[wplug-board] Are we doing anything for Software Freedom Day? (Possibly just a theoretical question....)

[Justin Smith]

That's exactly what the free computer idea is: a gimmick. Many of the most 
successful consumer products are sold based on gimmicks. What is the 
iPad but an oversized iPhone that can't make calls? What is the iPhone but 
the same dolled-up phone sold year after year with trivial changes?

Everyday people aren't going to snap to attention for free as in freedom, 
but we can definitely get their attention with free as in cost and rope them 
in from there. That's all assuming, of course, that we do actually want to 
target everyday people.

That all goes out the window if we decide to maintain our "professional" 
focus. We could try to squeeze ourselves into an event run by the Tech 
Council or some other professional organization where Linux is usually 
underrepresented. How many suits do you know who care about the ethics 
of their software, though? SFD's focus is on free software, not open 
source.

The best happy medium may be an idea similar to Vance's where we reach 
out to a receptive enthusiast group. 

As a random idea, I found a very active group called "Free and Almost Free 
in Pittsburgh" on Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/pittsburgh-free/[1] 

Maybe we could try to set up something with them and help them see both 
sides of "free." I mean, if anyone would care about free stuff, it's these 
guys.

-- 
*Justin Smith*
GNU/Linux System Administrator

/"Isn't it ironic that the proprietary software developers call us 
communists? We are the ones who have provided for a free market, where 
they allow only monopoly."/
/-Richard Stallman/


> Pat has some very excellent points.  We want to get out where
> people will already be gathered.  One year, we were on the
> sidewalk near Hillman Library in Oakland.  If students will be
> back by the 20th, that's a possibility.
> 
> I wasn't present for the event in the Strip District, but that
> sounded well-trafficed also.
> 
> The mall idea has advantages of being indoors and getting a
> sizable crowd (depending on the mall), though they won't
> necessarily be particularly receptive.
> 
> Is there some other community festival or event where we could get
> a table?  At least people there would anticipate seeing and trying
> new things.  Especially something like a hamfest would attract
> tinkerers.
> 
> As I mentioned before, we'd basically be on our own to come up
> with decorations, signs, giveaways, etc.  SFD may provide some
> downloadable artwork and software, but no physical assets.
> Justin's idea of giving away computers could be a neat gimmick,
> but we want to make sure users will have a good experience with
> them.
> 
> Vance Kochenderfer        |  "Get me out of these ropes and into a
> vkochend at nyx.net          |   good belt of Scotch"    -Nick Danger
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[1] http://www.meetup.com/pittsburgh-free/
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