[plug] AGM - change of office-bearers?

[Leon Brooks]

On Friday 31 January 2003 02:55 pm, Bret Busby wrote:
> On Fri, 31 Jan 2003, Leon Brooks wrote:
>> IIRC, two Tuesdays from now, PLUG are having an AGM. Is there going to be
>> a change of office-bearers at the time? I know we need to replace JamesB
>> for at least a year, but is anyone else thinking of tossing their hat
>> into the ring?

> Are you proposing a coup?

No, but a soup might convenient, with buns. Venue-dependent, of course and I 
think Tony B-T was still confirming that.

>> [At] the moment, we have:

>> Prez: Matt Kemner
>> Vice: Jason Nicholls
>> Secy/Tres: Tony Breeds-Taurima
>> Comm: Daniel Beard, (resigned) James Bromberger

> Perhaps, it would be good for them, in addition to any new possible
> candidates, to state their feelings/intentions, regarding occupation of
> the positions. We know James' position (UK, I believe).

Not a bad idea, if they can find time for politicking.

> Fees for non-members at get-togethers of organisations, are usually to
> defray costs of the get-togethers; eg, refreshments, venue hire, etc. As
> the venues have, thus far, been provided free of charge (or so I
> believe), and no refreshments have been provided, the charging of
> attendance fees for non-members, might not be appropriate.

`Usually' != rule.

> Without knowing the details of the financial situation of PLUG, from
> memory, PLUG has not been short of money (notsomuch having heaps of
> money; just not being short of it), or so it has appeared at previous
> AGM's, hence no great push for financial members.

If no great push, then no great results.

> Also, PLUG has been fairly informal in the past, not worrying much about
> formal membership. Are you foreshadowing a change to that policy?

A lot depends on whether you want to get anything serious done with PLUG or 
not. I want to preserve a lot of the informality, but a lot of people also 
arrive, look around, maybe get a system set up and then essentially get bored 
and leave. If they have membership and something purposeful to do with it, 
those people, _not_ to the exclusion of those happy to more or less play, 
will stick around and achieve a lot more.

> What happened regarding money raised by the conference, in relation to
> PLUG, as the hosting PLUG? I had assumed that any expenses incurred by
> PLUG or any organisers, would have been reimbursed, from the income of
> the conference, and it had been suggested to me, by an attendee, that
> the hosting LUG should share in the profits, with Linux Australia.

The conf was officially run by Linux Australia. PLUG provided almost all of 
the infrastructure people and got a conf that would have been a lot more 
difficult without facilities and clout extended by LA (or to be brutally 
frank, for all practical purposes those items were made available by Anand 
Kumria) in exchange.

> And, speaking of Linux Australia, perhaps (with you being now a
> committee member of Linux Australia), the relationship between PLUG and
> Linux Australia, could be clarified. Is PLUG affiliated to, or a member
> of, or, whatever of, Linux Australia?

Speaking with my LA Committee hat off, but based on what I've experienced with 
it on so far:

LA is still recovering from having had a bomb put under it a week ago. When 
the immediate war-with-paper has died down in a few weeks, and the various 
members catch up with their work a bit, LA's Committee will discuss what they 
want to do with the LUGs, and the LUGs will discuss what they want to do with 
LA. That might make an interesting political platform.

SLPWA has informally indicated that they would probably be more interested in 
affiliating with a national professionals body than directly with LA. LA may 
rather turn LA members (including lots of people from various Oz LUGs) into 
subcommittees of LA, with Committee-like powers, for special topics and 
another for the LUGs. BoC, `we' don't know for sure yet because it hasn't 
been properly discussed with anyone outside Committee, and even Committee has 
just tossed ideas into the ring, haven't formally proposed or voted anything 
yet. AUUG is completely different ball of wax, as is ACM, and LA plans to 
establish some kind of relationship with them, too.

So far, LA seems to be coalescing around the idea of a being central contact 
point and clearinghouse rather than trying to lead anybody anywhere. `We' 
could do a lot more with and for Open Source in Oz, Linux has special appeal 
to businesses and schools, and who knows, there may be ethical espects to 
support as well.

> There is also the issue of Linux
> Australia being an umbrella organisation or something, that has been
> discussed, especially in the context of the slogan relating to sex and
> Linux, that was previously mentioned (on this list, or the SLPWA list, I
> believe).

Sex and umbrellas? How kinky!

Several of the Committee are displeased with that banner, I suspect it has a 
very limited future career.

> There is also the issue of Linux Australia membership, and
> attendees at the conference being given membership of Linux Australia.
> But, what does membership of Linux Australia involve? What benefits does
> it entail? How does membership of Linux Australia, relate to PLUG
> membership? Does membership of one, include membership or affiliate
> membership of the other?

Still in flux.

> At some of the early meetings of the SLPWA, there was also the issue of
> the relationships of memberships of SLPWA and PLUG. What has happened
> about that or is that still unresolved?

Independent. May overlap, or not. Your choice. So far all SLPWA members have 
been PLUG members, but that won't always be the case.

> Regarding the reference to PLUG buying equipment, what equipment does
> PLUG need, or, is PLUG likely to need, and, why?

An overlocker. Then we can do a HOWTO on overlocking penguins.

Perhaps a wireless access point or several. Unshaped or less-shaped traffic 
may be a member service.

Who kows what else?

> What local conferences and talks are needed, that could not be financed
> by sponsorship?

Name one educational computing supplier in WA who would sponsor a WA 
OSS-in-edu conf (ECAWA's next conf may get invaded to bring this to pass). 
There are many similar areas.

AFK 'till Sunday afternoon. Claaaass, discuss this amongst yourselves. (-:

Cheers; Leon