[Lancaster] Website

[andy baxter]

Ken Hough wrote:
>
> I agree 100% that the many distros are a strength, but just imagine that you 
> were unfamiliar with Linux and used only to the conformity and security 
> (???  :-) ) of Windoze. What would be your reaction to such diversity? Where 
> would you think of starting? From my own experiences of trying explain Linux 
> to people, I expect that you would experience a measure of uncertainty, if 
> not panic!
>   
I think it would depend on the person - some people might find it 
unsettling but others might find it a welcome relief from the sterility 
of a corporate run system. I wouldn't make it the first thing I said 
about Linux if I was talking about it, but I would want to mention it 
pretty early on.
>
>   
>> Having 
>> the distro logos maybe helps convey this impression of a diverse
>> community rather than a single organisation with a single logo.
>>     
>
> If this was intended for the attention of those who are already familiar with 
> Linux, then again, I would agree.
>
>   
I don't see why it can't be both - I'm thinking that the logos and the 
word Linux by themselves would be enough for someone familiar with 
Linux, and then the longer text is there for the people who don't 
already know about it.

One thing here is to remember that this poster is meant to attract the 
relatively few people who are interested enough in computers that they 
want to spend time every month sitting in a pub talking about an 
operating system. Most of these people will at least have heard of Linux 
I reckon even if they don't know that much about it, so I think we can 
afford to stray on that side a bit. For a different event like an 
install fest we might do a different poster meant to have a broader appeal.

>> Also, 
>> people maybe expect to see just one logo on a poster, so having several
>> is more eye catching in itself.
>>     
>
> I disagree. Too many components can just blend into a background. A few well 
> defined and prominent items are more likely to grab attention and to be 
> easily identifiable at a glance/distance.
>
>   
Which is why I had the word Linux in huge type. I'm saying that just 
having the row of icons at the top will attract attention in itself - 
people might be curious enough to want to look at them and then find 
themselves reading the poster. I guess it comes down to personal 
preference - I like the way I've done it but I can see the point you're 
arguing as well.
>>> It's hard enough to explain to most people the concepts behind Linux and
>>> open source stuff without getting into the pros and cons of the many
>>> distros that are available.
>>>       
>> The poster doesn't mention distros by name at all in the current
>> version, which I agree on.
>>     
>
> So why include logos that are unlikely to mean much to non-Linux readers?
>   
I guess I just like the way it looks - to me it does give a nice lively 
impression, but obviously you don't agree.
> If logos are to be included, then which ones? Should we present logos for the 
> 400 odd distros that are out there?
>
>   
No - I put in as many as there were space for without taking over the 
main part of the poster. People are more likely to recognise the main 
ones I've put in like ubuntu, suse, red hat etc.

>> I wrote mine the way I did 
>> because I wanted to explain the point about software freedom, but maybe
>> it's more important at first to tell people what linux can do for them.
>>     
>
> Freedom should definitely be refered to as it's so much at the heart of Linux, 
> so I think that we need both to be mentioned. IMHO, these two points are the 
> essence of what we need to present  --  and of course, how to make contact 
> with the Linux community.
>   
OK - fair enough. I was thinking that the way you had described the user 
benefits was more straightforward and maybe more friendly than mine, so 
it might be worth changing what I had written a bit.

andy