[ubuntu-uk] [Marketing] Help with custom live CD please?

[alan c]

Alec Wright wrote:
> On Sat, 2007-07-28 at 15:58 +0100, alan c wrote:
>> I have a window of opportunity to attract attention in a large charity 
>> I have helped in the past, and I could very much use a custom (Ubuntu) 
>> live CD with a only a few differences from the standard:
> Just out of interest, what charity is it? Or are you not saying? I think
> I might remember you saying that you wouldn't say.... Or that might have
> been someone else (I'm not searching through 400 emails to check!)

Off the record ( :-) ) it is Age Concern. The reason for the secret is 
that I have not had contact (yet) at the national level (they have 
been flooded so I have postponed a call to them) - Age Concern England 
(ACE). I have talked to AC Berkshire (where I set up and ran their 
popular internet cafe). Note though that the AC organisation is a very 
federated structure, although there is a funding stream from the units 
to the top and also downwards (such as from microsoft for example). 
Age Concern Reading is for example a high street small shop and other 
activities.

It would be indiscreet to be discussing stuff too actively without 
contact with ACE and more specifically, the customisation in Ubuntu I 
propose is use of their Logo, at this stage obviously without 
permission so it obviously is proof of concept only and not for 
distribution.

I will hope to include the suggestion to them that in the next couple 
of years (or less) there will undoubtedly be a distro aimed at older 
novices and vulnerable users, and there is currently an opportunity 
for them to be in the lead with this. It will happen anyway, though 
not necessarily with them of course.

Age Concern are very computer friendly for their clients. I know that 
a few years ago ACE were involved with a national survey  and they 
were a bit surprised then to discover that more of their clients had 
questions about computers than had Qs about funerals, insurances and 
health etc, the latter being the more traditional areas of interest.

I became involved with ACE (specifically AC Hampshire, later AC 
Berkshire) soon after that when they introduced a Computerbus -  a 
double decker for remote location sessions. I was involved for several 
years following that and only resigned last year with regret because I 
became quite convinced that windows was not appropriate for their 
clients (or for many other users either, another story!).

The idea is a good one, however, most people think computers 'are' 
windows. Also friends and family members (helpers) (FOFM) are also 
windows usually, as are ACE IT group, and the first step needs to be 
an awareness of an option, then benefits,

With hardware upgrades being in vogue then family hand me downs are 
good for ubuntu. Particular benefits I can see being attractive are 
cost and very specially, good security. Older and vulnerable users are 
sensitive to security.

A nationwide network of volunteers to set up their computers might be 
useful too.......... Maybe we can develop that one.
-- 
alan cocks
Kubuntu user#10391