[SLUG] Library display

[john at johnallsopp.co.uk]

> Bob said:
> Surely the Library Display should act as a gateway to finding out
> more.  So
> the display should be a set of posters advertising reasons for Linux.

I'd like to explore that further. The current display
<http://www.johnallsopp.co.uk/slug/imgp1328Display.jpg> has got 11 A4
posters. So, are we going to write 11 posters each with a different
reason for using Linux? 11's too many .. the 7+/-2 rule.

What about having the central panel as a kind of motivational
introduction to Linux, so, what is it, why does it matter, what can it
do for you, that sort of thing.

The left hand panel could be for leaflets to take away.

The right hand panel can be for the Linux challenge.

> Here is
> list0.1:
> You can use old/second hand equipment to put together a useable
> computer system for 100 pounds or less:
> You can find a software distribution for your specialist subject
> (music?):

So that one's about explaining what a distribution is and giving some
resources.

> Your home computer can have educational software that makes your
> children brighter..............

One of many possibilities I guess.

> The posters should give website addresses for follow up.  The library
> provides a free computing service, plus advice.

> Handouts never get read.

I strongly disagree with that one. If there's nothing for people to
take away from our display .. even if it's one of those Indian Squaw
frills with a phone number on it you see underneath posters
advertising flatshares or drummer needed (ours would obviously have
our website address).

Incidentally, what I'd normally do for this would be to give out our
address as http://www.scarborough.lug.org.uk/lib or something, which
would go to a welcome page especially designed for newbies who have
just seen our display. That way too, since there would be no other
links to the page, we could see from the server logs how many visitors
we'd had. Steve, r u up for that?

> I don't think giving out personal phone numbers, or offering home
> visits are
> good ideas.  They open cans of worms.  The mailing list address is
> surely enough.

I don't think anyone's suggesting that.

> The whole display should be robust enough to be offered to outlying
> branches
> of the library, and perhaps colleges, and reused at the next
> opportunity.

Excellent. I thought the blue folding substrate thing was provided by
the library, are you saying we construct our own?

> I can (probably) demonstrate Beatrix at the next meeting.  It is a
> very basic
> distribution which has a Gnome front end and just does OpenOffice,
> Firefox ,Evolution and a Messenger program.  The big advantage is that
> it
> runs in 64M and installs in around 20 minutes.  It could be a starting
> point
> for discussions about a distribution we could recommend.

Like I say, I don't (currently) think we should be thinking that way.
We should be giving people a distribution that suits them, not trying
to make our lives easier. That way, they'll be more likely to like
Linux.

J