[Bradford] Linux/FOSS Info Stalls

[david at nucleon.co.uk]

Hi folks,

I’m after a few ideas and pointers - as I’m sure some of you will have
done this sort of thing before.

I intend to run a Free & Open Source Software information stall, during a
open day at a social club in the Huddersfield area, at the end of this
month.  Obviously I will be steering people towards Linux where possible -
so am thinking of having some CDs/DVDs available of a few of the more
common distros to hand out (maybe with a small donation to cover the
media).  I could also have some live USB sticks available (but definitely
charge for the media!).

The only distros I’ve used on my own machines are Mint/Mate, Ubuntu &
Lubuntu - so I’d probably offer these, at minimum, since they seem to be
easy for relative newbies.  Would you recommend others (with reasons)?

I’m also thinking of having some Windows versions of LibreOffice on CD -
as a sort of gateway drug - for those people who may be a bit scared of
mainlining a new OS... ;-)

In your experience, what other things have you found to be useful for
getting people interested?  Graphical software?  DTP?  Sound and video
editing? Encryption? I also think the blatantly controlling / snooping /
advertising / and generally nasty activities of Windows 10 might be a
handy thing to highlight.

The venue will be the Red & Green Club in Milnsbridge - a collaborative
venture between the various Green & Leftist groups in the area - so I’m
hoping the audience are going to be more pleasantly disposed towards
anything that helps prevent the corporate steamrollers from flattening
everything in their path.

See http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=18/53.63848/-1.82293

Thoughts?

Cheers,

Dave B

ps. I’m hoping there will also be sufficient interest to be able to
eventually start a Linux / FOSS group at the club. Maybe it's about time
HudLUG was revived ;-)

p.p.s. BTW, I’ll also be running an “Occupy.Here” wifi node at the event
http://occupyhere.org/ it might make for an interesting future talk at
BradLUG, - when I can get up there again!