!! Introduction

Well, as I promised in my first installment, here’s the very beginning of an overview of why USENIX and newSAGE/LOPSA are complementary, probably need each other, yet cannot remain a single organization. Remember that this isn’t about right and wrong, or competition, or past mistakes. It’s just about differences in communities, services and goals.

There are lots of reasons that USENIX and newSAGE (LOPSA) had to eventually split, but the most important are:

* the continuum of research to operations – different communities
* trends in computer science, “Information Technology” and how USENIX and SAGE evolved in response to these trends
* incompatible goals of each organization – the need to serve different communities

In this entry, I want to concentrate on the different communities that are served by USENIX and LOPSA. Yes, there are some stereotypes here, but almost all of you will be able to determine very easily in which of these communities that you (and the people you know) belong. Most people are in multiple communities at different times in their careers, or even as they serve different roles in their work. Don’t get hung up on the details, just look at the broad brush strokes…

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!! Introduction

Well, as I promised in my first installment, here’s the very beginning of an overview of why USENIX and newSAGE/LOPSA are complementary, probably need each other, yet cannot remain a single organization. Remember that this isn’t about right and wrong, or competition, or past mistakes. It’s just about differences in communities, services and goals.

There are lots of reasons that USENIX and newSAGE (LOPSA) had to eventually split, but the most important are:

* the continuum of research to operations – different communities
* trends in computer science, “Information Technology” and how USENIX and SAGE evolved in response to these trends
* incompatible goals of each organization – the need to serve different communities

In this entry, I want to concentrate on the different communities that are served by USENIX and LOPSA. Yes, there are some stereotypes here, but almost all of you will be able to determine very easily in which of these communities that you (and the people you know) belong. Most people are in multiple communities at different times in their careers, or even as they serve different roles in their work. Don’t get hung up on the details, just look at the broad brush strokes…

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It was inevitable that USENIX and “newSAGE” (now LOPSA) split in some fashion. The process that started 16 months ago will run to completion, one way or another. If it doesn’t, it will only begin again at some time in the future.

The best we can do is make this transition as painless as possible for the community, and try to ensure that it is a win/win for both organizations.

This isn’t about “good vs. evil”, or “us vs. them”, or “who made the biggest/worst mistake” either.

It’s about differing visions, differing goals, and a difference in the communities.

Hi. My name is Tom, and I’m a system administrator, and I have been for a very long time, about 20 years so far. But more on that later.

I’m also the President of LOPSA, but that’s not what I’m really here to talk about.

Over the past few days, I’ve been asked a lot of questions about this new thing called “LOPSA”. Yeah, lots of people just ask about where the name came from, or make bunny jokes, but I just 🙂 and say “Isn’t it a lovely evening?”.

The other thing people have been asking about is “Why?” There are a few simple answers, and a lot of complex answers, but the themes that run though all the answers are “Because it is time, and because it is needed.”

Unfortunately, sound bite answers like that are really insufficient for difficult problems, no matter what politicians would have us believe. And this really is a more complex problem than most people have realized. I’ll get to the answer(s), but it will take some time. Bear with me.

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