[ubuntu-uk] Promoting Ubuntu

[Gaurav Patel]

People have heard of Windows but that's where it ends. They don't know
better. However we had a lady come in a few weeks ago who came in with
a Windows 2000 CD and asked us to install it and didn't even want to
hear about Ubuntu.

A couple which has mixed results. The wife is really eager to learn
Ubuntu and has fully customized her desktop (different panels,
rearranged icons, background wallpaper etc). She even found out how to
install the necessary things to playback DVDs on the machine without
asking us through the Internet! Little things, but I think it's
amazing. The husband on the other hand! You can tell he just wants
Windows on the machine and to forget about all about Ubuntu. =(

Once they take their machines away we do say that they are more than
welcome to pop into the shop every Wednesday and ask anything they
want. So far, we haven't had anyone do that (as far as I know).

We will be conducting a survey soon to find out exactly how well they
are getting on with their boxes. The results will be interesting to
say the least. As we don't know if they have completely removed our
hard work that has gone into the boxes and whacked on Windows or just
don't use the computers.

On 02/11/2007, Andrew Barber <andrew.alex.barber at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> On 30/10/2007, Gaurav Patel <patelgaurav at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I'm a member of a team of an organisation where I volunteer every
> > Wednesday to offer free wireless Internet in an estate in Kingston,
> > London.
> >
> > A problem we had was that many people in this estate had very little
> > money and very little computing knowledge.
> >
> > Long story short, we had to supply the computers. We had another
> > charity organisation offer a around 80 old Dell Optiplex (I think the
> > model number is GX1). We pre-install these computers with Ubuntu 6.06
> > and give everything away for a low low price of £0.
> >
> > If you want to know more about what we're doing, there's some
> > information on the website at
> http://www.e-voice.org.uk/comcon/ .
> >
> > I probably wrote all of this and has no valid part of the current
> > discussion, so apologies if that's the case!
> >
> > On 30/10/2007, Andrew Barber <andrew.alex.barber at gmail.com > wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > On 30/10/2007, Ciaran Mooney <general.mooney at googlemail.com> wrote:
> > > > Hi,
> > > >
> > > > There is an event that already does this kind of advocacy. Its called
> > > > Software Freedom Day. Every year around September time voluteers
> > > > organise an event all on the same day to promote free software.
> > > > Canonical sponsor the event and the official distro to hand out is
> > > > Ubuntu, though you can hand out any one you want. Also we distribute
> > > > The Open CD.
> > > >
> > > > I believe a combined effort from all free software advocates on
> > > > Software Freedom Day is probably better than small lone Ubuntu
> > > > specific events, sporadically happening through out the year.
> > > >
> > > > There are events held is quite a few major cities in the UK
> > > >
> > > > http://softwarefreedomday.org/teams/europe/uk
> > > >
> > > > I understand if Ubuntu-UK would like to organise their own event,
> > > > separate from SFD, but from my experience organising an event by
> > > > myself in Birmingham all the help I could get was very appreciated.
> > > > Having Ubuntu-UK behind the next SFD would help a lot.
> > > >
> > > > Ciarán
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 10/29/07, Matthew Larsen <mat.larsen at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > Agreed, this approach works very well.
> > > > >
> > > > > On 29/10/2007, Michael Holloway < michael at thedarkwinter.com> wrote:
> > > > > > Hi Guys
> > > > > >
> > > > > > We're always trying to think of ideas and ways to promote
> > > > > > Ubuntu/Linux... why not stick to the basics??
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Canonical sends out CD's for free upon request... i don't know how
> > > many,
> > > > > > and what they would think of this, but:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > We gets tons of CD's in boxes, we get an Ubuntu jacket with big
> > > writing
> > > > > > saying something like:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Ubuntu Linux
> > > > > > Free OS
> > > > > > Free Office
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ... and then some of us volunteer to stand in city centres on the
> > > > > > weekend (maybe two or three in a group so we can answer questions
> etc)
> > > > > > and hand them out like flyers. We include a little slip that
> explains
> > > > > > how they can try it (live) and install it etc.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Probably some of them will get thrown away, and many will remain
> > > unused,
> > > > > > but surely the relatively low-cost of this type of promotion will
> > > prove
> > > > > > effective??? Even if its just the "oh yes i've heard of that"
> type.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > What do you think?
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > --
> > > > > > ubuntu-uk at lists.ubuntu.com
> > > > > >
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk
> > > > > > https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > ---
> > > > >
> > > > > Matthew Larsen
> > > > >    > mat.larsen at gmail.com
> > > > >    > matthew.larsen at logicacmg.com
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > ubuntu-uk at lists.ubuntu.com
> > > > > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk
> > > > > https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > ubuntu-uk at lists.ubuntu.com
> > > > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk
> > > > https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > The school idea sounds pretty good. I would possibly look into doing
> that
> > > here, keep us posted on how you do with sponsorship. Information on this
> > > would be great to provide to the community so that people everywhere
> could
> > > do the same.
> > > --
> > > Andrew Alexander Barber
> > > --
> > > ubuntu-uk at lists.ubuntu.com
> > > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk
> > > https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
> > >
> > >
>
> I wouldn't say it wasn't relative, as it *is* promotion of Ubuntu. How have
> things been since? Did the people stick to Ubuntu? Did they get a bootleg
> version of windows? Do you provide support to them?
> Sounds like a very nice thing that you have done :D
>
>
>
>
> --
> Andrew Alexander Barber
> --
> ubuntu-uk at lists.ubuntu.com
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk
> https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
>
>