[Wylug-announce] Linux/Free Software Skill Share: Sunday 1st June

[Louisa Parry]

Hi all,

There is a Linux/FOSS installfest/skillshare happening at the Common
Place in Leeds this Sunday (1st June 2008).  Details below.

The Common Place (http://www.thecommonplace.org.uk/) is located just
off Kirkgate in the east of the city centre so easily accessible by
public transport.  The postcode is LS2 7EQ.  More information about
where to find it can be found on the website or here:
http://www.thecommonplace.org.uk/images/howtogettocp.pdf

We've not organised the event so any queries/suggestions should go
direct to Mark (email below).

Hope to see you there - it sounds like it'll be a good day. :)

-Louisa :)


-------- Forwarded Message --------

2008/5/17 common place bookings <cpbookings at yahoo.co.uk>:
        - Tired of having to buy a new computer every 3 years because it
        seems to have slowed down?
        - Wonder why you have to pay to 'upgrade' a program you already
        bought, just to keep using it?
        - Have activist types been telling you to stop sending them Word
        documents?
        - Ever wondered why some of the computers in The Common Place
        run something called 'Ubuntu Linux?'
        
        ... if the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you
        might want to come to our skill-share on Sunday 1st June,
        10AM-4PM at The Common Place. There will be teaching,
        explaining, sharing ideas and hands-on tuition using the
        GNU/Linux operating system and other free software. This
        programme can be changed according to who turns up and what we
        all want to do, but to give you an idea of what we have in mind:
        
        * * * L I N U X A N D F R E E S O F T W A R E S K I L L - S H A
        R E D A Y * * *
        * * * T H E C O M M O N P L A C E , S U N D A Y 1 S T J U N E ,
        1 0 - 4 * * *
        
        This event is open to people of all skill levels. If you've done
        some of this stuff before, come and share that with people who
        haven't.
        Hopefully you can still pick up some new skills during the day.
        If you'd like to volunteer to demonstrate or talk on a
        particular topic, get in touch and we'll fit you in. People can
        just turn up to any of the sessions but it would be helpful if
        you let us know in advance that you're planning to come.
        
        Contact: ma6rk at ph3onecoop.coo2p [remove the numerals to make it
        work]
        
        10AM
        INSTALLFEST: Bring your own computer and we'll talk you through
        the process of installing the GNU/Linux operating system.
        You can install it to co-exist with your old Windows system, if
        there's space on your hard disk, or wipe it off and make a pure
        Linux
        system. Before lunch you should have your computer running
        Linux.
        - If you want to bring your computer, make sure anything
        important is properly backed-up first
        - Let us know in advance what you're bringing so we can prepare
        - If anyone has done this before, come and help someone else do
        it
        - We might also try converting one of the cafe computers that
        just runs windows, to 'dual-boot' (i.e you chose at start-up
        whether it
        runs windows or Linux
        
        11AM
        HISTORY AND ETHOS OF THE FREE SOFTWARE MOVEMENT: We'll talk
        about why free software matters, how it started, what
        makes it different from proprietary software, and how it helps
        people to reduce consumption and overcome the boundaries of
        capital. "Free as in speech, not free as in beer."
        - Please come and join in if you've had experience of copyleft
        publishing or if you want to tell a story about how free
        software
        has affected your politics
        
        12NOON
        FINISH INSTALLATIONS: We'll finalise the installations we
        started earlier and if time permits, fine-tune the systems
        - Please come and share tips for improving security, reducing
        energy use improving system performance
        
        1PM
        LUNCH BREAK: The fanstastic common place brunch will be served!
        
        2PM
        THE COMMAND LINE IS YOUR FRIEND: Tired of mice? Prefer to type?
        Want to harness the full potential of your system?
        Impress your friends etc.... we'll have some learning resources
        
        INTRODUCTION TO SOME COMMON FREE SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS:
        Introduction to some of the most widely-used free
        software. How to do the things you used to do in windows, but
        better.
        
        3PM
        NOW WHAT? What you might do with your new skills
        - Tech collectives, Indymedia collectives, LUGs
        - How to join in developing software (you don't have to be a
        programmer)
        - Using free software in your activism
        - Helping other people to avoid surveillance and censorship:
        encryption, anonymising services, onion routers, tunnelling,
        etc.
        - On-line resources to learn more
        - Should we do some more events like this? e.g. focussing on
        specialised topics?
        - Anyone want to take on a specific project (open or closed
        group?)
        
        4PM
        TIDY UP
        
        {please forward this message anywhere you think it might be
        welcome}