[Linux-aus] Grant proposal: Software Freedom Day CDs for Australia

[Mike Lampard]

On Sunday 29 June 2008 01:17:32 Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote:
> On Sun, 29 Jun 2008 at 01:36, Sridhar Dhanapalan <sridhar at dhanapalan.com>
>
> wrote:
> > I don't think I am. Each year, we probably give away 1000 discs at CeBIT
> > and another 1000 at the Education Expo. Keep in mind that those are shows
> > heavily-trafficked with people expecting to get free stuff.
>
> Correction: I meant to say that we gave away fewer than 1000 per day at
> CeBIT (3 days), and about 500 per day total at the Education Expo (2 days).
> That's an estimate, but I don't think it's far off the mark.

In Mount Gambier at last years SFD we gave away maybe 100 CDs from memory, but 
we're just a little city of 26000, and we had virtually no advertising of the 
event.. Whether they were used or not I don't know, but surely Australia-wide 
we can disperse many more than 5000 over a year? Okay, so we have 2 or three 
major Events in a year and maybe not all are given out during these events, 
but if each usergroup has a stash of freebies to give away to interested 
parties then Software Freedom Day could/should be 365 days a year.

As to the contents of the CD's, and I know I'm probably in a minority of one 
when I say this: Ubuntu may not be the ideal first look at Linux for a windows 
refugee imho, there are too many subtle differences due to gtk/gnomes' take on 
usability.  Why not a kde-based distro, even kubuntu would have fewer quirks I 
think which would ease the transition and give a better first impression.

my 2cents, flame-retardant garments now donned,
Mike