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After some deep thought on the subject I have determined that the focus
and structure of the LUG NUTS needs to change if it is going to
survive. <br>
<br>
Currently we hold bi-weekly student meetings in the late afternoon, but
not late enough for most students to be able to attend. <br>
This is a place for improvement.<br>
<br>
Our activities have revolved around presentations of linux with little
group involvement.<br>
Another place for improvement.<br>
<br>
We have very few mechanism to draw in new members.<br>
A much needed improvement.<br>
<br>
And finally we have no way to show linux to the greater student
population.<br>
One of the target purposes of the group.<br>
<br>
So in an attempt to address all of these issues at once, and some
others that I have not listed or thought of, I would like to try a new
approach to the group.<br>
Student meetings should still be bi-weekly, but take place at about 7
or 8 and last for 1-1.5 hours. This should give more people and
opportunity to attend.<br>
<br>
Change the activities.<br>
I envision two symbiotic activities for the LUG NUTS.<br>
A.) Some type of Linux Festival to be held at the college once or twice
a term. This should entail tables setup with linux machines installed
and ready to go. Several different distributions of Linux each with a
different purpose targeted toward a different audience. LUG NUTS and
maybe (hopefully) some ALE members will be manning the stations,
possibly also offering beverages and food along with free copies of
linux to passersby. The goal beign to to show Linux running on old
machines, newer machines, and providing services that Windows or Mac
can provide, but with less effort for the end user and at a much
reduced cost. The second goal is to offer discs to the people who stop
long enough to show some kind of genuine interest and invite them to
the install fest we will be hosting as our second activity.<br>
<br>
B.) The install fest. We will invite people to bring their computers,
old or new, that they don't mind putting linux on. We will help them
to install it, not just a monkey-see monkey-do presentation, but an
interactive session where LUG NUTS and hopefully ALE members can help
people figure out what is going on and how to use their new OS. At
sometime during this process, probably multiple times, we will plug the
LUG NUTS as a Linux Support center for these new linux users. We will
also let them know that we hold regular meetings at the college at the
specified times, recruitment attempt (this should probably take place
at the festival as well.) Hopefully we can get their email information
and remind them of our meetings and other Linux Festivals/Install fests
and get their help in manning them, or just to check on them and see
how they are liking their new OS.<br>
<br>
Hopefully this will help the group grow to a large enough size that it
will not only survive, but will be able to become an active part of the
community. <br>
<br>
I would like to get any of your ideas on how best to implement this new
strategy. I am going to have to wait until after April 21st to try it
out as that is the annual Budget meeting for groups and clubs at the
college. Hopefully the experience and expertise of the ALErs can help
to plan these events well enough to impress the Student council into
giving us the funds we need to pull it off and the student body into
joining the group.<br>
<br>
Let me know what you think.<br>
<br>
Thanks<br>
<br>
Joshua<br>
Founder and Chair LTC LUG NUTS<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:wolf@wolfhalton.info">wolf@wolfhalton.info</a> wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:1267634207.2489.17.camel@telcontar" type="cite">
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This is something a lot of us have been thinking about. I hold events
where students can see Linux working without having to opt in or take a
Linux loyalty oath. This may not be the best solution, however there
are a couple of things I have learned in Linux evangelism and other
marketing.<br>
<br>
1.) Find some issue some large number of people is trying to fix, and
offer Linux as a possible solution for it.<br>
2.) If you have a solution that doesn't match a person's problems, they
will never even hear you, even if it is free.<br>
3.) Do not educate. If you have to educate people about the solution
so they can start to see its value. You will never have enough buy-in
to matter. You will always be frustrated.<br>
4.) Like you mention, Rich, offer a complete package that totally
works. People will not stand for "some assembly required" because they
are used to the proprietary model where they are courted by retailers
and advertisers. <br>
5,) Expect to do a lot to get a little. The payoff for Linux
Evangelists is subtle. One must find a way to enjoy and rejoice in a
5% buy-in. Most people will take a free disk and use it for a coaster,
4 or 5 times, maybe. <br>
<br>
Here are some issues I have heard about that are not currently fixed:<br>
There are a lot of home-based music producers. <br>
There are people who are very interested in video editing <br>
The tools for both of these are usually proprietary and often
expensive.<br>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
<b>From</b>: RRF2525 <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:RRF2525%20%3crfaulkner@34thprs.org%3e">rfaulkner@34thprs.org</a>><br>
<b>Reply-to</b>: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:rfaulkner@34thprs.org">rfaulkner@34thprs.org</a>, Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts -
Yes! We run Linux! <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:ale@ale.org"><ale@ale.org></a><br>
<b>To</b>: <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:ale@ale.org">ale@ale.org</a><br>
<b>Subject</b>: Re: [ale] Ale Digest, Vol 26, Issue 3<br>
<b>Date</b>: Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:08:16 -0500<br>
<br>
<pre>Here's a profile and my thoughts (for whatever that's worth)...
