Install Fest Frequency Poll

[aboutblank]

How often should the MD team hold install fests? How effective are they at bringing in new people to try Ubuntu? What changes (other than having a presentation about the new installation) can we implement?

[Dark Hornet]

Hello--I am new to the MD forums...so pardon my ignorance....do we have "install how tos"? If so, can someone let me know how they have gone in the past...just wondering..thanks.

[Oceola]

I'm in Maryland, Severna Park.

Support to some degree after the "installfest" may be an issue of time and privacy.
It would be good to make sure as much detailed information on some topics were presented in the way of a printed piece for those who install. At least as far as getting on line for other more detailed support from Launchpad, on line documentation or the Forums or needed software.

[Iokua]

How effective are they at bringing in new people to try Ubuntu?

I think I've made my opinion on this known in the other thread, but I'll just repeat that install fests are incredibly unlikely to reach the crowd we're shooting for. Think about it: demographically speaking, most of the people who are willing to run Ubuntu full-time wouldn't even know what an install fest is, much less trust strangers with their computer. In other words, I think the idea of the open house install fest is ineffective for what we're trying to do.

On the other hand, providing installs for people we've spoken to at other events is definitely a good idea, particularly after they've played around with Ubuntu for a while. All in all, however, Ubuntu is easy enough to install that most of our install fests aren't going to attract newbies but only those with particularly difficult installations (as we saw at the last install fest)... and while there's no problem with helping these people, this is not our core mission (as defined by Jono, at least).

[rhoderickj]

Oops. I accidentally posted that last post under my old account (Iokua). I just wanted to let everyone know that I haven't voted twice.

[phr0ze]

I think I've made my opinion on this known in the other thread, but I'll just repeat that install fests are incredibly unlikely to reach the crowd we're shooting for. Think about it: demographically speaking, most of the people who are willing to run Ubuntu full-time wouldn't even know what an install fest is, much less trust strangers with their computer. In other words, I think the idea of the open house install fest is ineffective for what we're trying to do.

On the other hand, providing installs for people we've spoken to at other events is definitely a good idea, particularly after they've played around with Ubuntu for a while. All in all, however, Ubuntu is easy enough to install that most of our install fests aren't going to attract newbies but only those with particularly difficult installations (as we saw at the last install fest)... and while there's no problem with helping these people, this is not our core mission (as defined by Jono, at least).

I think this can depend on the way we advertise the install fest. I definately think newbs would be interested if we let them know what this Ubuntu thing is. There are people out there tired of paying Geek Scams $100s of dollars to clean spyware off their systems every couple of months.