http://www.linuxmafia.com/faq/Linux_PR/newlug.html

Recipe for a Successful Linux User Group by Rick Moen rick@linuxmafia.com

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. 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. 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.

It's painfully grotesque to see so-called Linux user groups mailing out announcements using MS-Outlook, Eudora, or Netscape Messenger for MS-Windows (or MacOS), or other proprietary mailers for legacy operating systems -- and visibly maintaining their Web sites using MS Front Page, Adobe Page Mill, or other junkware -- /and/ hosting their LUG mailing lists on eGroups / Yahoo Groups. Fortunately, these groups are in the minority, but they convey the message of Linux being suitable in neither desktop nor server roles.

Don't volunteer to look like losers in public: As the saying goes, a LUG needs to "eat its own dog food". ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Frederick Noronha (FN) Near Convent, SALIGAO 403511 GOA India http://www.ilug-goa.tk (GNULinux Users Group Goa)