[oclug] installfest:when

[Dan York]

I was not anticipating that my response to the person asking the 
question about the installfest would turn into the large discussion
that it has... but it's interesting to see the points and the matter
*does* need discussion.  

Dave O'Neill wrote:
> Well, we do need _some_ level of OCLUG approval to run an event under the
> OCLUG name.  I really don't think we need a show-of-hands vote at a
> monthly meeting or written permission signed in the blood of the directors
> or anything like that, though.  For things like installfests it should be
> sufficent to obtain a rough consensus via email that doing such is a good
> idea, and then go with that.

We used to say that the mode of operating was "get rough consensus and run code".
I personally would like to hope that we can always operate that way. Someone
puts an idea up here on the mailing list... "I'd like OCLUG to do an XXXXXXXX
and I'm willing to coordinate it. Who wants to help?"  If we on the list 
strongly *disagree* with XXXXXXXXX (as I would for the Crack Pipe Smoke Off!)
then we can shout that person down here on the list... from what I've seen on
this list in the past 7 months, no one here is exactly shy about voicing their
opinion!  

So the person wanting to do XXXXXXXX should get the clue and NOT do the
activity, at least under the OCLUG name.  Now if they *do* go ahead, that is
precisely where our new Board of Directors comes into play... they can act on
behalf of the OCLUG membership and take actions to disavow any connection
to the activity that the membership rejected.  Not that I would ever expect
this to happen... but we do now have the option.

I agree with the opinions voiced by many here that *some* level
of approval is necessary, but I personally think it can be done through email
or standing up at the meeting for a minute like Chris did at the last meeting
when he talked about the CAP project.

> I'm not a fan of bureaucracy in any form, and certainly don't want to see
> OCLUG turn into a big crusty ball of red tape -- and it doesn't need to.

Agreed... it doesn't need to.  The incorporation brings in some organization
that will, in my opinion, help us be even more effective and also opens up
new options such as pursuing funding for projects and such.  But let's be
honest, the moment that OCLUG stops being fun and stops providing interesting
information and ways to learn more about this thing called Linux, most of us
will take the little free time we have and put it into some other
organization.   There's a balance that has to be struck between too little
and too much organization... that's our challenge.

My 2 cents,
Dan