[GNUz] Software Freedom Day

[Dru]

Rik Tindall wrote:
> 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.

After reading the site and your information I am feeling a little more 
informed now.  Thanks.  I think getting a strong turn out from 
university would be good. Would people bring there pc's in also? is it a 
more formal day like a convention?
Is this mailing list just about promoting open source software?

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

Not sure yet. I am wanting to get out there and try to promote more free 
software solutions in the next month or so but every dollar i have spent 
on promoting fsf though standard print and advertising channels I have 
found to not work at all. People just dont seem to care enough. Less and 
less of our marketing material talks about free software now. Word of 
mouth (both real world  and though the internet) i think is the 
strongest way to spread the idea.

Maybe linking to each other sites?  And i try and get out there more and 
talk to people about fsf.

> 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.

Is any of the other linux/open source companies in chch involved?




-- 
Andrew Hill
treshna Enterprises Ltd
Tel: 03 366 3649
Cel: 021 660 819
Web: www.treshna.com