[KLUG Members] Our next meeting is an important event

[Robert G. Brown]

Dear Fellow KLUG members:
      It occurs to me that the next meeting, which appears on our website, may have
come along unexpected by many of you in the middle of this holiday season. I want
to take a little time to underscore the importance of this meeting, and to urge 
each of you to attend, and perhaps participate.

      There is many sources of strength that KLUG draws on, and a well-defined
and strong organization is part of that. If we have anything to learn from the 
events at KLUG over the past year, it is that elections matter, the leadership 
that YOU elect will go a ways to determine the kind of group that you will have 
for the following year. Our organization is one of the reasons that KLUG is able
to stage a lot of activities and good meetings, while many other groups in the 
region remain at barely the level of a coffee house meeting. We have made a 
difference in this community, and we an continue to do so, but only with fresh
ideas, new energy, and the skills that running the group promote.

      We live in a "consumer society"; Linux in particular and Free Software in
general are not proprietary consumer products, like a toaster, or some other
kids of software. The health of Free Software relies on participation, on the
contribution of quality software, adding to the body of work out there that is
released under various free and open licenses. Similarly, it is not a good
idea to consider KLUG to be a "consumer product", run and operated by some 
existing small group of people. the reality is that many members have contrib-
uted time, effort, energy, and skills to make KLUG what it is today, and the
meeting next Tuesday is YOUR PRINCIPAL CHANCE to join them.

      In order to help run KLUG, you don't have to be the best programmer, or 
be a whiz at any software in particular. You don't have to know how to set up
firewalls, or configure some server-based software package. You DO have to have
some ideas about what KLUG is doing, and how we can do new things, or improve
what we are doing now. It would be best if you would read the job descriptions
at: http://www.kalamazoolinux.org/organize ; a lot of work has gone into making
these descriptions comprehensive and clear, and you will get a good idea of what
you are getting into by reading them. Consider something you can do, or even 
something that you can help with, then attend next Tuesday, participate, speak
about your ideas, and listen to others. It is how we redefine KLUG, and select
the bast leaders. Elections Matter, and KLUG matters. Make it so.

       KLUG is your group. IF YOU want a good group, please consider giving some-
thing back. Linux in general and KLUG in particular provides so much, and can
do so much more. We are only limited by our collective energy and imagination,
and in my view, that's no limit at all.

      I look forward to seeing you next Tuesday Evening.

							Regards,
							---> RGB <---