[Colchester] Linux Install party in Colchester

Thu Feb 14 09:13:18 GMT 2008

Hi,

Assuming I'm free on the date I would love to help out with this!

I'll try and be on IRC next Monday @ 7.

Cheers,
Phill

On 14/02/2008, jack spratt <lord_spratt at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>
>
> Plans for Colchester public install party
>
>  By Sam Tuke on 13.02.08
>
>
> Contents:
> 1. Whom this concerns
> 2. Summary of planned activities
> 3. Abbreviated minutes of relevant material from Colchester LUG meeting
> 07.02.08
> 4. Progress since LUG meeting
> 5. Summary of current situation and next steps
> 6. Meeting of those concerned
>
>
> 1.
>
> This email concerns those associated with the Colchester LUG and Linux users
> in general who have shown and now wish to show an interest in the
> organisation of a local 'Install Party' of Linux on the machines of those
> who attend.
>
> Members of the LUG who are not interested in the promotion of Linux amongst
> the public need have no part in the proceeding described below, and should
> not feel any compulsion to get involved.
>
> This is an open project, not exclusive to attendees of LUG meetings, and an
> attempt will be made to make use of the help of anyone who volunteers
> themselves.
>
> The more diversity of skill, opinion and experience we have in the
> organisational team the better!
>
>
> 2.
>
> The primary purpose of holding the 'install party' is to increase awareness
> and use of the Linux Operating system amongst the general public of
> Colchester. All details of the install party are designed with this in mind.
>
> Loosely then, we intend to hold an install party:
> -that is at a public location
> -that is open to the public
> -that promotes Linux and free software
> -that provides an opportunity for the public and their computer to be
> introduced to Linux by 'experts'
> -that is completely free for the public, where possible
> -that is entirely run and organised voluntarily by free software enthusiasts
>
> Hopefully the above points are basic and uncontentious. They are nonetheless
> open to revision.
>
>
> 3.
>
> Having established the foundational conception of the 'install party',
> discussion and commentary about this event which occurred at the latest CLUG
> meeting will now be reproduced. Talk and note taking at this event was not
> in any particular order, I'll try and group together points of a similar
> nature.
>
> Abbreviated, (Unattributed) Minutes:
>
> ~ The meeting should be held in a 'public' place because of i. legal
> implications and responsibilities (health and safety etc.); ii. easy public
> access, problems locating the premises etc.; public acceptability and
> image/presentation of the group/'party'
>
> ~ The chosen meeting location will ideally be well known to the public, or
> at least be easily findable (have its own website with map possibly, e.g.
> Colchester Central Library)
>
> ~The premises needs to be low cost (ideally free) due to the 'party's'
> voluntary nature
>
> ~The premises must be open at times suitable to the 'install party's'
> requirements
>    -Suitable times for the 'party' will primarily need to meet the needs of
> the 'installers', with the secondary goal of coinciding with periods outside
> of common working hours to encourage public participation. Evenings or
> weekends may be preferable
>
> ~ The premises needs to provide the opportunity for Internet connectivity
> because of the need for:
>     - Problem solving, and
>     - Downloading (additional) software packages, such as drivers and other
> user specific material
>
> =
>
> ~ Prepared (pre-downloaded) software should be brought to the 'party' by
> installers because this will:
>     - Speed up the installation and configuration progress; no wait and
> search for software online during the 'party' itself
>     - Minimise bandwidth requirements of on-site Internet connection
>
> ~ These 'pre-cached' packages could be chosen and organised in a variety of
> ways:
>     -Likely critical updates and commonly used packages for the primary
> supported distro could simply be downloaded and stored before hand
>     - A simple server machine could be set up to host packages, and/or auto
> cache any packages downloaded on the day, possibly via a python script, to
> make the process more efficient.
>     - For distros with smaller repositories, the repositories could be
> downloaded before hand for optimum package availability (say, for those
> which would fit on DL-DVD)
>
> =
>
> ~ A variety of distributions on liveCD should be brought in case
> demonstration is required for intermediate users or those with specific
> tastes/requirements (say five or six?)
>
> ~ Demo machines should be provided for those completely unfamiliar with
> Linux/KDE/GNOME to dispense with their fears. Ideally a selection of Distros
> would be available to try on these demo machines
>
> =
>
> ~ Whilst all types of prospective Linux user should be catered for, thought
> needs to be given to the party's specific target audience. Advanced/capable
> windows users curious about the 'unknown' of other operating systems may be
> a good and receptive demographic to target in this way in advertising and
> distro selection etc.. Narrowing our focus in this way can make our
> advertising material more effective, and appealing to too wide an audience
> presents several problems.
>
> ~ Advertising of the event will be key to its success or failure, good
> material needs to be distributed widely (and in strategic places?)
>
> ~ Should the event have an associated website? This would present the
> opportunity to:
>    - Submit requests for help in advance of the meeting, guaranteeing time
> slots etc.
>    - Submit hardware information in advance of the 'party' to allow better
> preparation; specific drivers downloaded, compatibility researched etc.
>    - Download a script to quickly retrieve the client's crucial hardware and
> diagnostic information (this idea has potential problems - suspicious
> software to prospective attendee, too much effort for attendee, etc. etc.)
>
> =
>
> ~ Liability policies need to be resolved before the 'party' - will attendees
> need to agree to a waiver? Paper or verbal?
>
> ~ An external USB hard disk drive should be available to backup attendees
> data before any dangerous procedures proceed. USB = wide compatibility,
> external = mobile. Either one large or several smaller HDDs could be used.
> The funding/sourcing of such a device was unresolved. Alternatively
> attendees could be requested to backup all data before attending, although
> some may not be able.
>
