Archived thread 320430 from Ohio Team - US. Markdown source: Ohio_Team_-_US/thread_320430_March_Madness_Install_Fest!.md
*Join in the planning Wednesday Nights 8p #ubuntu-ohio*
I wanted to see who would be interested in a state-wide install fest in March. I think we could have simultaneous events in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati.
Lets start planning now, and make this a huge event!
That would be awesome! Even though I wouldnt be able to make it to Cleveland... (2.5 hours north of me). I wonder if anyone would be attending from my area (New Philadelphia, Dover area). Its a drive but since i dont drive its a lot harder to get to these fests...
I think its a super idea and it should be organized if there is enough interest to do so... i've hosted one installfest with my LUG I was president of back in Zanesville, Ohio. (It fell apart about the time I moved)
~Robert
Greetings,
This is my first post here. I just wanted everybody to know that I'm new. If you would be able to add Toledo to your list of locations, I might be able to help organize it. I live in one of the Toledo suburbs. Any of the other Toledo people want to throw their hats into the ring?
Thanks,
tux72 said: Greetings,
This is my first post here. I just wanted everybody to know that I'm new. If you would be able to add Toledo to your list of locations, I might be able to help organize it. I live in one of the Toledo suburbs. Any of the other Toledo people want to throw their hats into the ring?
Thanks,
That would be great! We also have added a location in Mansfield Headed up by Micheal K.
Vorian said: That would be great! We also have added a location in Mansfield Headed up by Micheal K.
I don't have the first idea about how to organize one of these things, so I'd need a lot of help from some other Toledo people and others here who have organized one before. I'm married, so I don't have a lot of time to put into it per week, but I'll do what I can. Any assistance in understanding how this works would be greatly appreciated. I could probably get some help from TALUG - the Toledo Area Linux User's Group (www.talug.org)
Here's a guide from the wiki... https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoRunningInstallfests
Strong tables
Chairs
How much power does a computer need? Laptops need about 0.5 amps. For a desktop/tower/workstation type of computer the amount of power needed depends on the monitor, number of disk drives, etc. Basically though, if everything is connected to one power strip, then they need at most 3 to 4 amps at the moment that the power is turned on and 1.5 to 2 amps while they are running. You should try to have access to the circuit breakers either directly or through readily available maintenance staff.If you are lucky you will be able to make arrangements to regularly hold installfests at a few locations that meet your needs. If possible you should hold your fests at a variety of locations such as technical colleges, universities and businesses because Linux is for everyone. Linux distributions (distros)
You may want to make some of the following items available: scratch paper, ball-point pens, sharpies, scissors, stapler, duct tape, packing tape, blank FAT formatted floppy disks (used are fine), blank CD-R media.Advertising
Someone will need to bring network switches and cables You should have a few signs posted to help people find their way around the location and provide other information. Some examples are:
Pizza usually works out well. Tell people that you will be collecting a specific amount of money at the door for pizza. If they do not want to share some pizza, then they do not need to pay. In order to know who has paid, use an ink stamp to mark their hand. Do not forget paper plates and napkins. If there are no vending machines at the location you may want to provide soft drinks, including water and possibly coffee during the fest. If you do provide drinks, you should consider selling them at cost.
Hey All,
Just thought I would pass this along - DMA (Dayton Area Computer Users Group) Not sure what the M or the A stands for.... anyways, they have a LUG that hosts installfests once or twice a year - here is a link.
http://www.dma.org/linuxsig/Linux-install.shtml
and some of the flyers they use to advertise can be found here. http://www.dma.org/linuxsig/files/
Of course they are a general Linux group, so they promote installing linux in general! I'm not a member of the DMA, so someone might want to contact them and see how there installfest go.
LeRoy
I forgot to meantion, Let me know if you need Network Switches or Hubs, I have a few 12 and 24 port hubs, I don't have enough Cat 5 thou - and I may have some other things that could come in handy, external CD burners, zip drives, etc.... (Thou I don't know how useful a zip drive would be any more :D ) So let me know when it comes closer to the date and time, I'll do what I can to help. Since I'm close to Cincinnati it would be likely that I could help out there.
LeRoy
Wow, I'll show up to the IRC meeting, I'm interested in attending (live 3 hours away from Columbus in Indiana). I think this would be a really cool event. Since I've moved to Indiana, I haven't met a single Linux user (only had one friend back home who used it).
po0f said: Wow, I'll show up to the IRC meeting, I'm interested in attending (live 3 hours away from Columbus in Indiana). I think this would be a really cool event. Since I've moved to Indiana, I haven't met a single Linux user (only had one friend back home who used it).
Great, we'll see you there!
Vorian,
Just to clarify: #ubuntu-ohio on Freenode, right?
po0f said: Vorian,
Just to clarify: #ubuntu-ohio on Freenode, right?
That's the place! There are usually a few of us on, you are welcome to join in anytime:D
Copied from the mailing list:
Dan Buch
Hello all!
