install Fest Action Items

[kejava]

Based on the info in the meeting minutes from 4/28/2007, we have several high priority action items to address within the next two weeks. The are listed in what I believe should be the order of completion. Please speak up if any of you want to own parts of these.

1. Schedule
   
   • Use three 2hr session with 1/2 hour breaks between.
   • Are we all agreed on this? Is it overkill?
2. Registration
   
   • Registration info: contact info, hardware specs, buying PC from NTR, etc.
   • Install Fest description
   • Attendees must sign up for a specific session
3. Advertise
   
   • Flyers: need design with content, where to place them, how many, cost
   • Use mailing lists: have content?
   • Radio broadcast: WMMR, WMGK, WXPN, what do we say?
   • We should be able to make some pretty generic content and then apply it each item above with some minor modifications.
   • Other website services like installfest.org.

[andrewPCT]

I'm wondering about the 2 hour / .5 hour schedule. Can someone elaborate on this? What if someone shows up during one of these 'breaks'. My opinion would be to just have help when people can be there, and take breaks as needed.

[kejava]

There shouldn't be any spontaneous "showing up" if they're registering for specific sessions. The 2hrs sessions are mostly being done to pace we the volunteers. If we are short handed, we need to force breaks on ourselves. The 1/2 hour is also good to regroup if things get out of control. I've done the Bring A Computer Workshops with NTR in the past, it can be a lot more work than you'd expect.

Definitely not set in stone. If any more of you think it's a bad idea, we can certainly remove it as an option. Again, people shouldn't show during th 1/2 breaks if they are registering for sessions, but if they did, we certainly wouldn't push them away.

[lamalex]

we could easily just say to them "hey you showed up a bit early just hang out for a little and we'll get you set up in x minutes"

[kejava]

even better, would tell them to browse NTR's thrift store. i'm sure Stan would love that

[kejava]

I think the next item to tackle is a description of the install fest. This should be generic enough for us to make minor modifications for use in the radio broadcasts, flyers, and mailing lists. The reason for the generic template is for consistency between each form of media.

Alex will also need this content before he can complete the description page / registration form on meetlinux.com. It will be great to get this fully completed before we get started with full blown advertising, something I hope to get started at least two weeks before the install fest.

I can get started on this but if anyone else is interested in working on this with me, send me an IM or reply to this post.

[jedijf]

First of all, great job with everything. The wiki, the notes, meetlinux, etc.

I just thought of something that we touched on while touring NTR; the
establishment of a set irc support night.

I believe that alex recommended Thurs evening. An evening that would be set aside for us to offer assistance to anyone who needed it.

I will, eventually, review the rest of my notes on the meeting and see if there is anything else. I doubt it, Kevin documented (and formatted :>)
everything superbly.


jedijf
jim fisher

[kejava]

thanks for the reminder. i just added it to the meeting minutes. at first i didn't think it was an action item but it will certainly be needed for the advertising content. thanks for the catch Jim.

perhaps we can hammer out a time in the chat tomorrow night, or at least a set of preferred times, and then "poll" it to death. i would also like to set up another team meeting for those that couldn't make it to the last one.

[kejava]

Not sure if this has already been mentioned in the forum or not. Just searched and didn't find anything. I was trying to find some documentation on installfests, decided to look on the The Linux Documentation Project (tldp.org). guess what? they have a nice howto on installfests.

There's a nice section that will give us ideas for our online registration.

There's also a legal protection section that covers most of our waiver form.

I have to figure out how to wikify this stuff ....

[kejava]

Things are looking good. We're knocking action items off left and right! Everything for action items 1 and 2 are done. Next is advertising. I just posted to the following mailing lists and websites:

• CTCNet ML
• NTR ML (pending)
• MLCUG ML
• MALT CVG (pending)
• Phillyblog.com
• PACS Linux SIG
• Installfest.org (pending)

I'm tapped out at this point. I've emailed the people at Philly Metro paper. I'm hoping to find out how much it costs for a little ad space.

The next thing to focus on will be the flyers. I'm hoping to build some of that tonight and tomorrow. I'm not sure how this thing should look but I'll take a stab at it.

You guys get anywhere with your contacts at the radio stations?

-kevin

EDIT: almost forgot. I have to finish the waiver too.