Re: [Fsfe-uk] affs strategy [long]

[Brian Gough]

Richard Smedley writes:
 > [our community]
 > The community of Free Software users and developers in the
 > UK is fragmented. We need to act as resource centre and 
 > voice (where accepted) for that community in order to 
 > build it up.
 > 
 > Do we also intend to host/support developers' meetings?
 > Launch a directory?

I think we certainly have to provide something useful like this to our
core members (developers, users) if we want the organization to
survive for any length of time.

If we were to organize primarily around campaigning then that would
soon burn people out, and after a while no-one would be interested in
banging their head against a brick wall any more.

So I see 80% of the task of AFFS for the first year as developing the
FS community in the UK.  Organizing or supporting meetings, talks, etc
under the 'AFFS banner' would be the way to do that.

Personally if there was nothing in it for me I probably would never
get round to to paying 10ukp to join, just out of laziness.  OTOH if I
had to join to go to a talk or meeting then I wouldn't think twice
about it.

If we are taking membership fees we'll need to be clear up-front on
how we'll use the money and what we will be providing to the members.

A couple of ideas on that,

 -- to pay for Free Software literature which can be distributed
    at trade-shows, lectures, etc

 -- to give an annual free software award (?)

 -- ...


 > [Internet]
 > Should we have an affs-announce list for those that want
 > to hear news

Yes.  Definitely.  

It would need someone to be responsible for communicating with
members, keeping up to date with other activities (LUGs, UKUUG, etc)
that might be of interest.

Brian