[Infopoint] The state of the (Infopoint)?

[alan c]

Tony Whitmore wrote:
> On Wed, Apr 18, 2007 at 09:32:42AM +0100, alan c wrote:
>> David Goodwin wrote:
>> >alan c wrote:
>> >>Is it my imagination or is Infopoint a quiet lately?
>> >
>> >Yeah it does seem that way. Kat and I haven't done anything with it in 
>> >the last year(?); although now we've moved house we could/should try and 
>> >spread the word somehow
> 
> We were prevented from continuing with InfoPoints when they stopped running 
> the fairs in Hampshire. I only know of one other computer fair in Hampshire at 
> all now, although I suspect there must be more. To be honest, I haven't had 
> much time to put into InfoPoints as advocacy isn't that important to many 
> people within the LUG and they were beginning to seem a bit of a thankless 
> task.

It may seem a thankless task, but what happens is on a long time 
delayed response.

My own move into linux took years looking at articles, then finally a 
LUG install day to get an early mandrake on a very very slow PC, then 
two whole years went by as a believer but non user! As a non IT person 
with no spare time, I had to wait until I got desperate (!). By then 
suse was at 9.1 and I bought the retail box from amazon.  Somehow the 
retail box gave it credibility to me - looking from a windows 
indoctrinated users view. Strange but true. That is where linspire and 
xandros can thrive.

It took about two years then to become confident with suse, and also 
want something with more freedom.

Ubuntu 6.06 had gathered a community I appreciated and th 
eintroduction of gaphical installer was something I welcomed, and 
began to become committed.

These timescales were years. The very initial install proved to me 
that linux was real! and did work!

Infopoint exposure is fundamental marketing exposure where it does 
most good.

There is a marketing wisdom which says that on the third contact or 
exposure, a person may commit to a sale. Before that they are being 
informed, then increased information or desire, until finally they 
buy. This is a multistage process, underpinned by exposure. Exposure 
itself has become fundamental in our current retail consumer society. 
If something is in a retail pack it will be chosen. The ubuntu shipit 
packs are the most chosen I think for this reason.

In the last few months there has been a noticeable hardening of 
interest from people who know they want an alternative, but are 
nervous, some really frightened, of an alternative. The infopoint 
display, month after month, has given a lot of credibility, and people 
look for it for when they try linux initially. It is becoming a 
windows user support discussion for linux!

> We should make more efforts I suppose

For those with a bent towards campaigning  - yes if possible. It is a 
pivotal time for new linux interest (vista etc)

> Perhaps it's time to start a discussion 
> thread on the LUG.

worth a try, if it encourages action.
-- 
alan cocks
Kubuntu user#10391