Ubuntu Wiki

Ubuntu Open Week - Local Community Teams] - Aaron Toponce - Sat, Oct 27, 2007

see also Monday session.

21:09 < atoponce> sweet! :) let's get started then
21:09 < atoponce> first, i need to mention that i am behind somewhat of a laggy connection
21:10 < atoponce> so, i apologize in advance if there is some lag between my lecture points
21:10 < atoponce> well, let's begin with "what is this loco team thing anyway?"
21:10 < atoponce> the term "LoCo" stands for "local community"
21:11 < atoponce> thi thing that separates Ubuntu from any other distro is the community
21:11 < atoponce> take a look at the forums, for example.  how many hundreds of thousands of users have posted how many millions of posts?
21:11 < atoponce> when you ask anyone what makes ubuntu ubuntu, it's the community
21:12 < atoponce> so, it makes sense that we get together, in person, or online, to build that community
21:13 < atoponce> so, to help these loco teams get headed in the right direction, we have very exhastive docs
21:13 < atoponce> i'll be referring mainly to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoTeams
21:13 < atoponce> as well as https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoTeamKnowledgeBase and https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoFAQ
21:14 < atoponce> so, it's important to note first that a LoCo is a SIG (special interest group), and not a LUG (Linux Users Group)
21:14 < atoponce> Ubuntu LoCo teams are for building Ubuntu in the community, not for spreading Linux in general
21:15 < atoponce> although we do welcome users from all distros to participate, we want to advocate Ubuntu in all our events and meetings
21:15 < atoponce> So, what is a LoCo specifically?
21:16 < atoponce> a LoCo team is a collection of members all running or interested in ubuntu looking to meet together
21:16 < atoponce> our visions and goals are generally advocating its use to arganizations, schools and corporations
21:17 < atoponce> rather than just improving our personl skill sets, although it's definitely a bonus. :)
21:18 < atoponce> as such, we meet either in person, or online to discuss how we can get ubuntu spread throughout our area
21:18 < atoponce> loco teams are split out geographically, by country in most cases, or by state in the US
21:18 < atoponce> loco teams are usually free to attend / join in terms of monetary cost
21:19 < atoponce> some teams may ask for financial donations or contributions to help print posters, cds, etc
21:19 < atoponce> it's really up to each team
21:19 < atoponce> and, specific execution of the loco team can vary greatly between teams
21:20 < atoponce> translations, support, advocation, meeting, education, etc
21:20 < atoponce> ok. so, know that we know a bit about a loco team, why create/join one?
21:21 < atoponce> well, for the most part, there are ubuntu users with similar interests that want to meet together and get things going
21:21 < atoponce> we enjoy advocation and want to see the earth covered with ubuntu :)
21:21 < atoponce> as such, friendships are built, social networks created, and a great sense of community is established
21:22 < atoponce> loco teams are a *ton* of fun
21:22 < atoponce> of course, as mentioned in -chat, we need to fix bug #1 to dethrone microsoft
21:22 < atoponce> ok. so, how to join a team?
21:23 < atoponce> well, because teams are based on geographic location, there is a pretty exhaustive list of teams already in existence
21:23 < atoponce> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoTeamList is the authoritative list on what teams are in existence
21:23 < atoponce> if your team is not listed there, make sure to add it
21:24 < atoponce> joining a team generally means finding the team's IRC channel and joining online
21:24 < atoponce> of coures, you can join the mailing list or launchpad team page as well
21:24 < atoponce> don't forget about adding yourself to the team wiki if one exists
21:25 < atoponce> once joined, the fun begins
21:25 < atoponce> generally, you'll be asked to contribute to the team in some way, magnifying your talents
21:26 < atoponce> sitting idle on a team by not helping to build the team or to contribute is usually discouraged in some teams, and you could be removed if you're not helping to build the team
21:26 < atoponce> so, get those blank cds ready for some burning. :)
21:26 < atoponce> of course, there are many ways to contribute
21:27 < atoponce> forums posts, mailing lists, irc, wiki additions, booths, cds, posters, art, you name it
21:27 < atoponce> anything to get the team strong and firm-footed in the community
21:27 < atoponce> what if there isn't a team in your area? then what?
