[Lancaster] Website

[Ken Hough]

On Saturday 22 November 2008 14:39:50 andy baxter wrote:
> Ken Hough wrote:
> > I agree 100% that the many distros are a strength, but just imagine that
> > you were unfamiliar with Linux and used only to the conformity and
> > security (???  :-) ) of Windoze. What would be your reaction to such
> > diversity? Where would you think of starting? From my own experiences of
> > trying explain Linux to people, I expect that you would experience a
> > measure of uncertainty, if not panic!
>
> I think it would depend on the person - some people might find it
> unsettling but others might find it a welcome relief from the sterility
> of a corporate run system. I wouldn't make it the first thing I said
> about Linux if I was talking about it, but I would want to mention it
> pretty early on.
>
> >> Having
> >> the distro logos maybe helps convey this impression of a diverse
> >> community rather than a single organisation with a single logo.
> >
> > If this was intended for the attention of those who are already familiar
> > with Linux, then again, I would agree.
>
> I don't see why it can't be both - I'm thinking that the logos and the
> word Linux by themselves would be enough for someone familiar with
> Linux, and then the longer text is there for the people who don't
> already know about it.
>
> One thing here is to remember that this poster is meant to attract the
> relatively few people who are interested enough in computers that they
> want to spend time every month sitting in a pub talking about an
> operating system. Most of these people will at least have heard of Linux
> I reckon even if they don't know that much about it, so I think we can
> afford to stray on that side a bit. For a different event like an
> install fest we might do a different poster meant to have a broader appeal.
>
> >> Also,
> >> people maybe expect to see just one logo on a poster, so having several
> >> is more eye catching in itself.
> >
> > I disagree. Too many components can just blend into a background. A few
> > well defined and prominent items are more likely to grab attention and to
> > be easily identifiable at a glance/distance.
>
> Which is why I had the word Linux in huge type. I'm saying that just
> having the row of icons at the top will attract attention in itself -

If I'm walking past a poster, it isn't the small fuzzy detail that will grab 
my attention. It's likely to be something that is clear, simple, and which 
stands out, otherwise I will have moved on!

> people might be curious enough to want to look at them and then find
> themselves reading the poster. I guess it comes down to personal
> preference - I like the way I've done it but I can see the point you're
> arguing as well.

I guess that we must agree to differ.

>
> >>> It's hard enough to explain to most people the concepts behind Linux
> >>> and open source stuff without getting into the pros and cons of the
> >>> many distros that are available.
> >>
> >> The poster doesn't mention distros by name at all in the current
> >> version, which I agree on.
> >
> > So why include logos that are unlikely to mean much to non-Linux readers?
>
> I guess I just like the way it looks - to me it does give a nice lively
> impression, but obviously you don't agree.

Yes, it looks good when close up, but would it grab your attention when you 
are passing by?

>
> > If logos are to be included, then which ones? Should we present logos for
> > the 400 odd distros that are out there?
>
> No - I put in as many as there were space for without taking over the
> main part of the poster. People are more likely to recognise the main
> ones I've put in like ubuntu, suse, red hat etc.

Some empty space can sometimes say more than can a very full page.  :-)

>
> >> I wrote mine the way I did
> >> because I wanted to explain the point about software freedom, but maybe
> >> it's more important at first to tell people what linux can do for them.
> >
> > Freedom should definitely be refered to as it's so much at the heart of
> > Linux, so I think that we need both to be mentioned. IMHO, these two
> > points are the essence of what we need to present  --  and of course, how
> > to make contact with the Linux community.
>
> OK - fair enough. I was thinking that the way you had described the user
> benefits was more straightforward and maybe more friendly than mine, so
> it might be worth changing what I had written a bit.

Can we get some input from other LUGgers?  Um! Just to be clear, that word 
begins with 'L'.   :-)

Ken Hough