On Tue, Aug 26, 2025 at 11:49 AM ac via Talk <talk@lists.gtalug.org> wrote:
Don't like the quiz? Say you don't like it, maybe even explain why, then
take your cows and donkeys and move along. Please.
So, You say "move along" and Ron ssays "move along".
Was that really bad advice? "move along" != "go away" It means (at least to me) the thread is exhausted. There are more-useful things to talk about. Many. In years past I'd have made a dumb historical reference but these days Godwin's Law is moot. I see that Andre has unsubscribed. Unfortunate. I hope he'll reconsider. Ever wonder why Linux User Groups are not growing and failing?
Actually, as part of the leadership of one of the few remaining North American LUGs I have given that question a not-insignificant level of analysis and research. If anyone cares for a definitely-not-exhaustive list of some of the answers, here are some of my findings: - While we here spend *way* too much energy on email (and not just this thread), it's become legacy tech whether you like it or not. My kids only use email for legal and formal communications and my grandkids have no idea what email even is. We created a GTALUG Discord channel but very few regulars have signed up. Reddits and Twitches and Meetups and even Telegram groups are having no problem attracting well-populated conversations, providing the next generation with its social engagement hit. One can decry that lack of personal contact but the trend is (at least right now IMO) unavoidable. - Three traditionally important user group functions are in steep decline: 1) Advocacy; except for the consumer desktop, Linux and FOSS have won -- from embedded to supercomputers; it powers the world's Internet and now its AI. Microsoft is one of the top kernel contributors. In other words, there's far less to fight for these days. 2) Installation help; Linux is now easy enough to install, and YouTube instructions sufficiently plentiful, that Installfests and similar activities are no longer needed. 3) Linux news and mentoring; With YouTube channels, blogs and now AI chats abounding, one is more likely to get a solution to their niche problem on the interwebs than from our smaller community. Having said all that, I still believe in the value of LUGs or I wouldn't be here. But I do need to state that there's more than a little "adapt or die" that needs to be done or this will indeed be a steady decline. Much depends on the will of everyone reading this. The current path, without adaptation, is indeed downhill, and it's taken more than insulting an Internet quiz about email to get us to the current situation. What is *not* turning people away from user communities is sharp language. I find Reddit to more often than not be a cesspool where heat overwhelms light. Yet the users come and they stay. And they bitch. And they bitch about those who bitch. Etc. - Evan PS: Sorry, Karen, but to me pumpkin spice *anything* is an abomination to the senses. But to each their own...