Keep Linux Client Users group invite-only?

Is there a reason we should keep the LCU group invite only? There's not any way to verify one way or another if the people requesting invites are actually using the alpha client or not (perhaps the Lindens can tell, does SL send an OS stamp similar to web browsers?). More importantly, does it matter? Is there a reason to be exclusive in this regard if people want to join up and find out more about it? It's not as if being in the group confers any advantages or lets us access alpha-specific features. Lots of Linux users out there, most of whom probably didn't hear about the alpha testing prior to a couple days ago when it was actually released.

I'd like to hear from Don on this one. Do you want to keep the alpha testing community small-ish so you can manage the flow of bug reports easier? It doesn't seem like it, since this forum can be read and posted to by anybody who happens to know it exists, and it seems to be spreading like wildfire as is. Also, the client is downloadable by anybody as well. So can we just take a can opener after this group and make it open enrollment? If not, I need a way to determine who's a valid alpha tester and who's not.

Incidently, I get offline IMs and I've been getting regular requests for invites to the group. I work and attend classes during the day, so don't worry if I don't get back to you immediately, I'll catch up on invites in the evenings.

I can help out now with the invites. I got a few who were intrested from a few of the furry groups.

Invite only.

Linux users are quite prepared to IM and wait, we have waited long enough, and are a generally sociable crowd

Open groups often get misappropriated for things like "land groups", or (and I am guilty of this too) for the Cool Title.

And if Drake can help out with adding members, thats even better! Less load on you.

Perhaps, but if we're just inviting anybody who asks, what's the difference?

Edit: Also, if I want a cool title, I just change the title of my own group, which happens frequently.

I would say people would be more likely to have a real reason for joining with a non-automated means of joining. When people have to IM someone to request an invite they would be more likely to be honest than if they just had to click a Join button with no risk of real human interaction. Also, the need to wait for the invite cuts down on the "cool title" people as well.

Calitar, just my point.

I think you get more REAL group members if it's invitation only, than if it's a "get a free cool group" in find.

The extra work, plus the personal contact, means "I want to join this group".

And the "Cool Title" costs 100 Linden, plus two more people involved, if its your own group. So if you like having lots of "cool" titles, this is expensive.

You both have a point here. But as a side note, it only costs 100L once. You can change your group title on the fly once the group is created. Since you can only have one title at a time anyway, no reason to have multiple groups just for that.

true

Very bad idea.

What's with the elitist attitude?

Using Linux doesn't make anyone else "cool". I don't understand why anyone, especially Windows users would join just for the "cool" title. I haven't heard of Windows-only users joining Macintosh groups for the Mac title, ya know?

Seconded.
==Chris

OK, convinced. I wasn't trying to be elitist, sorry I was just trying to help keep the group limited to the relevant people, so group IMs for example don't end up being seen as spam.

The points are all well taken.

Now I am for open enrollment.

Wearing the alpha tester tag has labelled me a geek, which I don't like, and has cost me a lot of social acceptance, since I am in SL purely socially. So if anyone voluntarily wants to be a geek, good luck to them!

I wear the tag all the time when I am in the linux client, a) to generate interest, and b) to warn people I have to sound, cut and paste etc at those times I am wearing the tag.

And I use the linux client all the time (unless I need to do something it does not support). It is faster, and runs very well (exceptions are excluded of course), and linux just feels better to me.

How can I be a member of a group but not show the tag? Couldn't find out how to do it the other day.

Your profile, groups, set none to Active, if that works for you. But if it's not active... maybe you need it to be active.

I don't know about coolness but I'd like to volunteer as an alpha tester. Gentoo (2.4 kern) We can write install file if need be.

Great! Alpha testing is open for all now, with or without a membership in the group

http://secondlife.com/community/linux-alpha.php

Have fun!