Not to mention that the bookstore wants to sell MS software - after all, the store itself does get a cut of the sale.
We talked about this kind of thing in previous semesters, and one really awesome idea we had was to hit the co-op crowd with some CDs using a "love, freedom, and sticking it to the man" theme. Another interesting idea was to promote it to the CS and engineering crowd as a better alternative to using the detective cluster (which it is - unless things got better after I left). Seeing as the Diamondback will print basically anything that has decent spelling and grammar, I'd also advocate someone (some people?) writing a few shill letters and op-eds about how great Linux is, and how the University is too dependent on Apple and Microsoft. For maximum effect, someone else could write a first letter about how we should use Microsoft _more_. I know this is vaguely unethical, but it happens all the time. You should see how some organizations get their "news" (read: press releases). -DMZ On Fri, 2006-02-10 at 12:21 -0500, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > On the subject of annoying evangelism, I'd also suggest that hanging > around the bookstore trying to dissuade people from buying MS software > might not be a good idea- people might not appreciate strangers coming up > and bothering them about their software purchases. Perhaps it would be > better to talk to the bookstore about setting up some kind of kiosk or > table with CDs and a sign, and have someone available to answer any > questions people might have. > > -Derek > > > At the risk of sounding too PC, could we find another word besides > > "evangelism"? I personally don't care at all (it's true, after all), but > > it rubs certain people the wrong way, because they don't like Christian > > evangelicals much at all. > > > > I suggest "advocacy" instead. > > > > If there are any specific funding needs, please send those out when you > > figure them out. I'd be happy to donate a few bucks to get more Linux on > > campus. Also, let use know about any really specific bits of work, I > > wouldn't mind helping out. Maybe you should toss up an issue tracker on > > the UMLUG site... > > > > -DMZ > > > > On Fri, 2006-02-10 at 11:43 -0500, John Demme wrote: > >> Last night was the discussion meeting on future evangelism. I'd like > >> to thank the very few people who showed up despite the cold. > >> > >> Here's what we've decided to do: > >> > >> We'll be forming two committees- an Evangelism committee and an > >> Education Committee. > >> > >> The Evangelism committee will be in charge of F/OSS and Linux > >> evangelism. The initial committee will be active for this semester, > >> all summer, and part of the beginning of the fall 2006 semester. One > >> of their first acts will be deciding on one or two CDs to be > >> distributing. We want one to be a CD of F/OSS software for Windows > >> and another to be a Linux boot CD. The obvious choice for the latter > >> is Knoppix, but they'll be evaluating multiple options. If both > >> Windows stuff and the Linux boot CD are available on the same CD, so > >> be it- easier for us. I'm told (by Anthony) that Ubunutu makes a CD > >> like this. It was also suggested that this committee coordinate with > >> the University Helpdesk to distribute F/OSS software- putting links to > >> applications like Open Office on the applicable Helpdesk pages. It > >> would also be desirable to get OIT to distribute our official CD en > >> masse to all of the incoming freshmen in the fall. Lastly, I would > >> like this committee to, in the early fall (when people are buying > >> their books and such), arrange to have some one to be at the campus > >> book store whenever they're open to dissuade people from buying > >> products like MS Office and instead offer them our F/OSS CD. These > >> are just some ideas to start with, and the committee will be > >> responsible for generating more ideas and implementing them. > >> > >> Next is the Education committee. They'll be responsible for educating > >> people about F/OSS and Linux. Although this overlaps a bit with the > >> Evangelism committee's mission, I feel that it's different enough to > >> warrant a separate committee. One of my biggest pet peeves is when > >> Professors distribute assignments and necessary material in MS doc > >> format, considering that anything slightly past text doesn't work in > >> OO half the time. One of the things the education committee would be > >> responsible for is educating the entire University faculty/staff (or > >> whoever will listen) on topics such as this, and alternatives to using > >> the doc format (such as HTML or PDF). A lecture on closed vs open > >> standards might be in order. > >> > >> I am (as of now) looking for people to head each committee and staff > >> them. If you're interested, please send me an email telling me such. > >> > >> We also spent some time generating ideas for meetings. The > >> "Evangelism Trifecta" that we used last semester (Revolution OS, then > >> Intro to Linux talk the next week, then the Installfest the week > >> after) will fall under the domain of the Evangelism Committee and > >> we'll probably do it again this semester. We also thought about > >> running a series of "howto" tutorials on various topics- Samba intro, > >> Linux gaming, Xorg, apache, VPN, AFS, iptables, ect... These meetings > >> would probably fall under the domain of the Education Committee. Ajay > >> also suggested that we have sort of a "book swap" meeting and/or > >> website section. He'd like people to post IT/CS books (on to the > >> website) that they have and are willing to loan out. Also a meeting > >> where various people talk about what books they've read and would > >> suggest (especially if they're on Orielly Safari- free for University > >> people) is a possible meeting. > >> > >> I have also felt that we haven't had as many presentations at a more > >> abstract and complex level as of late. I'd like to have more > >> presentations like Rob's security research talk last semester. For > >> instance, I'd love to have a talk about how the Linux kernel is > >> structured and how it works. (Is there anyone here qualified to give > >> that talk?) Linux as an RTOS and an example of a Linux embedded > >> device might also be a cool talk. (Anybody for that one?) > >> > >> I'll be scheduling the next meeting soon with Peter as he'll be giving > >> a talk on the Campus VPN, and I'll probably add on to his talk with > >> something on OpenVPN, since it's applicable and I just finished doing > >> an OpenVPN roll-out. > >> > >> That's all for now- don't forget to let me know if you're interested > >> in heading or staffing a committee. I apologize for using the term > >> "committee" so many times. I cringed every time I typed it. > >> > >> ~John Demme > >> UMLUG President > > > > >
