[ale] The LUG NUTS search for Enthusiasm

[jrtroberts]

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