Subject: Ice House Campaign: Press Release Needed

[Borden Rhodes]

This is the first one of these I've done so please bear with me and
feel free to scrap and change as needed:

The Toronto members of the Canadian Ubuntu Linux Local Community (The
Community) will be [ed: I'm writing in the future tense, but this may
have to be changed, depending] promoting Linux and free software at
Dundas Square, at the corner of Yonge Street and Dundas Street in
Toronto on the 2nd of February (2006) from 4:00PM to 7:00PM.  A
dedicated group of Linux and free software advocates will be handing
out free Linux CDs (whilst quantities last), demonstrating the power
of Linux and free software, and answering questions about free and
open source software.  A 10 foot penguin, affectionately named Tux,
will be inflated in Dundas Square to make the event visible.

[ed: begin the libel section]
The Linux demonstration coincides with Microsoft's week-long Ice House
at the same location, which the company is using to promote the recent
release of Windows Vista and the Microsoft Office 2007.  Microsoft
claims that the newest releases of their flagship products makes
computing more secure, productive, and fun.  However, the flaws and
poor design of Microsoft's software are well known and are being
exploited even though Vista and Office have just been released.
Worsening this, Vista's new 'features' impose the greatest involuntary
user restrictions ever seen in an operating system.  Not only does
Microsoft expect customers to pay to get their lost functionality
back, but the company is forcing almost every computer user to replace
most of their Vista-incompatible hardware.

The Community's demonstration hopes to show consumers that free and
robust alternatives to Microsoft's defective software and business
philosophy are easily available.  By promoting Linux and free software
literally next door to Microsoft's most prominent Toronto
advertisement, the Community hopes to prove to visitors that Linux and
free software will make their digital life far more productive,
secure, fun, easy, affordable, and liberating than Microsoft's
software can ever hope to be.

The Canadian Ubuntu Linux Local Community is a local community of the
Ubuntu distibution of Linux.  Ubuntu Linux is currently the most
downloaded distribution of Linux in the world and is sponsored by
Canonical Ltd. of South Africa.  Ubuntu, which means 'humanity unto
others,' prides itself in being a community-supported distribution
that is entirely free to distribute, modify, acquire, and use.  The
Community organises events to promote Ubuntu and free software
throughout Canada and provide support and a community to Canadian
Ubuntu users and enthusiasts.