[NTLUG:Discuss] Re: Do LUGs Still Matter

[Leroy Tennison]

Dennis Rice wrote:

> Alias Chuck wrote:
>
> This was something I was thinking about the other day.  There is no 
> one really advertising Linux, except to enterprise users.  No one is 
> inviting people to try it on the desktop for fun or education.  Linux 
> has all but vanished from the mainstream press.  I check out PC World 
> and that other PC magazine most months at the library and there is 
> NEVER a mention of Linux.  I did some work in a school recently and 
> the classroom with computers in it was marked on the plans "MS 
> Computer Lab" (I asked; MS is Microsoft).  In the five years I have 
> been using Linux I have met exactly ONE other person who has tried it 
> (outside the LUG).
> So I wonder; would it be a good idea to try a little marketing?  What 
> about doing an "Install Fest" at the local library or school?  There 
> are "Technology" classes at most of the middle and high schools.   I 
> know teachers and they would probably be interested in an offer of a 
> guest presentation on Linux.  Could the LUG organize something like 
> that?  
> The most powerful corporation the world has ever known has to resort 
> to posting that pathetic "Get The Facts" website to try and influence 
> people to avoid Linux.  Is there anything we can do to counter that, 
> even a little bit?  
> ==================================================
>
> We have had an offer by Novell to work and support an activity, as 
> initially worked up by Chris Cox, but no one has been willing to step 
> up and put forth the extra effort.  I would love to, but I know at the 
> moment I do not have the time to devote to the effort, and hence, I 
> would perform a poor job. 
> I want to commend Chris for being willing to keep going in providing 
> leadership, even if he thinks want to be replaced (not true, just 
> needs another day or two in the week devoted to our group ;-). 
> So I put forth the question to the group - what do we want to do and 
> who is willing to lead?  The Novell effort is superb, just needs an 
> active leader.  Would someone please step forward.  All groups are 
> centered around the leaders, and we have some excellent leaders now, 
> but we do need more ideas and people to diversify the workload.
>
> Who is willing to step up?
>
> Dennis
>
>
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>
A thought I had would be to do our "Linux Expo" (or whatever we call it) 
at a public event rather than at Nokia.  Nokia is a wonderful place to 
have our regular meetings but it isn't near crowds of people on a 
Saturday.  If all we "showed off" was KDE as a desktop (or which ever 
one you prefer), Open Office, games, email and the Internet combined 
with the words "low cost to free" I believe we would "have a winner". 
 If we did it with Novell we could even have a few retail copies there 
for those who didn't want to fiddle with downloads of finding the free 
stuff.  When M$ wants $100 or more just for an upgrade then $80 for an 
OS plus a high-end office suite, plus more games plus other things is a 
steal.  To me this is the message we need to get across: "You're being 
ripped on price for the Linux alternative".