Re: [Fsfe-uk] Question on hot to start a university initiative

[MJ Ray]

Bernd Dittmann <address@hidden> wrote:
> Henceforth I would be very grateful if you could give me some advice on
> how to start such an initiative and based on your experience and I would
> also appreciate suggestions which layout of the initiative would be most
> appropiate and potentially successful.

Well, much of the current material is aimed at "Linux User Groups" (sic), as
you might expect at this point in time, but a lot of it is useful if you
want to start a group for "Local Users of Gnu" or a "Gnu and Linux Users
Group" (GLUG).  There's the HOWTOs at http://www.tldp.org/ and
http://www.lug.org.uk/lugmasters/howto.php as well as information from FSF
themselves at http://www.fsf.org/gnu/gnu-user-groups.html but there's not
yet much there to help setting up, as far as I can see.  For general
tactics, you can probably find the "Linuxmanship" page by searching.  I
know, I know, but a lot of it is still useful for our promotion work too.

You ask for suggestions about layout too.  My own view on this is that you
should try to avoid formal structures as much as possible.  Probably people
involved in the group will be able to arrange services, meeting venues etc
on their own, and other like-minded organised groups will usually be able to
offer or arrange services which need a formal body to do it.  (I know AFFS
has a formal structure, but I see that as a necessary evil to simplify
handling money and liaisions with national-level bodies.)

My local user group has worked mostly fine in this way for over three years,
although we're in a fairly sleepy part of the country so no-one would want
to take us over.  Taking us over would be an accomplishment, as I don't
think any person has absolute control over more than one service (until this
week... hrm, I should change that), although some of us have a degree of
control over a few of them.

Any other questions we can try to answer?  Any other opinions from people on
this list?

MJR