[conspire] WiFi adapter

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Mark Weisler (mark at weisler-saratoga-ca.us):

> Part of what is happening, I think, is that generalized computer
> discussion groups are forking into more specialized groups and
> discussions. While the groups used to meet physically in the same time
> and place, groups are increasingly virtual and capable of "meeting" at
> any time or place through the Internet. (Different time, different
> place distance learning methods are very powerful.) Raspberry Pi is an
> example of such an interest group but there are thousands of others
> such as Debian or one on using NVIDIA with Linux. 

What you say.

This is why one of the key skills of the modern age -- at least, in some
areas of knowledge -- is the effective use of Internet search, i.e., how
to find productive keywords and phrases to search for, how (sometimes)
to limit search scope to promising outlets rather than blanket-searching
the entire Web, how to winnow out probably unreliable data, and so on.

A large percentage of the time when I answer technical questions on
Linux forums, I acquired those answers by using a search engine for two 
or three minutes, just before posting.[1]

The good part of this picture is that data from elsewhere, if archived
and publicly accessible, enriches and informs our local in-person events
in ways that user groups of the 80s and 90s could only dream of.
(Conversely, that is why making local-groups' discussion groups public
and archived increases their reach dramatically:  Questions and answers
posted there help not just the querent but many others here and
elsewhere.)

[1] I'll admit that sometimes I think 'Gosh, Mr. or Ms. Querent, did it
honestly never occur to you to search on that?'