[14:46] <juliux> hi MenZa 
[14:50] <MenZa> hey
[18:51] <osvald> http://osvalds.en101.com
[18:53] <osvald> please see this
[18:53] <osvald> http://osvalds.en101.com 
[18:56] <beuno> spam :(
[18:57] <wharp> well its a form of marketing
[18:59] <wharp> Is the marketing team active, just not doing meetings?
[18:59] <beuno> heh, didn't look at it that way
[18:59] <beuno> I don't think it's been active for some months now
[18:59] <wharp> yeah, me either
[18:59] <wharp> the group as a whole?
[18:59] <wharp> all 300+ members?
[19:00] <beuno> well, individually I suppose everyone is doing *something*
[19:00] <beuno> just not as a group lately
[19:00] <wharp> ah
[19:00] <wharp> that's a bit discouraging
[19:00] <beuno> well, it can encourage you to get it back on track  ;)
[19:01] <wharp> it could
[19:01] <wharp> but I'm also trying to start a LUG, get our LoCo going, and take care of a 6 month old
[19:01] <wharp> for starters
[19:01] <wharp> any reason it's died down?
[19:02] <beuno> I suppose because of lack of time
[19:02] <wharp> ah
[19:02] <wharp> :/
[19:03] <wharp> lol
[19:03] <wharp> its great, the guy says "hey, we can put this on youtube"
[19:03] <wharp> oops, wrong channel
[19:04] <beuno> :p
[19:07] <wharp> was the team being over-zealous in what they're trying to accomplish?
[19:08] <beuno> I'm not sure I can judge something like that, it's probably a break
[19:08] <beuno> I'm sure it will revive pretty soon
[19:08] <wharp> ah
[19:08] <wharp> ic
[19:10] <beuno> it sometimes just takes 1 or 2 people with enough time and energy
[19:10] <beuno> the rest usually just follow once they see activity
[19:11] <wharp> maybe I'll shoot an email to the ml
[19:13] <beuno> wharp, might be what's needed  :D
[19:13] <wharp> but I bet things would pick up closer to a release...though since the last meeting seems to have been in april maybe not
[19:15] <beuno> it usually just takes some motivation and concrete goals
[19:22] <wharp> is there a project lead?
[19:22] <wharp> I mean team lead
[19:24] <beuno> burgundavia (Corey Burger)
[19:25] <beuno> but he's not around at the moment
[19:26] <wharp> meaning not in channel, or hasn't been active lately?
[19:26] <beuno> not in the channel, he is fairly active in general
[19:26] <wharp> ok
[19:26] <beuno> he's also a member of the Community Council
[19:27] <wharp> huh
[19:28] <beuno> it's a group of people we vote to represent the Community
[19:28] <beuno> to take some decisions
[19:29] <beuno> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/CommunityCouncil
[19:32] <wharp> oh, I know what it is, I was just commenting
[19:32] <beuno> ah, right
[19:33] <beuno> IRC doesn't always transmit the "tone" properly  :p
[19:33] <wharp> yeah i understand that
[19:50] <boredandblogging> beuno!
[19:50] <boredandblogging> haven't seen you around lately
[19:50] <beuno> boredandblogging!  :D
[19:50] <beuno> I'm always *around*, just not very verbose  :p
[19:51] <beuno> been a but overwhelmed with RL these past few months
[19:52] <boredandblogging> cool, hope things are going well
[19:53] <beuno> yeap yeap
[19:53] <beuno> how are things with you?
[19:59] <boredandblogging> beuno: not too bad, life is a bit slow at the moment...which is a good thing :-)
[20:00] <beuno> boredandblogging, slow is good once in a while
[20:00] <beuno> glad to hear it
[20:00] <beuno> and also, UWN seems to be going along just great
[20:01] <beuno> so kudos con that too
[20:05] <boredandblogging> beuno: yeah, there are a couple of other people who are doing big chunks of the writing, so its not so overwhelming
[20:06] <boredandblogging> i'm thinking of advertising that writers can speed up their membership process by helping out! :-P
[20:07] <beuno> boredandblogging, you really should
[20:07] <beuno> it would help
[20:08] <beuno> and, as a bonus, it's true!  :D
[20:08] <boredandblogging> exactly
[20:08] <boredandblogging> should probably bring it up with corey one of these days
[20:10] <beuno> yeap, don't know where he is now, it's odd he isn't online
[20:10] <wharp> writing?
[20:13] <boredandblogging> probably in class
[21:07] <wharp> boredandblogging, what did you need help with writing on?
