Blackpool Linux User Group

I have been using crunchbang Linux (#!) for a while now, and really like the ability to launch my favorite applications with keyboard shortcuts instead of having to navigate through several menus.

The latest version of #! is called Statler and is based on Debian, where the previous version was based on Ubuntu.
Xfce4 has been added, and this makes it very easy to assign keyboard shortcuts.

Before doing any of this, You should check first that the combination you want is not already assigned by pressing the key combination and seeing what happens.

Startmenu > settings > keyboard > Application Shortcuts > Add

once you click add, a box will appear to put in the command you want to launch:-
firefox
Click OK, then you will be asked to press the key combination you want to launch firefox with.

I hold down the super(window) key and and press f

Once done, restart xfce for the changes to take affect.

If you want to start a terminal application like the twitter client termtter, the command to put in the launch box would be :-

terminal -e termtter

or terminator, or xterm, depending on your preferred terminal. The (-e) means execute.

This is a brief summary of an article which appeared in the July (2010) edition of Linux Format magazine.

Called 'Building your own community,' written by Jono Bacon the Ubuntu community manager, and author of 'the art of community'.
This 6 page spread adds a lot more substance to a previous article in the Linux Format magazine (issue 109 Sept 2008 page 14) about attracting more members to the LUG.

A LUG needs:
A place to communicate -> Mailing list

A place to collaborate -> wiki

A place to present the group on line -> website

Two pages are dedicated to implementing these three points. Then moving on to a page about project coordination and management.

I thought the following quote deserved serious attention.

"Many communities don't take a particularly organised approach to projects, which can kill motivation. If there's one thing that can cause a community to struggle, it's a sense that nothing happens or gets done."

Formalise and document projects.

*The objective
A goal or set of goals that you want to achieve. Summarised into one sentence.

*Success criteria
A clear statement to indicate how success will look when achieved.

*Required actions
The set of steps required to achieve the objective.

Regularly revisit the project documentation and check off completed items, to get an impression of progress and success.

generating some Buzz.
Finally a page about spreading the word and generating some Buzz.
Twitter, facebook and blogger get a mention along with podcasts, local radio, magazine articles, banners/buttons and posters/flyers.

This article starting on page 52 is well worth reading, and is available along with other back issues of Linux Format.