[wplug] open source distribution mission

[Will Rodina]

[de-lurking for a suggestion or two]

> Open Source benefit: 
> Those will receive a CD with some sort of open source foo will be exposed
> to something that is open source that the may not have known to even exist.
> There is a wide an wonderful world of open source out there! It may peak
> curiosity in Open Source in general.
> Linux benefit:
> Surely some of the CDs collected will have Linux on them and it would be
> exposing those who receive it to Linux. I'm hoping for Live CDs since
> they're on one CD and people can try without commitment.
> WPLUG benefit:
> WPLUG gets any left over media which will hopefully build WPLUGs library
> of open source software. It is also a publicity stunt for WPLUG. Hopefully 
> we'll get some press over it.

How about a 2-CD compilation to hand out --

CD 1: Use a downloadable ISO image from either the GNUWin project or 
TheOpenCD project. For those who haven't heard of those projects, they 
are ready-made compilations of open-source applications that run on 
Windows (designed for folks who have never heard of linux).

GNUWin -- http://gnuwin.epfl.ch/en/index.html
TheOpenCD -- http://theopencd.sunsite.dk/

CD 2: As mentioned, a live linux CD such as Knoppix.

Whip up some quick liner notes with a paragraph along the lines of "What 
is Open Source software?" and another paragraph involving "These CDs 
provided to you courtesy WPLUG. For more info, visit our website or 
email (whomever)."

In this way, folks can see that open source does not necessarily mean 
linux... but with the live CD, they can still catch a glimpse of linux 
and how it doesn't really look all that different from Windows.

[$0.02 deposited -- re-lurking now]