In response to all this this talk about an installfest, I wanted to represent the Linux noob demographic in the best way I know how. I've got some admittedly open-ended questions that I really don't want answered so much as I'd like to see the resulting discussion produce some ideas and opinions that might make their way into the global LoCo Team sphere.
What is the purpose of an Installfest?
How does this goal fit into our mission of fixing Bug #1?
What are the potential downsides of an Installfest, if any?
Is the term "Installfest" too ambiguous? Too daunting to the new user? Is another, more Ubuntu-like name for the thing in order?
Please understand that I'm firmly biased in all of my opinions and that I have absolutely no interest in promoting the traditionally clique-y, ubernerd side of Linux any more than is painfully necessary. I believe that we should be emphasizing the concept of "humanity to others" in everything that we do, with a further emphasis on "we," as in "we, the ever-growing and amazingly inclusive Ubuntu Community."
Cheers, y'all Rantfully yours, Dan Buch
-- // The Highway to Freedom // is Now Open for Everyone //- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - // http://www.ubuntu.com
Scott Merrill wrote
Aloha.
[I] In response to all this this talk about an installfest, I wanted to
[/I]>[I] represent the Linux noob demographic in the best way I know how. I've [/I]>[I] got some admittedly open-ended questions that I really don't want [/I]>[I] answered so much as I'd like to see the resulting discussion produce [/I]>[I] some ideas and opinions that might make their way into the global LoCo [/I]>[I] Team sphere. [/I] I'll provide some answers, from my perspective, in hopes of generating some discussion (since none has yet started).
[I] What is the purpose of an Installfest?
[/I] The purpose of an InstallFest is to have knowledgeable people on-hand to help guide new users through the installation and initial configuration of a GNU/Linux computer. Sometimes oddball hardware can throw a new user for a loop, and lead to a non-functional computer. Many times these hardware problems are easily worked around, but if one doesn't have experience troubleshooting a GNU/Linux system, they're likely to give up, and dismiss GNU/Linux entirely.
Most people don't want to be computer experts. Computers are still deeply complicated, unintuitive devices, and require a lot of effort to master. Most people don't want to exert the effort to master a computer, and are content to use it sub-optimally in order to get on with what they want to do. If an expert can help them through the initial bits (which are sometimes the most challenging), then the user can get on with using the computer.
After all, how many users install Microsoft Windows? Most systems come pre-loaded with Microsoft Windows, such that the user never need to do it. And system restore discs ask very few questions (and certainly none of the installation routine's questions) before pushing out the virgin image.
By walking a new user through the installation process, you help demystify the system, at least a little bit. There's ample time during the installation to talk about (in layman-friendly language) the GNU/Linux security model, what a "multi-user multi-tasking" operating system really is, etc.
[I] How does this goal fit into our mission of fixing Bug #1?
[/I] Many people simply aren't aware of what a GNU/Linux desktop can do. They hear "Linux" in more and more media outlets, but it's still a mysterious thing to most folks. By helping people get their hands on GNU/Linux, and by ensuring that they have a fully functional system, we increase the likelihood that these people will adopt Free Software in future decision-making situations.
[I] What are the potential downsides of an Installfest, if any?
[/I] Some oddball hardware simply won't work. Soft modems (so called "winmodems") can pose special challenges, for example. Some wireless network cards require special firmware; or video cards require some jiggery-pokery to work (the Intel chipset in my laptop, for example, took some modest effort to display anything greater than 1024x768).
Additionally, some people won't have the patience to deal with some of GNU/Linux's idiosyncracies. _A lot_ of people have grown so used to Microsoft Windows, and it's set of idiosyncracies, that learning a new operating system is too taxing to be worth the final outcome (and, unfortunately, many people poo-poo the final outcome of "free software", since in many respects most proprietary software is "free enough" for them.)
Folks have learned to live with rebooting a computer to solve a problem. They're used to the opaque troubleshooting they've learned through years of exposure to the Windows monoculture, and aren't interested in the freedoms offered by Free Software.
[I] Is the term "Installfest" too ambiguous? Too daunting to the new
[/I]>[I] user? Is another, more Ubuntu-like name for the thing in order? [/I] In my experience so far, it's a perfectly appropriate word. It accurately describes the primary activity of the event, and it's not too alien that laypeople will be left wondering what it's all about.
[I] Please understand that I'm firmly biased in all of my opinions and
[/I]>[I] that I have absolutely no interest in promoting the traditionally [/I]>[I] clique-y, ubernerd side of Linux any more than is painfully necessary. [/I]>[I] I believe that we should be emphasizing the concept of "humanity to [/I]>[I] others" in everything that we do, with a further emphasis on "we," as [/I]>[I] in "we, the ever-growing and amazingly inclusive Ubuntu Community." [/I] The "ubernerd" side of GNU/Linux advocacy has its place. Systems administrators like to know they can get stuff done, and know the ins and outs of the systems they manage. GNU/Linux provides vastly more robust system logging than Microsoft Windows; so one is able to more precisely diagnose problems. Source code is available, so one is able to research (or contract someone else to research) specific problems and their solutions in a depth simply unavailable in proprietary systems.
