[Worcs] A bit of a result from Excalibur who run local computer fairs

[Will Bickerstaff]

> Ah, If i'd engaged my thinking hat a bit, I'd have pointed out that
> this has been done in the past - see the infopoint project (probably
> dead now) - http://infopointproject.org/wordpress/
Totally agree David, not a new concept, but one we think is worth a
try to attract people.
In all honesty, we were only fishing to hand out / leave a few flyers
at the events
so these Free tables were a real surprise.

> I've done it in the past - you do find some interested people - or I
> did 5 years ago - some just snaffle free cds (try and avoid them - we
> used to charge a token 50p - £1 to stop people taking the piss).
Hopefully, I think Linux has come a long way in the last 5 years, and
is certainly more a more discussed topic than it has been in the past.
Internet connections for the general public are also generally a lot
better (I still know one or two on dial-up, but this is due to
stubbornness and expecting broadband for free rather than lack of
availability), I was still paying through the nose for a relatively
poor broadband connection 5 years ago, and ISDN was about as good as
it got for many in the area, bandwidth is now cheap, so maybe people
will just take interest then go and find out more. I suspect a token
charge will be made for covering the cost of any CDs we give out, but
we'll discuss a plan closer to the time of any event.


> Do Ubuntu stlll ship free cd's in those cardboard wrappers? They
> always went down well.
I think they do, a polished professional looking CD always goes down
better than your home burnt scribbled on with a pen pirate looking
copies. I don't know what the Ubuntu policy is in getting these in
bulk for such events, but will make enquiries.

> Anyway, we did the Wolverhampton Race course and I /think/ the motor
> cycle museum off the M42 (J5?) a few times.
I believe these are organised by the same people, at least some of the
events the motor cycle museum are. As I committed in my email to
keeping within the county then we probably won't do the motor cycle
museum, unless they offer. We'll just to the events at Perdiswell in
Worcester

> We found it quite a long day, and there were seemingly few (if any)
> new 'recruits' to the local LUG.
>
> Perhaps you'll have more luck,
Hopefully so, like I said, I think the perception of Linux has changed
dramatically over the last 5 years, thanks in great part to DIstros
like Ubuntu, the swathe of netbooks that put Linux on the shelves, and
now Android.

Thanks for sharing your experiences David, and apololgies for taking
so long to respond. When Excalibur post dates of the events I'll share
them with the list, and hope to see you at one or two. Bring along the
RnB as well.