Dear all,
Things are really happening at the Linux group, the LAP and the website.
Hitting when the iron is hot...i am proposing a work plan for the next six
months. And this mail is not going to have any long discourse on freedom, so
please read on before getting intimidated by the length.
Theoretically, conceptually, ideologically and technically one of the binding
factors of the group is freedom and the perpetuation of it. I think to
translate these into practical/tangible realities we need to undertake small
projects at regular intervals not only within the group but inviting and
inticing participation from people outside the group.
LAP, if i may say is a broader large project and at least as i conceive it
would never want to be in a stage where it would be `complete'. There would
be need to continuously generate a research/knowledge base and technically
improvise on it. Adding packages/deleting packages, understanding the needs
and providing solutions. However excited i am by the entire project and
working on it, i wouldn't like to impose ambitious deadlines on it. It will
take a lot of time, energy and commitment from one and all. No one person can
carry this project alone on his/her own shoulders.
Anyways, coming to the `worklplan'.
<!--this is in the proposal state to the group and will be discussed in detail
during the next meet. so open to comments, criticism...and appreciation(as
well)-->
As I have already mentioned elsewhere, I am conducting field research in the
neighbourhood (to sarai/ rajpur road) so there are a lot of contacts and
conversations being initiated. And it is not only important to have these
conversations but ensure that long mutually beneficial relationships are
established. Concentrating on this area to begin with i would suggest the
following.
<<1>> Installation Demo;s
Once a month, one volunteer from the Linux delhi group comes here (@sarai) to
give an installation demo of the lap Cd. The audience could be from school
lab assistants, college students, cyber cafe operators or school children (as
these are the spaces i am basically venturing into at the moment). This demo
should include a basic lap installation and other related issues that come
up. We will provide the installation guide (which supreet and i will be
preparing soon) along with the CD (the installation guide will be a low-cost
easily reproduced, most probably A4 sheets in a small booklet format. the
cost for both of these will be borne by sarai at the moment)
Once we have the experience of six installation sessions over here and by the
time hopefully other areas will be penetrated and contacts established by
other enthusiasts of the group in other areas, then we could think of
undertaking similar sort of endeavours there also. I am not stating as these
plans as being absolute, as i am sure with experience and interactions there
will be many more ideas which will be possible to materialize. As i write
this also, there are many ambitious projections which i can state but keeping
everything simple and accessible i will limit it to this.
As an understanding of the audience demand is reached and if there are other
specific packages which can be demonstrated keeping in mind the needs. For
instance, in this area there are a lot of small time publishers and someone
could research and give a demo of the open source packages available it will
be really great.
Before we undertake this, it would be nice if six people could volunteer for
giving the lap demo only once a month in coming six month along with any
other demo's they would like to give and the kind of audience they have in
mind. For instance, if someone can think of a demo of interesting packages
for cyber cafe operators.
<!--if the volunteers can suggest themes, i would include the audience in my
mind in my field work.-->
I am not painting a idealistic picture where there will be tons and tons of
people who will turn up for these demo's, if there are only one or two also,
we should think of it as a breakthrough and as all of us have realized
through experience for big things to happen the beginning has to be modest
and small.
It is important to venture out into other spaces as well, if for nothing else
to intiate and arouse conversations and curiosity.
<<2.>. Talks
This will be in collaboration with Sarai. Once a month or once in two months,
we invite someone to come and give a talk on any related issue. we can think
of it thematically around certain issues we want to know more about or get
excited about what the person in his/her own capacity has to offer.
we will have to have more conversations and discussions on this one as at the
moment i am thinking aloud. However, these talks could be recorded,
transcribed and made available on the website in pdf formats which can be
then easily downloaded and printed from anywhere.
____________________________________________________________________________
Once we have a regular monthly event going on we can even think of a
newsletter and approach IDG [somebody had recently raised the question on
the list about the progress on the same and sadly enough, it really hasn;t
gone much far} for low-cost publication. An editorial board on rotation basis
can be elected and the content decided during the linux-Delhi meet and
uploaded on the site as well.
If these things set a pace and results are achieved, we can approach some
companies/organizations for sponsorship for a meets and other infrastructural
expenses.
to end, i am taking the liberty of mentioning the names of few people who i
know personally as well and hope they will be forthcoming.
>>Prateek
>>Dhruv Gami
>>Vipul Mathur
>>pankaj/supreet (sarai)
there are lot many out there.
Rajpur road is almost like another state but only once a month, the drive
wouldn't do bad.
comment. criticize. reply. question.
but lets continue.
cheers
tripta
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