[volunteers] linux world

[Edward Cherlin]

On 6/19/07, Paul Reiber <reiber at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 6/19/07, Edward Cherlin <echerlin at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Sure. We have a booth, where I will have one or more XOs and literature.
>
> Ed - Did you mention someone had a working virtual XO? or was I
> imagining that? if so I'd love the URL to it...

Nope. But you can download the Live CD, and you can install Sugar on
any Red Hat derivative. Guido van Rossum and some others are working
on Sugar for Ubuntu and other Debian derivatives. Instructions for the
Live CD at http://wiki.laptop.org/go/LiveCd. It runs on any x86,
including Linux, Windows, and Mac, without disturbing the installed
software.

> I wanna know
> as much as I can about the thing asap.  I'll be able to give a much
> better demo after I've had some time w' the unit.

We might be able to get you your own. Ask Chris diBona
<cdibona at google.com> and tell him you want to go around with me and
demo the mesh networking, and that you are a Smalltalk programmer and
will create Smalltalk demos for all of the demo crew.

> > LUG literature and volunteers welcome.
>
> All - How many different kinds of "SVLUG Kitch" might
> we reasonably be able to come up with? for reasonable costs?
> (which reminds me... anyone who wants to help defray the costs
> of doing stuff like this, please email me about that :-)

> re: literature -
> We need to come up with a few 3 or 4 sentence blurbs that accurately
> describe what SVLUG is, what it does, and what makes it unique.

I suggest the standard one-sheet handout, with as much information as
you think appropriate, including the meeting schedule. Let's line up a
few speakers ahead of time.

> re: volunteers - Ed, would you like to ask the main list for support
> on this project, or shall I?

Go ahead.

> We may be able to meet some otherwise
> out-of-town SVLUGers who are in the city for the week, etc.  I'm OK if
> we simply forward this message as-is, or you can edit down if you'd
> like.
>
> > We should be able to sign up volunteers for future projects.
> And for our SVLUG mailinglist too.
>
> > I also get a bunch of free expo tickets, plenty for any LUG volunteers.
>
> Awesome, Ed!  Can I please get some from you at the next CABAL? or earlier?

I don't have them. I believe that the plan is to submit a list of
booth personnel to the show for pickup at Registration.

> > What do we need to do for the Installfest?
>
> (Paul C. you might want to chime in here). Well... we _could_ have a
> boatload of distro disks to give out, on the theory that people can
> "install later".

Fedora Rawhide, since that is what the XO runs.

And Live CDs. OLPC Live CD, for sure. Ubuntu. What else?

> But that's almost a disservice to them - we all know
> they're better off going to the net for the release, but don't know
> _how_ to do that properly. So, instead, maybe give away a 1-page
> "virtual CD" that has a howto for doing that.  Question is... exactly
> what should it say? any takers? :-)

It should at least include a good bookmark list that they can import
into their browsers. Distros, Howtos, Tutorials, online books...

How to ease into Linux: Free Software for Windows, running coLinux
under Windows, Live CDs, WINE, dual booting, moving beyond Ubuntu.
Does O'Reilly have a book on that? Evidently not. Ubuntu for Non-Geeks
, Second Edition, is as close as they come. Would the LUG be
interested in a collaboration between its SMEs (Subject Matter
Experts) and me as Tech Writer? (After LinuxWorld, and yes, I am aware
of how many crusty egomaniacs we have. How does that conjugation go?
Ah, yes. I am firm, you are obstinate, he is pig-headed.)

Also, is there a document anywhere on how to choose a distro?

> What else does it take to do an installfest?  Well... answering
> walk-up questions is darn near impossible without a net drop, so it
> comes in handy to have a few working, networked stations specifically
> for the installfest crew to use.

Bear in mind that the show is offering us its demo area, all set up,
for the purpose. I'll have to find out how many computers they will
have and so on, but power, Ethernet, and Internet are not problems.

> Power's always a drag at these events... as is SECURITY (not getting
> stuff ripped off is almost impossible)... as is web bandwidth (don't
> try downloading distros via wireless!) etc.

Definitely not. But we can show people the sites.

> Installfests can pose a bot of a challenge from some angles... but
> they're so totally worth it from so many other angles.
>
> > Don says we can have the demo space for some period.
>
> It'd be neat to have something totally insane to show them.  Something
> no-one would have ever expected. Like maybe... could we get Linux to
> run inside a VM inside an Xo? or something otherwise captivating /
> noteworthy?

I have the instructions for demoing the XO through a wireless laptop
with a video output.

If we can get enough XOs onsite, we can demo collaboration on the mesh network.

I would like to get Google Earth running on the XO.

TiddlyWiki? Can we install some games in Smalltalk? Can we show
attendees how easy it is to start twiddling the Smalltalk projects on
the XO? Should we bring some children?

> > What else do we need? Volunteers, obviously.
> > Should we invite other LUGs to participate?
>
> Absolutely.  Bill Kendrick & Heather Stern are experts at sharing
> across lots of lists - we should get them to spread the word if
> possible.

Right on.

> > We're too late for the main program guide.
>
> That's OK... it's a SURPRISE.   :-)
> -pbr

OK. But for next year, I want to make this a feature of the show,
starting with a tutorial the day before, so that people can bring
their novice bosses or cow-orkers and give them the necessary
reassurance. Maybe have a whole novice track. I would also like to
propose a connection between the show and local schools.
-- 
Edward Cherlin
Earth Treasury: End Poverty at a Profit
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Earth_Treasury
WIRE AFRICA  http//www.wireafrica.org/
http://www.linkedin.com/in/cherlin