I'm a systems engineer and have been working in the MS world all of my
career (15-years now). I am making a full transition personally and
professionally to Unix/Linux and leaving MS behind for open-source/free
software and other appropriate technologies.
With that said I've dabbled in Linux over the years but have only now am
making the effort to completely convert my Windows-centric tools to
Linux. This means that I need to either find suitable replacements for
my tools or port them to Linux (of course...we all know this but this is
what will likely KEEP Windows users from coming into the Linux world).
Ultimately people are driven by what's convenient. Once something costs
more to maintain than is convenient (or degrading/loss of income forces
them to get rid of extra expenses) people will start to look for
alternatives.
Case-in-point...we just got a 40" LCD and BD player w/NIC and stream
content from Netflix and the web. We do not have cable or satellite nor
do we want it. We are in the process of building a Mythbuntu server and
all that goes with it. I'm also going to build a Vyatta box to replace
my consumer-level router.
When I show/tell visitors about what I'm doing here and how little it
costs over paying for cable tv they freak-out! "How do I get in on
this?" is their common response.
This is where the public can be brought into the Linux world in my
mind...offering educational and supported solutions that bring better
things to life for less money on a monthly basis. Of course it would
lead to education of all levels and foster participation in any user
group if followed through with which is what I take it you're looking
for.
For others it will be a matter of trying to make their "beloved" Windows
apps run on Linux. Wine is fine for some things as we know but that
still will likely be the rub. Interoperability of software. But
offering a packaged solution for realizing great savings and having an
awesome tool to enjoy on the big screen is a way to grab people's
attention perhaps...
My 2₵...R1₵h
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:01:50 -0500
> From: jrtroberts <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:jrtroberts@gmail.com">jrtroberts@gmail.com</a>>
> Subject: [ale] The LUG NUTS search for Enthusiasm
> To: <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:ale@ale.org">ale@ale.org</a>
> Message-ID: <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:4B8CA9CE.7010306@gmail.com">4B8CA9CE.7010306@gmail.com</a>>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> Hello ALE members.
>
> I am Joshua Robert founder and chair of the LTC LUG NUTS.
>
> At our last meeting the topic came up that we need to find a way to
> interest more people in our group and what we have to offer. From the
> perspective of the geek, hacker, or the computer savvy it is easy--have
> more meetings that deep dive specific complicated topics relating to
> Linux. It is a fun way for those of us who like breaking things, fixing
> things, tweaking things, etc. to expand our knowledge.
>
> But what about all the people that don't see computers that way? How to
> get the soccer mom, or the nursing student, or the fresh out of high
> school kid into linux or into our meetings? Some say that offering it
> as a free alternative to windows should works. I guess that might be
> ok, but for the most part Windows is already free, I mean it comes with
> the computer, right? All the other stuff that costs money is to be
> expected. People have been trained to accept that as part of the
> computer culture. It works most of the time, even if it is not free.
> It is familiar, although not always user-friendly, and the myth that
> everything is made to run on Windows is still very powerful.
>
> So a man in our group offered another solution. Use its marketing
> points. The customer doesn't care if it is free. They don't care if it
> is faster. They want to know what it can do for them and how it can do
> it better than what they already have.
>
> AH, the sales routine. Feature -> Benefit. But there is another sales
> gimic, pass the ownership over to the customer. If they can't see it,
> touch it, hear it, experience it, it doesn't grab their attention and
> can be easily ignored.
>
> So now the question. What kind of events, activities, and services can
> the LUG NUTS provide on a regular basis that will get people into
> Linux? It would help if it was something non-intrusive. Bringing that
> old laptop or desktop back to life as a mp3-server in the house. An
> educational computer for the kids is great too. Not convincing them to
> format that brand new windows 7 hard drive and slap a completely
> unfamiliar environment onto it. People feel attacked, cornered,
> confused, scared, and insulted when you suggest something like that.
> Well some, others might just leap at the opportunity; however that is a
> rough roll of the dice.
>
> So we have some ideas, but don't know how to implement them.
> We would like other ideas, yours may be better.
> We would like input on how to implement these ideas.
> I can see us have a Linux Fair once a term where members setup booths at
> the college and show off the things that linux can do.
> And then we have an install-fest later in the Term.
>
> Please share any ideas or support that you have with us. We really need
> the TLC and Miracle-Grow.
>
> Thanks,
> Joshua
>
>
> ------------------------------
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