[plug] Newbys guide

[Arie Hol]

On 31 Jan 2005 at 9:26, Innis Cunningham wrote:

> Hi Guys
> When I brought this subject up at the AGM it wasn't to create more work
> for other members.It was just to get a better personal interaction at the
> workshop meetings. Between the long term members and the new members.

Hello Innis, 

You have done nothing wrong, if anything your example has been a catalyst to get some changes 
happening.

Like you said in your last post "doing is the major part of any undertaking".

The "problem" between newcomers and veterans of Linux is not a new one, and I doubt if it will go 
away in a hurry, but at least something is happening now - I am trying to put together a web site 
to answer my own gripes - it's a bit rough and ready - but with the support and guidance I am 
getting - I will eventually get it right.

It will take time, but I will persevere.

I am just disappointed that the support I am getting is not coming from the people I was looking 
towards for that support (apart from a few exceptions).

The people that I respected the most - have been the ones who have let me down.

And as for the "knockers" - they will knock anything that's there to be knocked, regardless of what 
it is.

I spent most of my active working life in the oil & construction industries, 25 years as a Rigger 
and a Scaffolder, so I have been F%$#@ked around and abused by experts, so I don't think that a 
mailing list full of faceless individuals lurking in back rooms is going to deter me or dilute my 
spirit.

No offence intended with the above - but that is how it is - the mailing list has a stream of 
regulars who interact and exchange on a regular basis (both physically and electronically) - their 
dedication and humility is unquestionable - but when there is an "issue" at hand - the faceless 
ones come out of the woodwork - wreak havoc - insult people - cause offence - and disappear back 
into the woodwork.

A great many emotions have run very high on this subject over the last few days, but hopefully from 
this we all can grow and develop better understanding of the issues.

I am not demanding that the experienced Linux users change their attitudes and outlooks towards 
newcomers, but I would like them to understand that maybe they should realise that the future of 
Linux and the paradigms that coexist with it will suffer if they do not change those attitudes and 
outlooks.

The very nature of the "world of Linux" is such that it is not in the public eye all the time - 
because that takes money for advertising - which only happens in large scale due to profit 
motivations. 

So newcomers have little other choice than to seek out their local Linux guru, some get by most 
don't.

Linux user groups are not exactly in the public eye either, but some how the newcomers do show up 
from time to time.

I only found out about PLUG because I was at uni, and one of my tutors recommended that I visit the 
PLUG mailing list ( Hello Mike), I have been hooked ever since.


Regards Arie
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