Information on starting a BSD User Group

[Jason Dixon]

On May 21, 2008, at 9:17 AM, George Rosamond wrote:
> Darrin Chandler wrote:
>> On Tue, May 20, 2008 at 11:07:44PM -0400, Glen Barber wrote:
>>> I am working with a few others to coordinate a BSD User Group near  
>>> the
>>> Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, hopefully including northeast  
>>> Maryland,
>>> Delaware, and New Jersey.  Although I won't be relocating to the  
>>> area for
>>> approximately a month or so, I was hoping to get information, or a  
>>> push in
>>> the right direction, to what some BUGs have done to attract  
>>> attention, gain
>>> members, etc.
>>>
>>> I have already searched for some LUGs in the area mentioned above,  
>>> and
>>> unfortunately have only found one, which was rather discouraging.   
>>> Any
>>> information would be greatly appreciated.
>> Good for you!
>> You've found a LUG. See if you can find local groups for SAGE or  
>> LOPSA,
>> find the local Universities, community colleges, and tech schools,  
>> too.
>> Distribute announcements to mailing lists for the LUG and any tech
>> groups in the schools, etc. Just think of anywhere there might be
>> interest in BSD and get the word out.
>> For our group, I've found attendance ties closely with the  
>> presentation.
>> If there's a good presentation then people come. Write up a good
>> description and get it out on mailing lists and on your web site as  
>> soon
>> as you can.
>> Some of the people doing BSD User Groups have gotten together at
>> http://metabug.org/ so feel free to join us. We hang out online on
>> freenode in #metabug. Feel free to drop in and ask questions.
>
> I was going to point out MetaBug. . . particularly since they seem  
> pretty close in distance from you. . .
>
> It's Jason Dixon and crew in the capitol region. (jd's cc'd).
>
> We are up the line in NYC (nycbug.org) and are focused on NYCBSDCon  
> (.org) for October.
>
> I'd also recommend starting up a mailing list, getting the word out  
> to the various BSD lists related to BUGs in a broad way, and then  
> seeing what you have.  We are more than willing to host the list if  
> you hit me offline.

To clarify, "MetaBUG is everywhere".  The MetaBUG is a group of BUGs  
worldwide collaborating for events, information, etc.  In the Maryland  
area, we have the Capital Area BSD Users Group (http://capbug.org/).   
We meet in Columbia, MD, which may be too far of a trek for you.

Thanks,

---
Jason Dixon
DixonGroup Consulting
http://www.dixongroup.net