[Ben]  Err.  That word, "any", is a nasty one in this context. It's
     impossible to be all things to all people; trying to is a classic way to
     go broke in business. In effect, you're trying to produce infinite output
     from finite resources. What I'm looking for is a place to concentrate our
     efforts - we may end up with something a bit more broad or more narrow; I
     suspect the former but refuse to predict.

     [Thomas] Perhaps we need to focus a little on how businesses are using
     Linux?

     [Ben] Hmm. Say, interviews with CTOs of Linux-using businesses? That
     strikes a spark of interest with me. I'm not in much of a position to do
     it myself - I don't think there are too many Linux-using businesses in the
     techno-hinterland I inhabit or in the farming communities surrounding it -
     but I surely consider such an interview applicable to even LGs current
     mission: I've never believed that a newbie's education in Linux consists
     of strictly technical coverage. Thomas, you're really striking oil today!
     :)

     [Thomas] But these are only trivial examples --- it is not a popularity
     contest. If we start trying to compete we'll fall under completely. We
     need to try and work alongside what it is that makes the success of the
     other sites more appealing, for want of a better word. What I _don't_ want
     to see is a loss of continuity with what we have at the moment. We just
     need to try and introduce a new concept into LG.

     [Ben] [Nod] Agreed. I don't want to imitate anyone else - if we're doing
     that, then there's no need for LG at all. Revitalizing those parts of LG
     that are good but have fallen asleep, cautiously adding new pieces that we
     believe will improve the readers' experience (as well as ours - if it
     ain't fun, it's not worth doing), and sloughing off (again, very slowly
     and carefully) those pieces that we've decided don't work: that's my goal.
     In a lot of ways, it's like running a business - but on a cooperative
     model.

     Will it work? Hell if I know. I do think that the experiment is worth
     making, though, and I'm willing to pump my time and effort into it. All I
     can promise you folks is that I'm going to do my damndest to make it go -
     but I can't do it alone. I can only hope that all of you will extend me a
     bit of your trust, patience, and cooperation as I work to fit myself into
     this job.

     [Thomas] It would be interesting to know how each of us here actually
     heard of LG. I know for me, it was a link from tldp.org

     [Ben] Hmm. I couldn't even tell you, actually; a dim little memory says
     that I found LG via a search engine while searching for some Linux-related
     info, but I can't recall for sure.
                                  _______

     The thread changes slightly to Tom Brown coming up with some excellent
     ideas -- Thomas Adam

     [Tom] OK, I'm gonna jump into this discussion, even though I'm gonna
     regret it. I've stirred up hornet nests before, so this won't be the first
     time. I fully expect to get a few "stinging" replies.

     [Ben] Heck, Tom, we don't skin people and roll'em in salt... at least not
     until their second fox pass (never could speak that French stuff, anyhow.)
     Besides, I've asked for input; it would be damn silly of me to reject it
     without considering it even if I didn't like it right off the bat (and as
     it happens, I think you've got some good skull sweat in this one.)

     [Tom]  When talking to the people new to Linux, I think part of the
     challenge is that they don't have the same mind-set or point-of-view as
     "old-time" or "traditional" Unix/Linux users. Part of it is the GUI/CLI
     issue that others have mentioned, but it's more than that.

     [Ben] [Nod] I think this is one of the largest parts of the shift in the
     type of new adopters. At first, we got "the brave techies"; next, we got
     folks who couldn't afford the Wind0ws environment with their "pay through
     the nose for every breath you take" model (and we're still getting lots of
     those); now, we're getting corporate people to whom time is a precious
     resource and who want their info - solid, in-depth, and yet clearly stated
     - and want it right now.

     [Tom] The CLI in Linux is richer, and more complex than the MS-DOS that a
     lot of folks are used to. Another problem is that a lot of people aren't
     interested in becoming programmers. They just want to know how they can
     rip tunes from an audio CD, or whatever. While some people do want to
     learn it all, I think those people are in the minority.

     [Tom] Those would be the future sysadmins - but not everyone wants to
     become one. Mostly, the answer for that larger group is "install Knoppix
     and be happy"; I think that Jimmy's articles and tips would hit these guys
     square in the center.

     My own problem is that I am an old-time geek and a CLI addict; I don't
     know how the heck I'd work in a straight-GUI environment - it would just
     strangle me, reduce my productivity to 10% of what it is now. In some
     cases, I'd be unable to perform the work at all. So, what I have to do is
     to ignore my own prejudices and think of what is good for LG - and in this
     regard, I agree with what you're saying.

     [Tom]  Now,  I  think  giving  people a CLI as well as a GUI way of
     accomplishing what they want is a great idea. Especially if you're giving
     them an easy-to-use shell script that prompts for parameters, instead of
     making someone type-in a huge command line with lots of alphabet-soup
     options they'll never remember. They're not really looking for a GUI, just