The most recent version of this essay can be found at http://linuxmafia.com/faq/Linux_PR/newlug.html.

Recipe for a Successful Linux User Group by Rick Moen

See the full essay online ****** Really good. -FN

1. You need a Web page. 2. Your Web page needs a reasonable URL. 3. You need a regular meeting location. 4. You need a regular meeting time. 5. You need to avoid meeting-time conflicts. 6. You need to make sure that meetings happen as advertised, without fail. 7. You need a core of several Linux enthusiasts. 8. Your core volunteers need out-of-band methods of communication. 9. You need to get on the main lists of LUGs, and keep your entries accurate. * http://www.ssc.com/glue/ * http://lugww.counter.li.org/ * http://nlug.org/webring/ * http://www.redhat.com/apps/community/LUG/ * http://www.linux.org/groups/ * http://dmoz.org/Computers/Software/Operating_Systems/Linux/User_Groups/ * http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Software/ Operating_Systems/Unix/Linux/User_Groups/

10. You must have login access to maintain your Web pages, as needed. 11. Design your Web page to be forgiving of deferred maintenance. 12. Always include the day of the week, when you cite event dates. Always check that day of the week, first, using gcal [2] (or cal). gcal is your friend. 13. Place time-sensitive and key information prominently near the top of your main Web page. 14. Include maps and directions to your events. 15. Emphasise on your main page that your meeting will be free of charge and open to the public (if it is). 16. You'll want to include an RSVP "mailto" hyperlink, on some events. 17. Use referral pages. 18. Make sure every page has a revision date and maintainer link. 19. Check all links, at intervals. 20. You may want to consider establishing a LUG mailing list. 21. You don't need to be in the Internet Service Provider business. 22. Don't go into any other business, either. 23. Walk the walk.

LUG checklist.

The following checklist may be useful for your group, once established.

1. Web page:

a. Meetings: [ ] Current meeting info? Is it prominent? [ ] Day of the week? Beginning time? Ending time? [ ] Double-checked day/date matches against a calendar? (E.g., is the "Friday, March 28" you listed an error, because the 28th is a Thursday?) [ ] Location? [ ] Map? [ ] Directions (car, public transit)? Parking tips? [ ] Information on the next several meetings? [ ] RSVP mailto link on meetings where this is needed? [ ] Note that meetings are free and open to the public (if they are)? [ ] If there's a special fee, is it disclosed next to the event listing? [ ] If location / time / date formula has changed recently, is this noted prominently? [ ] Have you checked for event conflicts with other nearby groups, or with holidays?

b. General: [ ] Includes event date-formulas (e.g., 4th Tuesdays)? Prominently? [ ] Maintainer mailto link? [ ] Last-revised date?

c. Periodically (maybe every quarter): [ ] Checked all links on your site for dead links? [ ] Checked your Web server's logs for pages requested but not found? (You'll want to put a referral page at that URL.) [ ] Read all your Web content attentively for outdated content?

2. Other, periodical: [ ] Reviewed/updated all LUG lists that have entries concerning your group? [ ] Reviewed all sites that link to yours? Advised their webmasters of needed corrections?

Last revised: 2003-08-04

Having seen (and run) quite a few Linux user groups (LUGs), and observed some thrive and others die, I can hazard some firm recommendations. If you're thinking of starting a LUG, or are running one now, please ponder these lessons, drawn from other LUGs' experience. In fact, please consider reviewing this list from time to time, as a kind of checklist.

------------------------------------------------------------------------ d88888b d8b db Frederick Noronha * Freelance Journalist * Goa India 88' 888o 88 f r e d @ b y t e s f o r a l l . o r g 88ooo 88V8o 88 http://www.bytesforall.org * http://fn.swiki.net 88~~~ 88 V8o88 Phone 0091.832.2409490 Mobile 09822 122436 88 88 V888 784 Nr Lourdes Convent, Sonarbhat Saligao Goa 403511 YP VP V8P Writing ... with a difference, on issues that matter