[ale] Install Fest????

[Jeff Hubbs]

aaron wrote:
> 
> Holding an Install Fest is a great idea and I plan to participate
> if the final date and location allows. However...
> 
> I have to wonder at the effectiveness of doing this at a Mall. Are
> these shopping zombies a good target audience and opportunity for
> getting new users on board with Linux? Sure, there is visibility, but
> how much of this crowd will really take the time to look? Is this the
> best avenue for investing the time and effort?
> 
> Its possible a Mall can be the ideal environment, especially if the
> Install Fest promotions are done from an angle like "The ultimate
> Anti-Virus Vaccine for your PC!"... ;-)
> 
> ...but I have to wonder if the visible and technical system access
> provided by Linux is still daunting for the average home user, even with
> all the "freindly and familiar" enhancements and packaged software
> additions of the past few years. I think the majority of consumers have
> now been conditioned into limiting their computer expectations to the
> level of TV's and Game Consoles. Buy it, plug it in, surf the net, play
> solitaire, [reinstall winblows, get a Microshaft virus, reinstall
> winblows, <repeat>] throw it away after a year or two and buy a newer
> one, hoping that it might work beter: the marketroid dream of
> the disposable commodity consumer society in action (and what more
> ostentatious display of that than a modern shopping Mall).
> 
> For several reasons, I would suggest that the most promising candidates
> for advancing the Linux choices are in high school and college
> audiences, and that these types of groups are where ALE efforts might
> be the most effective and successful. Not only do these young people
> generally have more open, flexible and curious minds for exploring new
> approaches to technology, but they are more likely to both see and
> -need- the economic advantages Linux can provide through recycled
> hardware and low cost software.
> 
> I say forget the Malls and promote a "Back to School" Install
> Fest special event that hits on as many area college and high school
> campuses as possible. Give the promotion a full month of lead time and
> use as many free / public service announcement outlets as can be found
> for reaching GA Tech, GA State, Emory, Agnes Scott, et al. Then
> consider running the show for a full weekend at a "cool" central
> location like the Innovox lounge (which, BTW, is already familiar to a
> lot of students at the schools I named). And explore other support or
> sponsorship sources, too, like working with area computer Recyclers
> or Leasing companies to provide cheap hardware at the event to go
> along with the Linux software and expertise.
> 
> Hope that inspires some other discussion and ideas. Unfortunately, I
> won't be available to participate or comment for a few days, but will
> look to see where this has lead next Wednesday.

Actually, I quite like the school idea.  However, let's not fall in to
"preaching to the choir" too much at the techhier schools.  ALE could do
a lot more "damage" at Emory, Agnes Scott, Gwinnett Tech, or high
schools.  Innovox is going to have the PTTC problem as well, I
speculate.  

I have contact names at Gwinnett Tech and Rush Computer (leasing),
FWIW.  GwT's primary thing is cranking out $ofties, I think - when I
gave a talk on Linux there back in January, there were a number of
genuinely interested people.

- Jeff

- Jeff
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