[GNUz] Software Freedom Day

[Rik Tindall]

Don Gould wrote:
> 
> Dru wrote:
>> When is software freedom day? Whats the idea and vison behind it?
>>
> Upcoming events:  Software Freedom Day - 16 September 2006 - 
> http://www.softwarefreedomday.org

It's a classically freeform, global movement subset, especially popular 
in poorer, high-FOSS use continents - Africa, Asia, South America - for 
one synchronised day per year, now settled on the 3rd Saturday in 
September. Events take place in Europe & North America too, but with 
less saturation. Oz is the exception for enthusiasm in the developed 
world. Addition of NZ teams has run so: Christchurch 2004 (inaugural); 
Wellington 2005; Hamilton 2006 - Yay! Go Interface & WLUG!!

There's no set format. It's up to local teams to devise their own means 
of organisation and FOSS promotion. Some do public outreach with 
giveaway materials in the streets; others utilise educational or netcafe 
facilities to instruct from. Here we have relied on commercial 
sponsorship for a training site and Press advertising. We had 20 arrive 
the first year, and 60 in 2005. What binds the event are free CDs, 
teeshirts, stickers, etc, distributed by SFInternational (not a year old 
yet, with Wiki etc? teething problems but the best of intent), and a 
genuinely strong sense of international FOSS community and solidarity. 
The OpenCD were the starter kit, but Canonical have provided major 
support since SFD2.

In all my dealings with *nix/LUGs, I have found SFD to be by far the 
most rewarding human experience of all - ahead of any other I've known 
in public life too. It's a fun, satisfying day, requiring a modest 
amount of work to put on. All are most welcome to join Team Christchurch 
and enjoy building Software Freedom Day.

Andrew, it'd be amazing to see Treshna gain profile through SFD. How can 
we help each other please?

At this point I should thank and introduce Gordon Findlay, of Avonmore 
Tertiary Academy, for hosting SFDs 1 & 2. We've agreed to try something 
different this year. Thanks too to Kevin Owers, The Computer Broker.

Kind regards,
-- 
Rik Tindall, InfoHelp Services <http://www.infohelp.co.nz> on virus-free
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