[plug] Professional Linux Organisation

[Colin Muller]

On Fri, May 24, 2002 at 11:41:06PM +0800, Jeremy Malcolm wrote:
> Mark Baker wrote:
> > 
> > Why re-invent the wheel? The WA chapter of AUUG is in a comatose state due
> > to the lack
> > of new blood.
> 
> More of a user group than a representative body isn't it?

According to its constitution:

"The aims for which the AUUG is established are to promote knowledge
and understanding of Open Systems including but not restricted to the
UNIX system, networking, graphics, user interfaces and programming and
development environments, and related standards."

"For the furtherance of these aims and to achieve its purposes, the
AUUG may carry out any or all of the following activities: conduct
technical meetings, conferences, discussion groups, panels, lectures
and other types of meeting; prepare and distribute a newsletter and
other publications; collect software and distribute said software to
its members for their use; verify licenses of members for the purposes
of administering the services of the AUUG; subscribe to or cooperate
with or affiliate with or amalgamate with other associations formed
elsewhere with similar aims; accumulate assets; and establish and
promote other activities not included in the above list consistent
with its aims for the benefit of its members."

> Anyway, unofficial vote form is now up:
> 
>   http://www.linuxconsultants.com.au/vote.html
> 
> Includes the top ten suggestions (IMHO - I've voted for one of someone
> else's which I thought was better than any of mine) including AUUG.

Before I cast a vote there, I'd be really interested to know what the
aims of the proposed organisation are.

I haven't been party to the off-list discussions, but what we've had
on-list so far are:
- Leon's original "dignified and respectable router for professional
  and industrial Linux contact"
- Brian's "a pre-qualified resource pool from which to sub-contract,
  etc"
- navarre's "advocate the testing of its members to a recognised
  standard and issue a certificate to acknowledge the achievement of
  that level of skill, knowledge, experience, etc."

Then we've had three suggestions (me, Arie, and, via suggestion of
AUUG, Mark) for it to be more broadly based in open systems rather
than just Linux, possibly using the AUUG as a vehicle.

Possible outcomes:
1. One organisation, Linux only (or very predominantly) focus
2. One organisation (AUUG or not), open systems focus
3. Two complementary organisations (Linux-focused and AUUG-or-other).

Before voting on a name, might it not make sense to ascertain of these
three options is most attractive to those who may take part?  After
all, we may end up with two names, not one.

I definitely see the need for an open systems (as opposed to just a
Linux) group, so if the level of interest in option 1 makes that one
happen, I'll carry on trying to generate interest in reviving AUUG-WA
or starting something else. 

If the prime movers behind the original suggestion (Leon, Brian,
Jeremy?) are dead-set on option 1 (and there's no reason why you
shouldn't be, it has obvious strengths), could you make that clear, so
that those of use who have more interest in a wider organisation can
start working on that?

If the three of you are not entirely sure, I'd like to suggest that a
face-to-face discussion on Thursday evening to discuss these options,
along with what to do about AUUG, may be more quickly productive than
the current mix of on-list/off-list discussions.

Colin