Linux Day

Prompted by a couple of e-mails, I've been having a think about organizing a Linux event. It's about two years since the national install day(s) and Linux is now much more prominent in the media, so we'd probably get better coverage.

Mat Grove (who organized the install day in 2002) told me that there was a discussion about this on the UK Lugmasters list a few weeks ago. The conclusion was that an install day wouldn't be good publicity for Linux, and that a Linux awareness day would be better. Anyway, he's busy with his PhD at the moment, so I'm trying to come up with ideas.

I think it'd be good to have something not too dissimilar from the install day, i.e. lots of local events in places with an Internet feed, except with the emphasis on showing off Linux capabilities and discussing recent things like Wi-Fi and Freevo. And if anyone wants technical help then there's a room full of experts handy.

I suppose the first step would be to solicit opinions on the idea (hello!) and set up a site.

As for dates, I had May or early June in mind (while universities are still fully populated), but that depends on several factors. It'd probably be worth having a secondary date like last time, given the difficulty of getting things to happen all on one day.

-- Simon Heywood

Comments

It probably would be better to support the global Software Freedom Day rather than start another event so close to it. http://www.softwarefreedomday.org/

To be honest, I was aiming for a Linux specific event. The consensus from people I've spoken to was to do a rerun of the last install day but without the emphasis on installing. Also, if only for local reasons, it'd have to be during university term time, so it'll be at least three months before the SFD.