21:27 < atoponce> well, that's when you get to starting a team
21:28 < atoponce> but, before i get to that, let me answer a couple questions
21:28 < atoponce> 15:17 < popey> QUESTION: Some people prefer IRC, others like Mailing Lists, others forums, and yet others  prefer social networking. Is there a "right" way to communicate within a LoCo? How do you  ensure everyone is up to speed given all these different mediums of communication?
21:28 <@popey> here we go
21:29 < atoponce> i would say that there isn't a "right way" to communicate. what *is* important, is *to* communicate, regardless of the medium
21:29 < atoponce> it may vary from team to team, but when communication is open, teams grow
21:30 < atoponce> 15:19 < popey> QUESTION: Most LoCos have people who "do stuff" and people who are "less active", "idlers",  should you be pushing the idelrs or let them idle?
21:30 < atoponce> this also varies from team to team. some teams want everyone active, some don't mind the idling
21:31 < atoponce> it's important to realize that the goal is to spread ubuntu through advocacy from team members
21:31 < atoponce> but, i would encourage contributions rather than removing them from the team
21:32 <@popey> I'm not suggesting removal
21:32 < atoponce> ok. let's pick up on starting a loco team
21:32 <@popey> :)
21:32 < atoponce> popey: understood. i would say to "feel it out" with your team to see what should be most appropriate
21:33 < atoponce> ok. so, when starting a tem, it's *extremely* important to understand that the design is *NOT* to replace the local LUG
21:33 < atoponce> rather, to work with it
21:35 < blahblahx> hey
21:35 <@popey> blahblahx: questions/comments in #ubuntu-classroom-chat please
21:36 < blahblahx> what sessions are going on now?
21:36 < atoponce> think of it as a python group that wants to spread the language in a general programming group
21:36 <@popey> blahblahx: questions/comments in #ubuntu-classroom-chat please
21:37 < atoponce> so, to start a loco, check the authoritative list that i posted earlier to see if a team exists in your area
21:37 < atoponce> if there is a team, then you should work with the existing loco rather than start a new one
21:37 < atoponce> even if you think that the existing loco team isn't performing well, or if you can do better
21:38 < atoponce> if you are sure there isn't a team in your area, then there are a few things that you need to get into place first before starting
21:38 < atoponce> you need a mailing list, irc channel, and wiki page as the minimums
21:38 < atoponce> a launchpad page may help with membership counts
21:39 < atoponce> least important would be a team page
21:39 < atoponce> once those main resources are in place, then the #1 focus sholud be building members to advocate ubuntu in your community.
21:39 < atoponce> dealing with a cms or team logos should not be the focus of the team
21:39 < atoponce> so. questions here
21:40 <@popey> < Tesla-HETy> QUESTION: what long term goal of LoCo team should be?
21:40 < atoponce> Tesla-HETy: the long term goal af a loco should be to build ubuntu in your area. whether that means getting schools on edubuntu, corporations on ubuntu-server, or families using ubuntu-desktop
21:41 < atoponce> loco teams are all about advocation
21:41 < atoponce> next
21:41 <@popey> < gaurav_> QUESTION: Does a LoCo consist of any hierarchal membership levels? Is everyone equal as the next person? If someone is being idle or there is a problem, is it brought up as a group or does a single person take a stand to identify it?
21:41 < atoponce> gaurav_: that is up to the team
21:41 < atoponce> some teams like delegating out positions and priorities. some it's one leader with nothing but members
21:42 < atoponce> it would all depend, i guess, on what responsibilities needed to be filled and how thet team wolud want to be run internally
21:42 <@popey> < Wybiral> QUESTION: When burning CDs isn't a good option, what would you suggest is the best way to get involved?
21:43 < atoponce> Wybiral: there are several ways. forums posts, wiki editing, blogging, just general help
21:43 < atoponce> of course, getting out in your city/state/country, and vocal advocacy is also a big plus. even posters or buttons
21:43 < atoponce> identify your talents, and magnify them in the community
21:44 <@popey> < desertc> QUESTION: What relationship do you see between LoCo teams and sub-LoCo-teams, such as US states or US cities?  How do you see these smaller teams working together and collaborating with the larger teams?
