[NTLUG:Discuss] Linux Demo Day && Best Buy

[Steve Baker]

cbbrowne at godel.brownes.org wrote:

> If the Best Buy idea is "out," is anybody close enough to Fry's
> (geographically/knowing-contacts-wise) to see if one of their
> locations would be alternatives?

I talked to the store manager at the Fry's on I20 with a view to
them hosting my 24hour game writing thing.

He was singularly un-interested in *anything*...he didn't listen
to what I was trying to tell him - and was clearly going to toss
my business card in the trash the moment I stepped away - and
indeed he never did call me back as he promised.

YMMV...  :-(

HOWEVER - Fry's seem to be doing a great job of promoting Linux
themselves.  I visited their store on i20 last night and they
had a machine set up running (I think) RedHat - with Quake loaded.

There were a LOT of passers-by stopping, looking, saying stuff
like "Oooh - look - it's that Linux thing!", wiggling the mouse,
etc. It's interesting to stand nearby and listen to the things
people say about it.

The small Linux shelf area has now extended to a complete aisle
with no less than FIVE Linux distro's on sale (Caldera, SuSE 6.2,
Slakware, two different RedHat's)...plus some games,
the CodeWarrior bundle, lots of books, Tux plushies, etc.)
On the opposite aisle, they even had a boxed BSD UNIX distribution
for sale! (Although it did look a bit lonely nestled in amongst
a bunch of Windoze 98 boxes).

So, Fry's are definitely attuned to the Linux phenomenon.
In fact, they seem to be doing a great job of promoting
it without our help.

Probably the BEST thing we could do to help them at that
location would be to provide some NTLUG handouts to put
next to their PC display.

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