[21:10] <juliux> wharp, most of first time ubuntu marketing members where students when they start with ubutnu and now some get a job or other work, ubuntu is not longer priority number one in there life
[21:10] <wharp> ah, that makes sense
[21:10] <juliux> wharp, so it is time for the next generation;)
[21:10]  * wharp remembers the college days when he had plenty of time on his hands
[21:11] <juliux> wharp, if i started with ubuntu i was a student with a lot of time and now i have to work 40h and more a week;)
[21:11] <juliux> jenda, had also a lot of time
[21:11] <juliux> and beuno also 
[21:12] <juliux> and jenda and beuno are/where the most activ people here
[21:12] <wharp> i understand, i've got a real job and a family so I don't have tons of free time
[21:12] <wharp> hm, might have to make this a priority
[21:12] <boredandblogging> wharp: just in general, we figure out stuff that needs to be in the UWN during the week and its gets written up on the weekends
[21:13] <wharp> my english profs always said I should have majored in english and I enjoy a bit of writing so I wouldn't mind helping out some
[21:15] <desertc> Coincidently, I was just having a roundtable discussion on this topic last night at our LUG meeting.
[21:15] <wharp> which one? being busy? or writing?
[21:16] <desertc> On the topic of discontinuation of Free Software promotion after college.
[21:16] <wharp> ah
[21:16] <wharp> that's a bit interesting
[21:16] <wharp> I didn't get into it seriously until just recently
[21:17] <wharp> which is several years after college
[21:17] <wharp> when i was in college things were a bit less useable
[21:17] <juliux> if your are a student you have a lot of time but no money, if you are employed you have money but no time;
[21:17] <desertc> My position on the subject that it is even more important as a technology professional to get the word out about Linux and Free Software, because their employment is generated by businesses getting interested in Free Software technologies.
[21:18] <wharp> that's true
[21:18] <wharp> companies are always looking to do more with less so you'd think it would be a good fit all around
[21:19] <wharp> boredandblogging, I'd like to help but I"m about to run.  I'm wharp on the wiki and lp, send me an email.
[21:19] <desertc> I sat in amazement how people who were most impacted by whether the community used Free Software, said they had higher priorities than promoting Free Software.
[21:19] <wharp> well I think they go through stages
[21:19] <juliux> wharp, i shut down a lot of my ubuntu activites in the middle of the last year but is like a drug i need the work on ubutnu
[21:19] <wharp> lol
[21:19] <wharp> not everyone will jump into the community right at first
[21:19] <wharp> and some never will
[21:20] <juliux> wharp, i love to work with people from all over the world, i only have to do what i want, no boss who said what i have to do
[21:20] <desertc> I am taking a hiatus from work, after 10 years in the field, to promote Free Software in my community.
[21:20] <wharp> wouldn't that be nice
[21:21] <wharp> I"d like to be a bit more independent, but at the moment I really need the benefits my job has
[21:22] <desertc> I might be discovering ways to support myself doing it, too.  We'll see - but it is not a priority right now.  I do know that I am helping to open up businesses to Free Software, and I now know of dozens of employment opportunities.  I could get a job tomorrow with any other them doing work with Linux and Free Software.
[21:23] <wharp> unfortunately the area I live in is very technologically backwards and there isn't much here for proprietary software, let alone FOSS
[21:23] <desertc> So people who say work is more important that promoting Ubuntu are missing the point: Promoting Ubuntu provides that work.
[21:23] <wharp> I'm trying to start some stuff in the area so that eventually there will be some business opportunities for myself in supporting FOSS
[21:23] <desertc> wharp, those areas are the best areas to promote FOSS.
[21:24] <desertc> I live in a community where everyone uses Microsoft technologies, and they would never consider anything else because MS is so entrenched.
[21:25] <desertc> All the FOSS companies know this -- and they are trying to sell FOSS solutions outside the united states because switching from microsoft is so expensive.
[21:25] <wharp> Yes, ideally I'd like to be able to target small businesses who likely don't have much infrastructure anyway, so there's less to convert.
[21:28] <desertc> Do you see how it will be difficult for you to do this while the schools all teach Microsoft technologies, how your state government accepts only Microsoft Office documents, and how everyone in your community accepts Microsoft as the only standard for computing?
[21:29] <wharp> Oh I completely understand.  You're preaching to the choir.
[21:29] <wharp> And unfortunately i work for that government.
[21:29] <desertc> Getting work in your community with Linux depends on someone getting the word out about Free Software.  It's in your best interest to do so.