21:44 < atoponce> desertc: very good question. if you don't mind, i'm going to defer it. i'll be covering that here in the next topic. :)
21:45 < atoponce> i think i'm cought up on the question queue, so let's continue
21:45 < atoponce> "running or participating in a LoCo team"
21:45 < atoponce> this is the area that takes all the time as a member
21:46 < atoponce> running a team effectively takes a great deal of work, and contributions for all team members, not just the team leader and a couple of the strong ones
21:46 < atoponce> it consists of instal lfests, local community work, advocation, etc.
21:46 < atoponce> it consists of rolling up the sleeves, and getting dirty, so to speak
21:47 < atoponce> when running a team, however, the team might get fairly large, spread over a massive area
21:47 < atoponce> that's ok. when a team gets to that size, it can split down into smaller teams, falling under the larger umbrella
21:48 < atoponce> such as a city team that coexists under the state/country team
21:48 < atoponce> this is perfectly ok, as long as the city team, and the state/country team can continue working getting the community involved
21:48 < atoponce> for example
21:49 < atoponce> we have a texas team, or starting at any event, here in the states
21:49 < atoponce> there is also a houston team, which is a city in texas
21:49 < atoponce> because of the size of texas, this is okay. making members drive from one end of the state to the other, just for a meeting is a bit much, so we split it out into smaller teams to distribute the membership, and create that community
21:50 < atoponce> i should mention at this point that running a loco team should not require much in the way of financial funding
21:50 < atoponce> if executed correctly, a team can split out the load amongst members costing only a few dollars / year / member
21:51 < atoponce> this is reasonable
21:51 < atoponce> cds can be burned. posters printed. t-shirts made
21:51 < atoponce> all for cheap, if everyone chips in
21:51 < atoponce> ok. question time
21:51 <@popey> < desertc> QUESTION: How would you address concerns from people who feel their LoCo does not represent their local community, as an extreme example there is only one LoCo for the China team and one for the Russian Team.
21:52 < atoponce> desertc: well, it's important to sense where the most activity will be. in the case of large countries like china and russia, meeting in person is not optimal
21:52 < atoponce> as such, online meetings, such as irc, can be great
21:53 < atoponce> if membership count warrants it, they could split dividing the members geographically, to help facilitate local community work
21:53 < atoponce> i hope that answers your quetion.
21:53 <@popey> < BonesolTeraDyne> QUESTION: What kind of contributions do you think someone could\should make if they don't have much free time, or can't really socialize with their group for some reason? For example, a busy college student who is constantly in class or doing homework
21:54 < atoponce> BonesolTeraDyne: good question. i think it would be important for that person to analyze what time he/she does have available, what talents he/she can add to the group, and go from there
21:54 < atoponce> in my case, it's blogging and attending the once-per-month meetings
21:55 < atoponce> but i would say that they need to weigh their free time and see what they can do
21:55 <@popey> < sgtd> QUESTION: How have those in LoCo's found the reaction of local Linux User Groups (LUGs)
21:56 < atoponce> sgtd: for the most part, very possitve. some LUGs have lost members, but others gained. all in all, i would say that the experience is positive, as long as the loco realizes that it's not to replace the LUG, but work along side it
21:57 < atoponce> ok. i have about 10 min left, so i'm going to finish on approved /non-approved teams then conflicts, then i'll take any questions that remain. if we go a few minutes over, i'm sure that'll be okay, seeing as though this is the last session. :)
21:58 < atoponce> i'm sure you've heard about approved teams. what's the point?