> ~ Attendees may be requested to partition their drives before attending to
> speed up the installation process and minimise liability of the 'installers'
>
> =
>
> ~ Activity at the 'party' should always be present: this provides an
> encouraging and professional atmosphere for those arriving. In this regard,
> the activity in question going on is not so critical as that there is
> activity going on. Installers will thus appear occupied and receptive to
> newcomers.
>
> ~ A certain level of presentability should be reached by 'installers' and
> 'party' representatives - this helps ensure respect and trust from attendees
> ("no beer stained shirts")
>
> =
>
> ~ Should help with any other operating systems that Linux be offered?
>    - Benefits: potentially attracts greater interest and numbers; attending
> is more desirable to public
>    - Negative effects: may inspire antagonism from local IT firms,
> potentially sidetracks interest away from free software, requires skills
> irrelevant to CLUG
>
> End of Minutes
>
>
> 4.
>
> I have made some inquiries regarding the location of the 'install party' I
> mentioned no dates, and listed requirements as i. Power points (several);
> ii. Space for 20-30 people (intended to represent need for equipment space),
> and; iii. Internet access if possible. I have contacted:
>
> 1. Colchester Central Library
> 2. Hole in the Wall Pub
> 3. Colchester campus/institute
> 4. Community and volunteers centre
> 5. Greenstead Community Centre
>
> 1. In a message left on my voicemail a library representative said they
> would be happy to host us, but were very busy with book festivals etc. and
> said availability before April would be unlikely.
>
> 2. The Hole in the wall were also very receptive, I spoke to the manager
> about the hire of their small lower seating area in the rear right corner of
> the pub facing its direction from the town centre (the same place we were
> sat at the last CLUG meeting). He said that either evenings or Saturdays
> would be fine, Saturdays they are open from 12-12. He gave the impression
> that we could use the area for as long as we liked, and that attendees and
> installers not consuming alcohol would not be a problem (I said tea and
> coffees would likely be consumed). The manager also said that wireless
> internet could be made available as they have their own network there, which
> is not usually available for public use. This can be discussed with the team
> there at a later date. The above is all available for free. However, for
> those that haven't seen this seating area, I'll try and explain its
> limitations. Firstly, its obviously in a pub, which is not necessarily a
> good image for the meet and may turn off many potential attendees, also
> children may not be very welcome. It is a small space, currently with four
> fairly large wooden tables occupying it, and the management may not be
> willing to change its layout at all. If we could rearrange the furniture the
> space may prove sufficient. There is only one electric point from what I
> could see, that appeared to have been installed 40 years ago or more.
> Granted multi-sockets and extension cables can be used, but its not an ideal
> situation by any means - pushing into several kilowatts may not be a good
> idea on an old socket like this. The suitability of The Hole in the Wall
> clearly needs more discussion.
>
> 3. I was referred to the Colchester Venues dept., who quoted a variety of
> venues. The facilities I was offered were not however aimed at community
> projects - meetings, but seemed designed to cater largely for business and
> other commercial customers. I was offered loan of lecture theatres, hotel
> 'function' suites (with included food) and conference halls. The university
> facilities were priced at £81.90 per day plus £63 for computer facilities
> and C.£50 per hour for a technician to 'enable' the computer facilities.
> Alternatively hotel prices started at £40 per person attending. None of the
> facilities offered seemed suitable. However, I tried to make contact with
> the 'Departmental Administrator of Computing and Electronics' who might be
> help to offer other options or support, possibly as an education event.
>
> 4. This community centre is located near the Castle on Colchester high
> street. They were quite receptive to my enquiries, but had reservations
> about the capacity of the room they had to offer. No specific answer was
> given to my inquiries about internet availability. Hire it not available in
> at weekends (unless with 'CEO's' permission), or in the evenings. The rate
> for the hire of the room by a voluntary organisation is £20. I was invited
> to go and inspect the room in question to judge the suitability for myself,
> which I have yet to do.
>
> 5. I received no reply from here on separate occasions on a Friday, and left
> a message stating my interest. I have yet to hear back from them.
>
>
> 5.
>
> Currently it seems we have no obvious choice of venue. Questions such as
> dates, default distro, key installers, finance methods and others remain.
> Assembling a list of individuals definitely wishing to participate in this
> event would be a useful activity, and so I ask that such people make
> themselves known either to me or to the recipients of the mailinglist
> generally. We'll have a better idea of where we stand once this is
> accomplished.
>
> Scouting of alternative venues should continue, and any suggestions would be
> appreciated. Centrality and public awareness, as well as times of
> availability are critical in this regard.
>
> Work on promotional material can begin immediately (posters, fliers). I
> intend to do this as soon as I have time, and welcome any submissions from
> others. I'm also happy to hand the project of poster design to anyone
> sufficiently skilled (I'm a novice using svg) – again, let me know what you
> have to offer.
>
>
>
>
> 6.
>
>
>
>
> I suggest that those wishing to participate in any way with this event, and
> those who don't but have something to say about it, join together on the
> CLUG IRC channel this Monday 18th at 7pm to further discuss the contents of
> this communication and the upcoming 'install party'. If anyone has a problem
> with this suggestion email me to let me know.
>
> Many thanks for reading this mail, and supporting the 'install party' –
> together we can have a big impact on Linux awareness and usership in this
> fine county!
>
> Contact me direct: samtuke [at] hotmail [dot] com
>
>  ________________________________
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>

-- 
web: http://phillsacre.me.uk
msn: phill at mooseofming.co.uk