[21:30] <wharp> I am, it just doesn't happen overnight
[21:30] <desertc> So, working for the government, you have the inside scoop on how the processes work and who the key people are who decide technology standards.  You are in a position to help move FOSS in your community 1000x better than when you were a student.
[21:31] <wharp> Not so, I'm not at that level.  All that is done in the state capitol.
[21:31] <wharp> time to head home, bbl
[21:31] <desertc> See - that's something you wouldn't have known back in the day.  I am sure you could find out the details.
[21:32] <desertc> (And this is how the discussion ended last night... people agreeing, then running off when the discussion of actually doing something came up.)
[21:32] <wharp> well sorry if I have to go pick up my son, but this is what time I get off work
[21:33] <desertc> I understand.  No hard feelings.  It's just that I've had this conversation a hundred times in the last year, and I know how it goes.
[21:35] <desertc> Funny, though, now that I think about it.  When I talk with students about promotion, they say "what can I do, I have no money!", then I talk with adults and they say, "what can I do, I have no time!".  I have a suspicion that if they had both money and time that they would find another excuse.  :-D
[21:36] <desertc> Honestly, I find my own excuses, too.  But I don't give up, either, so it is working out so far.  I am looking forward to doing projects in 2008.
[21:37] <desertc> I just got off the phone with ASUS.  Got them to send a representative out here to talk to the community about their Eee PC running an Ubuntu derivative.  Good times.
[21:41] <somerville32> :)
[21:41] <somerville32> I have no money nor no time, haha
[21:50] <desertc> Was an interesting conversation last night, if you want to hear it.
[21:51] <desertc> There was someone who had not been to a meeting in 8 months or so talking and talking about how the LUG should have been at some tech show he was at and how he thought we were wrong for not showing up.
[21:51] <desertc> Someone else agreed with him and started talking their bit about how they thought the LUG should be doing more for the community.  Then someone else chimed in with their agreement.
[21:52] <somerville32> lol
[21:53] <desertc> Finally, I told them that I had been asking people whether they wanted to join my efforts to do FOSS promotion throughout the last year.  I concluded by saying, "just give me a weekend that you are free in the next couple months, commit to just one day even, and I will set up the rest.  I can be on the phone with google or ubuntu or other people and get funding for a table at an event or do any number of things I have planned.  just give me
[21:53] <desertc>  a date!"
[21:53] <desertc> ..... and no one in the room said anything.  It was astounding.
[21:55] <somerville32> wow.
[21:55] <desertc> And I wonder if the people even realize that they are doing it.  Because they just shrugged it off and went off to talk about something else and tip toed around the topic again.  I know that at least one guy only wanted to get something in place to generate sales leads, so I at least know what he was thinking.
[21:56] <somerville32> lol
[21:57] <desertc> At this time, I have a ton of time, and I also have a ton of funding avenues.  The club itself has hundreds of dollars that I can tap.  All I need are members who are willing to participate.  I sometimes question myself if I just am not inspiring them.  :(
[21:57] <somerville32> I wish I lived where you are
[21:57] <somerville32> Only 3 members at my LoCo team :)
[21:57] <somerville32> Although hopefully soon more
[22:55] <jenda> dammit, I always miss julius by a few minutes
[22:55] <jenda> or hours
[22:55] <jenda> occasionally days...
[22:56] <jenda> heya somerville32 :)
[22:56] <somerville32> Heya Jenda :)
[22:56] <jenda> how's the winter up there?
[22:57] <somerville32> thawing
[22:57] <jenda> or, should I say, down there - you're technically more to the south than we are ;)
[22:57] <jenda> aw, too bad
[22:57] <somerville32> It was raining today
[22:57] <jenda> Prague had a few cm of snow the past few days, but it's gone now too
[22:57] <jenda> somerville32: blame the americans for global warming ;)
[22:57] <jenda> somerville32: because what is Canada without the cold? ;)
[22:57]  * jenda runs
[22:58] <somerville32> hehe
[22:58] <jenda> :)
[22:58] <somerville32> Just an extension of the US
[22:58] <jenda> :D
[22:59] <jenda> Well, since you don't share their politics, it's nothing to be ashamed of :)
[22:59] <jenda> Both the US and Canada are great places to live.
[22:59] <jenda> Trust me, I tried :D
[23:02] <somerville32> :]
[23:02]  * somerville32 is listening to Paolo Nutini - Last Request [3:37 (15%)]
[23:02] <somerville32> amazing tune ^^