Support Your Local ... DNUG?

Akallabeth, the Arch-Lich writes: "New to town, I was trolling around for a LUG or two, and found this. Find your own DNUG here. Now, I can see the need for a support group for .NET users group, as no one really knows what it does. But, an UG founded by for-profit companies? That are Microsoft Certified Partners? With prize givaways listed on the meeting schedule? Something don't smell right. Oh, and they have banner ads too." However genuine or organized, local "support groups" seem like a good idea to me. Maybe we could all go toss a frisbee?

Comments

What's the issue ?

[tmark]

I don't see the problem. You admit that there's a need for .NET user groups. Who cares that they're run by for-profit groups or by Microsoft partners ? I don't even care if they charge people to use them, since nothing is preventing anyone from starting a "free", more traditional user's group. If there's a need, it's GREAT to see it being served - however it happens. Do you have a problem with Open-source companies charging for their consulting time ?

Re:What's the issue ?

[glh]

For the record, I started a .NET User Group in Northwest Ohio and listed it on DNUG. We are neither for profit or a Microsoft partner, although we do get supported by MS at least in somewhat of an informal way. They've sent us free software, books, and even sponsored events to big conferences (ie, Microsoft TechEd). The main reason I started the group was to promote the learning of .NET programming and having a support group for people to figure out what in the world they are doing with .NET, and share what they have learned. It has been really great. Not to mention there are other perks, like helping out the community (we are going to be doing some non-profit projects), good food, get to meet people in the area, looks good on a resume, etc.

I think the whole point of a user group is to bring people together and share knowledge. It's really a lot of fun. Not sure why anyone could be upset about this, other than the fact that it is under the "umbrella" of Microsoft technology and this is slashdot :)

By the way, some of the user groups that you can find through DNUG (it is basically a search portal for UG's) have different goals. When I was at a user group leaders conference last year, I learned that not all the UG leaders shared my same views but for the most part UG's are for the betterment of the community.

Get your ...

[ImaLamer]

Get your sandwich boards and banners ready!

Now that we know the .net people's physical locations we can show up and protest!

Why protest? Because we don't like anything Microsoft!

No... really... a better idea would be to show up and hand out slackware and debian CD's.

Re:Get your ...

[dj28]

"No... really... a better idea would be to show up and hand out slackware and debian CD's."

And you, my friend, have no life.

seems logical

[Morphine007]

LUGs attract people to Linux... usually just out of shee curiosity... I imagine that Micro$oft et al. are trying to accomplish much the same thing with their DNUG in terms of attracting people to .NET... even if only out of sheer curiosity...I mean, after all, how many install nights has your LUG had??

Re:seems logical

[jerdenn]

I imagine that Micro$oft et al. are trying to accomplish much the same thing with their DNUG in terms of attracting people to .NET...

Except your missing one key fact. Most of the DNUGs are started by 'regular people' trying to learn .NET, and not started by Microsoft. So yes, while I am sure that Microsoft supports the idea of DNUGs, they are not the driving force that is starting them. It's actually just a bunch of 'geeks' that want to learn about new technology. How's that so different from LUGs?

-jerdenn

Hmm...that's funny...

[Shoten]

I don't remember anyone making a big stink when US Robotics started Palm User Groups. What's the big deal? It's not like people are being snatched off the street and forced to attend these groups as if they were "political re-education camps." Besides...who else would be better suited to start such groups...Red Hat?? No, maybe Oracle...uh, no...AOL?

Not So Strange

[wsloand]

This doesn't really seem all that strange to me. My mother was a member of DECUS (Digital Equipment Corporation Users Society) in the early 1970s. When I tried to go to their homepage, I was sent to encompassus.com -- encompass is HP's user group.

There are lots of these out there. Just because it's for profit doesn't mean that it can't have a community behind it.

Bill

Dot Net Users Group == Good Idea

[decipher_saint]

I'm a senior developer for the company I work for and I've been using .NET for just over 2 months. Management has it in their heads that they want to move our web-based contract negotiation software to .NET in the next year or so, somehow we have to get everyone up to speed on .NET as fast as possible. DNUG sounds like an ideal way of getting people started.

"Something don't smell right"
I hear that bias clogs ones sinus cavities.

Is it real, or is it AstroTurf?

[wowbagger]

Many of the comments have been of the form "$OtherCompany has created UGs for $OtherProduct, so what's the big deal?" And I agree, if that is all this is, then more power to them.

However, given Microsoft's long history of AstroTurfing, I think folks are right to be suspicious of this - is this real grassroots support or is this manicured AstroTurf?

Remember, real grass gets weeds, Astroturf doesn't. If these are REAL UG's, then there will be plenty of "Hey, this (doesn't work | sucks | is too hard)" type complaints, both in the meetings and on the web sites. If this is AstroTurf, then it will be all smiles and roses and drink the KoolAid, and Microsoft will point to these pseudo-UGs and say "See all the support you get from the user community? Just like Open Source!"

Re:Is it real, or is it AstroTurf?

[sheldon]

Why don't you go to the user group meetings and find out for yourself?

The few meetings I have been to had around 200 people, some of the early ones were closer to 500-600. None of these people were paid to be there, they all just came because they were interested in learning more about .Net. I don't see that as astroturfing.

Is astroturfing posting a big story on slashdot about a March on the San Francisco city hall to support Linux, but then not posting any of the stories which said only 10 people showed up?

Actually...

[wirefarm]

Actually they're 12-Step programs...

Picture a dozen people on folding chairs in a church basement. A guy stands up.
Guy: "Hi, I'm Larry. I'm a dot net user..."
Group: "Hi Larry!"

Sorry -that just popped into my head when I saw that it was a DNUG - I figured it was for people who wanted to stop using it.

Forgive me, it's late here...

Cheers,
Jim

Hey, whatever.

[Wakko Warner]

If Microsoft is giving away free nugs, I'm signed up.

I hear the stuff they grow up in that part of the country is pretty dank.

- A.P.

I thought it meant...

[Bilbo]

First time I saw the acronym, I thought it stood for, "Does Not Use GNU"! Of course, the group would be backed by the full support of Microsoft.

(When do they start handing out the free MS goodies?)