[Infopoint] Manchester InfoPoint

[Tony Whitmore]

John wrote:

> On the off chance I asked one of the NCM organisers if they had a spare table and was given one instantly in the second hall. I was expecting a No answer and hoping to arrange a date in the future.

Great stuff!

> As I was not prepared, I only had Knoppix and Ubuntu CDs. I had actually turned up to try and get a graphics card and ask for help on an MS problem.
> In the last ninety minutes of the show while most stalls were packing up, I managed to hand out all fifty CDs and talk myself hoarse showing off KDE and Gnome. Many had tried in the past and were happy for the latest Knoppix.

Even greater!

> Power. I had to buy an extension cable as the socket on the next stall was not close enough for my laptop.

Now you've got it for next time though. :)

> I had no games installed and lots asked about games.

Interesting, we don't get asked about that very much.

> Everyone seemed convinced that they saw Linux as a means of utilising old hardware. This I thought was a bad idea, as if this is all you are trying Linux on, your new shiny XP box will obviously seem better.

Yes, our first InfoPoint was in a recon-PC place, where the latest
Knoppix at that time ran dog slow. We usually show off FLOSS on recent
laptops and desktops at InfoPoints now.

> No web access and I do not know how to arrange at a show.

Unless the venue has it, I'd guess GPRS would be the only option. We
survive without it OK though - we try to have a mirror of our website on
a local machine.

> Only one screaming lunatic. Shouted at me for giving Knoppix away for free after he had paid a fiver for an older copy off a trader. This was all a conspiracy against him and he was a Linux expert with twenty years experience of programming for Linux Limited. Why was I not selling it and why did I not have a Pingu logo to show I was from the official Linux company !!!

LOL! Surely such an expert would download and burn his own Knoppix CDs? :)

> I suppose everyone on an Infopoint gets one of these, but why are they always
> a) So loud
> b) Obviously mad
> c) Always have that gleam in their eyes that says they have sharp kitchen implements in their pockets and are stupid enough to use them if you so much as laugh in public at them.

Well, I don't think I've ever had any mad Linux nuts come up. We've had
a few just plain mad people come up though. :)

> I have to be honest, I smiled weakly at him and was not really willing to argue. Next time I need some leaflets giving some information.

Excellent - I hope the resources already on the wiki will help you out.
I'd still like to put together a "virtual pack" for InfoPoints
containing such things - I just lack the time at present.

Cheers,

Tony
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