[sf-lug] Towards a list of Linux consultants in the Bay Area (was: consultant?)

[Rick Moen]

Quoting jim (jim at well.com):

>    i'm willing to help people out at no charge. 
> I'm also willing to charge, mainly if someone 
> wants something done on command or within a 
> timeframe. 

As the Aussies say, "Good on ya", Jim.  ;->

Ms. Polly Babcock would probably appreciate the help, if you have time
and feel like going over to the Lower Haight.  She's pb4316 at yahoo.com or
415-626-2611.

>    use the list to get volunteers (including 
> me, sometimes). Use the link below to find out 
> about services: 
> http://www.systemateka.com 
>    (The web site for Systemateka, Inc.) 

I will be delighted to add Systemateka, Inc. to
http://linuxmafia.com/bale/other.html -- which, I was just saying
offlist, seems a good candidate for both a reorg and an HTML update to
something less... 1995.  And also to move all the "In memoriam" entries
(Linuxcare, VA Linux Systems, Freedom Technology Center, Eazel, Cobalt
Networks, The CoffeeNet, Tuxtops, Walnut Creek CD-ROM, Universal CD-ROM, 
Yggradsil Computing, all that) to either a different section or a
completely different page.

Getting back for a moment to what I was talking about:  I'd be glad to 
host a Web page that lists all known Linux / BSD consultants and
businesses in the Bay Area.  http://linuxmafia.com/bale/other.html 
has always been _intended_ to be that, and I think it's about the 
best thing we have in that area so far -- but it lacks good enough
information to be useful to, say, people like Polly Babcock, who aren't
looking for Linux workstations or servers, but just someone able to fix
CUPS on her laptop, and help her decide what Photoshop Elements version
to run under WINE.

Speaking from experience (with not just that page but also BALE, and
other pages), the continual job of re-vetting entries (on such Web
pages) is key.  After trying a lot of things, I basically established a
bare-minimum "There must be a Web presence to point to" floor
requirement -- for both LUGs and Linux businesses.  A
not-obviously-defective Web page doesn't guarantee that there's still an
ongoing LUG or consultancy, but it means at least that someone's still
paying for a Web presence.