[NTLUG:Discuss] Linux Demo Day 99

[Steve Baker]

MadHat wrote:

> One question:  Why?  or What is it you want to show John Q Publik?

I think it will attract interest in Linux just because people are
going to be curious about something as unusual as this.

Scenario 1:  You walk into the store, looking for Blarf-for-Windoze
   v.1.2.3 and some person wanders up and tries to give you a flier,
   you can't get out of his way and you are polite so you take it.

Scenario 2:  You walk into the store, looking for Blarf-for-Windoze
   v.1.2.3 and there is a bunch of exhausted-looking hackers *still*
   having fun using Linux - there are piles of empty pizza boxes
   and empty coffee cups everywhere...and a big sign saying
   "record-setting attempt to write a computer game in 24hrs:
   3 hours to go!". There is a big projection TV showing the game
   running - someone invites you to play it, you get to
   chatting with one of the 'minders' - he gives you a flier.
   You forget all about Blarf-for-Windoze and buy a cuddly
   penguin instead.

Which flier goes into the next trash can without being read?

Which person thinks that being a part of the Linux
community could really be a lot of fun?

Which person comes back on the way out and asks how to get
Linux?

Which person joins NTLUG?


Scenario #1 is *BORING* - you'd have to wear a *TIE* to hand
            out fliers like that. Linux is NOT BORING.

Scenario #2 speaks to the hacker culture - to the kinds
            of people who made Linux. To people who fly to
            Germany to take their laptops to a picnic and
            drink beer. To people who try to send back their
            Win98 CD's for a $5 refund. To people who celebrate
            the launch of Windoze 98 by cutting up the CD's
            using them as the fins of rockets and LAUNCHING
            them. To people with a stoopid penguin as a mascot
            instead of some kind of four-coloured flag.

In five years time, succeed or fail, we'll still remember
what fun this was.  Standing in a store handing out fliers
is BORING.

> What is the purpose for having a 24 hour coding session?

Purpose?   I didn't know I needed one of those?  Let's see:
Computers - check. Hackers - check.  Pizza - check. Purpose -
erm, nope - don't see one of those anywhere.

It's FUN.  It's COOL.   You only live once and you need to
do stuff like this to stay sane!

Fellow hackers will *understand*.

> What will this prove?

It proves we are alive!  Can you imagine a bunch of
Windoze users even contemplating something like this?

> Not that it isn't a cool idea.

That's the *entire* point.  The cool idea stands by itself.
The Linux Demo Day event is just the excuse for doing it.

-- 

Steve Baker                (817)619-2657 (Vox/Vox-Mail)
Raytheon Systems Inc.      (817)619-2466 (Fax)
Work: sjbaker at hti.com      http://www.hti.com
Home: sjbaker1 at airmail.net http://web2.airmail.net/sjbaker1