[Sussex] Re: Sussex Digest, Vol 185, Issue 8

[paul]

sussex-request at mailman.lug.org.uk wrote:
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:41:32 +0100
> From: Alan Pope <alan at popey.com>
> Subject: Re: [Sussex] Re: BCF shows
> To: LUG email list for the Sussex Counties <sussex at mailman.lug.org.uk>
> Message-ID: <20070413134132.GE31875 at popey.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> On Fri, Apr 13, 2007 at 02:32:31PM +0100, paul wrote:
>   
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7ocanxYKjo&mode=related&search=
>>
>>     
>
> Personally I wouldn't want that anywhere near any Pro-Linux stand i was 
> running.
> Granted I didn't watch it to the end (I have seen enough GPFs and Blue 
> Screens in my life), but it smacks of bashing Microsoft. This has been 
> proven time and again NOT to be the way to win over converts.
>
> Show them the positive things about Linux, not the negative things about the 
> opposition.
>
> Cheers,
> Al.
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2007 15:37:55 +0100
> From: Nik Butler <nik at reducedhackers.com>
> Subject: Re: [Sussex] BCF shows
> To: LUG email list for the Sussex Counties <sussex at mailman.lug.org.uk>
> Message-ID: <461F95C3.9020903 at reducedhackers.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> Its worth mentioning that the purpose of the BCF stalls was not to "big 
> up" linux or open source. We wanted to raise awareness of the Local 
> Linux User Group in Sussex which was SLUGS what we wanted was to ensure 
> that visitors were aware that we were there and that we were the local 
> linux user group. Hence we were less about Infopoints and more about 
> Awareness of the Group and where to find us.  Thanks for the comments 
> though its good to know people are aware of what goes on .
>
>
> Nik
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
>   
Al - Yes, you are quite right. I should have mentioned about removing 
the bsod intro stuff (unfortunately, that was the section topic 
containing the vid) That part wasn't my intended attraction!
I just felt the "image" of the distro shown (bsod stuff removed) was 
lively and showy, being fairly representative of the eye-candy that 
attracts most home win users over to at least taking a look at vista atm.
Something to at least draw in some inquiring minds to the stand.
Yes, of course there's much more to it than that, but the first Linux 
stumbling block with home users (which is after all what the fair is 
attracting) is often "does it look as cool/easy to use or does it 
look/feel geeky awkward and boring?" In this context, I felt the video 
showed Ubuntu to be anything but boring!

Nik - As for the stand, I must admit, I never had that impression at all.
All I have ever seen at the Worthing fair is that you are punting Ubuntu 
(used to be Knoppix or something on show, a while ago, too) to get 
people to try Linux.
The last time I went, you were playing some kind of film/video, within 
Ubuntu I suppose, (with awful vertical lines right through it 
all....cringe!) as a Linux/Ubuntu "advert"

If it's LUG awareness, shouldn't you have some SLUG literature as the 
"center attraction" rather than Ubuntu, which very much appears to be 
the main display? (You don't happen to have any affiliation do you!?)

As for attracting existing Linux users, I brought a guy over to see you 
at the stand once. He helps out occasionally with the mandriva cooker 
and is a knowledgeable guy. He probably could have been a helpful 
participant in the SLUG, which we were both considering taking a look at.
However, upon mentioning Mandriva, he was met with a snide comment about 
Mandriva in the tone of "my fav distro is better than your one"
Unbelievable.
I help run a forum for a (small) specialist distro (only about 8000 
forum members though many more users as the d/load figures show) and I 
find it best to keep those sort of tones out of it. Incidentally, I must 
take this opportunity to proudly say that we won a prize at Cebit this 
year. I believe Ubuntu 6.10 was also in the running.

Anyway, that's my ranting done!
Good luck with it all!