[wlug_org] Installfest update

[Jamie Baddeley]

IMHO follows:

I tend to agree with Brent. InstallFest is about entry to Linux right?

Silicon Systems is in Petone...

Lots of Knoppix Live CD's. That One-base (?) thing you were playing with
Brent - could that be re-mastered to a wellylug flavour?

How are we going to cover costs? what areas are going to cost us?
estimates please? What areas are free as in beer? We need to estimate
this before we talk about funding. Or are things typically cost neutral?

Funding wise, I think we'll need to ask for donations from the lug. But
am happy to proved wrong. People who donate are given kudos and
mentioned as sponsors of the InstallFest.Those who don't give are
sneered at :-) - no expected amount (this is important) - just whatever
is appropriate. 

We'll need to keep the LUG advised of the funding situation. If we can't
make targets then the InstallFest is not happening. No one likes to lose
money or pay for it all themselves.

At this stage I'm not sure who else will be involved as a sponsor.
Obviously given the support from Silicon & Dymocks we won't have
competing hardware or book sellers.

Jamie
(big lug posting marathon tonight)

On Wed, 2004-03-10 at 06:44, Wood Brent wrote:
> --- Ian Beardslee <itb@falcons.co.nz> wrote:
> > Hmm I agree to a degree there, but not everyone who wants to learn play 
> > with linux wants to be dumbed down to the point of a point and click 
> > mandrake install (no insult intended)
> 
> Fair comment. There were some interesting discussions after the Halloween docs
> were released, pointing out that Linux was essentially by geeks for geeks,
> Windows was for the lowest common denominator. The conclusion being pretty much
> that if Linux wants to become mainstream, it will also have to be useable by
> the lowest common denominator. Windows has been a retail success because it is
> generally easy to use, and people can run Explorer & Office.
> 
> I don't know anyone who buys a computer to run Windows. Non-Linux computer
> clubs seldom get together to compare/discuss their OS. They buy computers to
> run applications. IMHO the installfest should be pretty much about how you can
> use Linux & OS software to do what you want on your computer. The focus should
> be on functionality, not about Linux just because it is so great. Rather than
> being evangelical about Linux, we should be there to solve attendees needs with
> appropriate OS software.
> 
> IMHO, we should offer to install Open Office, maybe The GIMP & Mozilla (a few
> selected apps) on Windows boxes, as well as Linux installs. Once people are
> using OpenSource applications, the step to OpenSource operating systems is a
> small one. CD's with Win32 versions of these for installs also???
> 
> 
> 
> A question again: can anyone pre-label blank CDR's with a WLUG logo, for any
> distros/software we distribute??
> 
> 
> 
> > 
> > I think we should be able to show that it is as simple as windows and as 
> > complicated as ... well as complicated as you want it to be.  Having 
> > someone with (B)LFS or a slackware install and being able to talk to 
> > people about that would bea good plan.
> 
> No problem with that. I mentioned before that the majority of the people last
> time were curious, rather than actually after help with an install. It is
> important that we are there to inform as well as install.
> 
> If we set up a demo area, more clearly distinct from the install area than last
> time, I suggest we have A4 or A3 posters for each demo, so people can see
> exactly what each demo is about & stay to watch/discuss if they are interested
> or move on to the next if not. We do need to be clear about what each demo is
> about, and each should be there for someting specific.
> 
>    
> Brent