On Sat, 16 Oct 2004 16:23, Rik Tindall wrote: > Thanks for taking the trouble to write in Ralph. > > We couldn't have asked for a more ringing endorsement of our ability to > match the interests of newcomers and old-hands alike. Yes, I too found the talks interesting. It motivates me to do a 'son et lumiere' type of show for folks to see some of the less common creations which have been made on top of the X-11 Windowing System. ( I'm a kde user, and am not really able to show off gnome applications - that's not a cue for a G versus K flamefest. It's merely a statement of fact. )
Here's a list of possibles:- Getting ink on paper:- Point out the 2 main methods of print preparation. Typewriter Simulation method:- OpenOffice - _*very*_ brief because it's so well known. KOffice - Not as well known, but very nicely integrated, especially Kword - A simple little WP, but pretty effective at what it does. Combined Drawing and Typesetting. Scribus - The killer application! If there is an app. which is going to put Linux on the desktop, this is the one which is going to do it! The advert in the Press for the last InstallFest was created using it. The 'write a script to control the printer' method. TeX SGML I can introduce these and very happily defer to other speakers. e.g. I know Michael Jason Smith is far more qualified to speak on TeX, and LaTeX than I ever will be. The combination of interactive input and the TeX or SGML methods results in:- Lyx - For me this is the ultimate app. for typesetting. Demonstrations of Blender [1] and Povray [2] are two applications which could show off Linux very nicely. Would our covert Povray expert be able to talk about it? I'd also be happy to show off the Squeak [3] Smalltalk e-toys [4] project. I could go on here ad infinitum. Requests and suggestions very welcome. > Now, how do we find more newbies? imho, it's not so much "How do we find more newbies?", but more "How do we make it easy for newbies to find us?" I think we have to make ourselves more widely known to the mainstream media. I heard that fellow who does "Digital-Life" back on National Radio the other day. [5] Before he got ill, I seem to remember somewhat vaguely that they asked us to keep in touch. Perhaps we should do that. > (and do we want to?) Possibly. Done properly, it means _a lot_ of work. > Ralph Stoker wrote: > >Well done Nick and Michael for a most enjoyable and informative evening > > last night. > [ ... for the sake of brevity ... ] > >P.s. Thanks for the great catering one and all...and will the person who > >provided the chocolate eclairs please stand up and take a > >bow....outstanding ;-) > > Many thanks to Lynda Sawtell for her impressive kitchen creations. I have conveyed your feelings. [1] http://www.blender3d.org/ [2] http://www.povray.org/ [3] http://www.squeak.org/ [4] http://www.squeakland.org/ [5] http://www.radionz.co.nz/digitallife/ -- Sincerely etc., Christopher Sawtell
