[Smaug] Fwd: Raincoast User Group Conference: Linux / LUGs Now Invited

[Rick Moen]

This landed in the listowner's mailbox.  Care to go to Washington State
in early October for a Linux conference?


Date: Tue, 06 Sep 2005 18:16:59 -0700
From: Derek Simkowiak <dereks at realloc.net>
To: dereks at realloc.net
Subject: Raincoast User Group Conference: Linux / LUGs Now Invited!

   Dear Linux User,
       My name is Derek Simkowiak.  In the past, I have presented at 
LinuxFest Northwest, and spoken about Linux on local T.V.  This year, I 
am volunteering as the Linux User Group Coordinator for the the 
Raincoast Conference.  
   
       Raincoast is non-profit user group conference that is operating 
system agnostic.  It has been running for 12 years, and represents the 
entire Pacific Northwest area.  It has corporate sponsors, including 
Microsoft, Adobe, Macromedia, and IBM.

   This year is the first year that Raincoast has had an official 
"Linux Coordinator" on the Board.  I am determined to make a strong 
showing for Linux.  This is a great opportunity to show Mac and Windows 
users the kind of fun we like to have.

   The conference is a 3-day weekend conference in La Quinta Inn, 
Tacoma, WA, on Oct. 7, 8, and 9.  There is a $60 entrance fee, which is 
for all Round Table sessions, conference meals, social events, and door 
prizes.  If you register before Friday, Sept. 9th, there is a $10 
discount, so it's $50 to get in.  (I'm on the board and even I have to 
pay the $50 to get in.)

   On Friday night, we are going to have an open exposé, which offers a 
free display table to user groups, and room for a technical bazaar.  I'd 
love to see some of the same great stuff I saw at Linuxfest Northwest 
again at Raincoast.  (Read: untapped market.)

   In addition to showing off Linux, I'd like to use the cross-platform 
nature of the conference to showcase some of the best cross-platform 
Open Source software, for example:

   o Mozilla Firefox
   o Mozilla Thunderbird
   o The GIMP
   o OpenOffice.org (the 2.0 beta is incredible!)
   o Blender (3D modelling, animation, and game engine)
   o Python

   I'm looking for volunteers to give demonstrations on these.  I'm 
also taking recommendations for other good Open Source, cross-platform 
software that we could showcase -- for example, a demonstration of 
Apache+PHP under Mac OS X.  I'm hoping that we can hand out the software 
on CD-ROM at the conference, and then walk people through the installs 
while we're there.  

   I will also be contacting some local Linux businesses, to seek help 
with a corporate presence.  Larger corporate sponsorship packages, such 
as sponsored luncheons, are available.  "Have CD-ROMs; will logo."  (Any 
biz references are appreciated.)

   The registration is limited to 150 people.  You can register at 
http://www.raincoast.info/.  Wireless Internet access will be available 
to conference attendees.  And as usual, where there's Linux, there's beer.


   Thank You,
   Derek Simkowiak
   Raincoast (Linux)
   http://www.raincoast.info/


P.S.>  Please forward this to anyone who may be interested.