Home users won't care about any of that, of course. What home users care about are being able to read emails (complete with photo attachments from relatives), manage their own collection of digital photos, perhaps scan some documents, and usually listen to music -- often now involving playlist management with mobile media devices like iPods.
Home users want to know that their printers will print, and that they won't need to fuss with output settings every time. They want to be able to send email, purchase items at Amazon and eBay, and watch the funny greeting card animations sent by relatives. Instant messaging is also pretty important.
Most home users are sick and tired of computer viruses and email spam. We can win them on the former, and are making good strides (on both platforms) on the latter. GNU/Linux, and its UNIX underpinnings, have a different fundamental design that makes them more robust against virus attacks. There's little real need for anti-virus software on a GNU/Linux computer.
Additionally, the default installation of most GNU/Linux systems (Ubuntu, certainly) provides users with an assortment of immediately useful software. Instant messaging, photo management and manipulation, email and web browsing, plus a full office productivity suite. In my experience so far, most home users are genuinely pretty satisfied with what Ubuntu has to offer. And at zero cost, they're at least willing to listen to the sales pitch...
But it's not perfect. Many users have specific software they want to use, like Quicken or QuickBooks. There is no decent free software alternative to these applications. There's a real lack of games on GNU/Linux, too. And finally, the operating system and all of these free applications delivered with it have a steep learning curve, and most home users don't have a GNU/Linux expert they can call. Almost all home users know someone who's a "Windows whiz", who can help them out of trouble. At the worst, many people are comfortable shelling out $50/hour for a "professional" at Best Buy or Microcenter to diagnose and resolve the problems for them.
It's this last bit, I think, that an InstallFest really works to address. When you sit side-by-side with an expert to install GNU/Linux, you're given the opportunity to make a real, personal connection. When you run into trouble later, you know there are people who can help you. Hopefully the experts left their phone number, or some means of contacting them later. And you know that all the other people present at the InstallFest are likely learning things you don't know, so you can call some of them to ask for help.
Dan Wrote
[I] How does this goal fit into our mission of fixing Bug #1?
[/I] Bug #1 can be found here: https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+bug/1
Cheers, Dan -- // The Highway to FreedomBug #1
[FONT=monospace]Microsoft has a majority market share in the new desktop PC marketplace.
This is a bug, which Ubuntu is designed to fix Microsoft has a majority market share | Non-free software is holding back innovation in the IT industry, restricting access to IT to a small part of the world's population and limiting the ability of software developers to reach their full potential, globally. This bug is widely evident in the PC industry. Steps to repeat: 1. Visit a local PC store. What happens: 2. Observe that a majority of PC's for sale have non-free software pre-installed 3. Observe very few PC's with Ubuntu and free software pre-installed What should happen: 1. A majority of the PC's for sale should include only free software like Ubuntu 2. Ubuntu should be marketed in a way such that its amazing features and benefits would be apparent and known by all. 3. The system shall become more and more user friendly as time passes. [/FONT]
Steve wrote:
Hey! [I] What is the purpose of an Installfest?
[/I] Thanks Scott for that description :)
[I] How does this goal fit into our mission of fixing Bug #1?
[/I] Fizzle had a great Idea at the meeting last night of expo/fair in place of an all out install fest. It would give us an opportunity to show off what Ubuntu can do. Can we install it if someone asks, sure. Should that be the primary objective, no (at least not on the face) Linux, Ubuntu is not for everyone. I bet each of us have a completely different reason for switching to Ubuntu.
[I] Is another, more Ubuntu-like name for the thing in order?
[/I] Ubuntu Fest (feisty Fawn Fest) There is a release in April, maybe that should be considered as an alternative....
Happy Day ~Steve
I think this is a great idea. Definitely something that we need to do. I'm glad we're planning so soon.
I would definitely be available to help out with any event in the Columbus/Grove City area...
Hey, this is right up my alley.
I head the CamLUG which is all of THREE, PHEAR, THREE users strong. CamLUG, for those that have not heard of it and I'm sure you have not, is the Cambridge, OH LUG. We have a dotcom site that promotes our group and the business I run (into the ground, that) that supports the group. We've had zero news in like four months, but this would be the perfect thing to revitalize the group.
As said previously in the thread by the fellow from New Philly, Eastern Ohio now has no real LUG other than mine, and mine hardly counts as a full fledged LUG.
Initially I thought running an Eastern Ohio Installfest would be well served by the brand new Cambridge library, since they offer free meeting rooms to the public and there's free wireless on campus. Naturally, newly installed systems won't have NDISwrapper or the drivers for it, but I could easily get around that to get net access to wired systems by setting up a gateway wireless-to-wired and running a switch off that to the users.
Either that, or we can run it out of my home, which has 8MBps/2MBps DSL. I'd have to worry about electrical capacity if I did that but I think the bonus of not having to lug my systems out and about would offset that. It's not like there's going to be sudden massive interest in the OS around here that would cause me to need to upgrade my electrical panel.
Give me a couple days to talk to my wife and friends and CamLUG members and see what they think. If all goes well, we can have an Eastern Ohio Installfest too.