21:58 < atoponce> well, having an approved team gives you a couple of incentives
21:58 < atoponce> jono may want to help me out on this one, if he's paying attention. :)
21:59 < atoponce> basically, you get more CDs from canonical than you can get through shipit
21:59 < atoponce> also, you get booth material for setting up kiosks at fairs and events
21:59 < atoponce> but, probably the greatest incentive is a piece of pride
22:00 < atoponce> knowing that the Community Council has approved your team, means you have been recognized by Canonical in your team/community building success
22:00 < atoponce> getting approved means having an active team, with a good userbase and active comminuty involvement
22:00 < atoponce> it varies from team to team, but generally, a good rule of thumb is this:
22:00 < atoponce> 2-3 large community events
22:01 < atoponce> large membership list
22:01 < atoponce> active mailing list
22:01 < atoponce> and regularly scheduled meetings
22:01 < atoponce> to get approved, create an application on your team wiki, outlining all these in great detail, and submit it to jono
22:02 < atoponce> if he give you the go-ahead, then you go to the CC seeking approval, just as you would for regular membership
22:02 < atoponce> finally, conflicts
22:02 < atoponce> every team has them at one point or the other
22:02 < atoponce> it's important to note that conflicts sholud be handled by the team, and not taken to the CC if at all possible
22:02 < atoponce> the CC doesn't need to concern itself with every little problem
22:03 < atoponce> also, if your team is having a conflict, chances are, it's arisen before
22:03 < atoponce> so, if your team can't resolve the conflict, then it may be best to take it to some loco leaders that may have experienc or knowledge on how to handle it
22:03 < atoponce> such as jono, nixternal, Zelut, elkbuntu, PriceChild myself and others
22:04  * popey pokes atoponce 
22:04 < PriceChild> atoponce, not me ;)
22:04 < atoponce> just remember that 90% of the problems come from a lack of communication
22:04 < atoponce> team members need to be united in purpose and vision and 100% open in communication to avoid these issues
22:05 < atoponce> in conclusion, remember that we're about advocacy and strengthening ubuntu in the community
22:05 < atoponce> it's what makes ubuntu great, and the reason a vast majority of us are using it
22:05 < atoponce> so, i'll take the last remaning questions now
22:05 <@popey>  < popey> QUESTION: Do you think that LoCos should become incorporated (in some way) in order to handle money (paying for space at venues, CDs, leaflets etc), or they should seek sponsorship - others to handle the money?
22:06 <@popey> (was the first question, but got skipped)
22:06 < atoponce> popey: that would depend on the team. if they feel that they cannot execute without it, then by all means, they should seek it.
22:06 < atoponce> i wolud advise to be careful in this area though
22:06 < H264> popey: I'd seek sponsership
22:07 < atoponce> it's easy to get distracted and caught up in the details of things like this, losing the greater goal
22:07 < H264> *sponsorship first
22:07 <@popey> that's all our questions
22:07 < atoponce> well. thx for having me. it's been a pleasure
22:08 <@popey> thanks very much for taking the time atoponce, very useful session!
22:08  * popey applauds
22:08 < atoponce> just remember that ubuntu rocks! and the community rocks harder! :)
22:08 < gaurav_> thank you for taking the time ;)
22:08 < Yasumoto> thanks atoponce! :)
22:08 <@popey> atoponce: one moment
22:08 < atoponce> np :)
22:08 < peppych> thank atoponce your connection made it finally ;)
22:08 < atoponce> glad there wasn't any realy issues. :)
22:09 < BonesolTeraDyne> thanks atoponce
22:09 < isabel__> thank Aaron
22:09 < isabel__> for you time
22:09 < atoponce> np :)
22:09  * Heartsbane thanks Aaron.
22:09 <@popey> atoponce: there is one question i mssed if you have a moment
22:09 < atoponce> sure
22:09 <@popey> < ttread> QUESTION: Do LoCos usually advocate mainly to desktop users, server admins, or both?  How about terminal server use in schools?
22:10 < atoponce> ttread: good question. i would say generally, desktop users. but really, it depends on who your target audience is. if going after schools ,then edubuntu seems appropriate. if corporations, then ubuntu-server
22:10 < atoponce> i would say generally though, desktop users
22:11 < atoponce> any other questions?
22:11 <@popey> that's your lot
22:11 <@popey> thanks again
22:11 < atoponce> np
22:11 <@popey> Come back tomorrow everyone!
22:11 < thaddeusq> popey: what time?
22:12 < peppych> thanks to all for organizing the open week, I cant wait tomorrow to join more sessions, see you
22:12 <@popey> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuOpenWeek