..and it's not about competing with anyone.. but basically saying
_any group can be what they want to be_.  Another thing I'm looking
for out of this.. is a place to pass the contacts I make in industry
so that other areas can take advantage of the speakers, resources that
I work to get involved.  The more the industry recognizes our industry
the better the tools, and the interaction we get all around.

Back to my original question though.. What is the purpose of this group/list?
--
Jennifer Davis