Created: 2009-08-29
Kitchener-Waterloo!
There will be a celebration in Kitchener on Saturday, Sept 19 from 10am-4pm. The title of the day may not be "Software Freedom Day" -- currently we are leaning towards "Computing as if People Mattered". (UGH. What a terrible name that turned out to be...)
Sept 19 2009, 10am-4pm The Working Centre 66 Queen Street South Kitchener (Enter using Charles Street Entrance)
The event is being organized by The Working Centre, The Kitchener-Waterloo Linux User Group and The University of Waterloo Computer Science Club .
Our local goals for the day:
- Have fun
- Appeal to a wide audience: new users, people in career transitions, FLOSS advocates...
- Have a vibrant slate of events that will appeal to different groups
This is the planning page. There is also a page that faces the public. If there are conflicts between the pages, assume the public-facing page is authoritative.
Contacts:
- pauln at the Working Centre's domain, or 519.743.1151x147
- charlesm at the Working Centre's domain, or 519.743.1151x121
Getting Here
We're located at 66 Queen Street South, but only open on the door on the Charles Street side of the building. We have a Computer Recycling sign on the Charles Street entrance beside the door. Across the street is Full Circle Foods. We're conveniently located just down the street from the Kitchener bus terminal.
Google Maps shows our 66 Queen location, but be sure to come to the Charles Street side door (see photo).
The CSC will be organizing iXpress rides to the site throughout the day.
Activities
- Talks/Workshops : 20 minute introductions to various topics.
InstallFest : Ongoing, where people install and troubleshoot software
- Snacks?
Giveaways: Ubuntu, OpenEducationDisc, other distros/discs as available. Also stickers and other SFD swag we have received.
- Draws: Probably a few computers
- Demonstration computers
- ???Eventually there will be a page that faces the public.
Volunteer Tasks
Sign up for these events. Probably we should have two hour blocks of commitment.
- Greeters
- Bob Jonkman
- Installers
- A/V techs (people who keep the talks running smoothly)
- Bob Jonkman
- Publicity Heroes (especially before the event)
- Setup
- Teardown (probably not a huge deal)
- Bob Jonkman
- Caravan Leaders: Helping students get here and back via iXpress
- Show Offers (people who demonstrate the demo machines and answer questions)
Confirmed Volunteers
- Chris Bruner, Nick Bruner : After 12pm
- Bob Jonkman : 12pm-4pm
Publicity
There are lots of ways we can/should get the word out.
- Press Releases
- Record
- CTV
- Imprint
- Radio Stations
- Daily Bulletin, UWEvents
- Web/electronic resources (What works these days?)
- Posters/leaflet design: The Working Centre
- Word of mouth!
- Contacting other organizations:
- Put up a picture of the Charles Street site
- Make some kind of timetable (hopefully not using tables)
- Perl Mongers
- WWITPro
- ???
Workshops
There should be a good mix of newbie-friendly talks and talks that might appeal to more experienced users. Each workshop should be 20 minutes max.
There will be eight slots (30 minutes each, which includes setup/teardown) from 11am-3pm. If there are lots of talks we can have a second group of eight slots.
Proposed/Desirable
To get involved, you can either register for an account and add your name to one of these topics, or contact Paul and he will sign you up.
- Discovering and Installing Software in Ubuntu
- Don't be Afraid of the Command Line
- Avoiding Viruses and Malware (don't run as administrator; use a hardware router; run Windows virtually; don't pirate software)
- How to find Linux Compatible Hardware
- Why Copyright Matters to you
OpenStreetMap
- Kino
- Drupal
Confirmed
- Reducing Computing Expenses : probably Paul Nijjar
- Intro to Open Education and Open Office: Michael B. in a timeslot between 11-1pm
- Linux for Windows Users: Raul Suarez
- Software Freedom Day: What are We Celebrating? : Raul Suarez
Demos
Do you have a neat demo to show off? A display or a booth to set up? It goes here. Tell us what infrastructure you need to get the demo up and running.
Demos could run for an hour in a separate area from workshops.
Confirmed Demos
Inkscape: Charles McColm
- Blender 3D: Nick Bruner
Desirable Demos
- Blender
- Video editing software
- Music-making software
Donations
We could use help with the following things:
- Put up a picture of the Charles Street site
- Make some kind of timetable (hopefully not using tables)
- Some CDs (The Working Centre will provide some)
- Food/snacky things
Other Events
There are quite a few other things happening on the 19th (other than Talk Like a Pirate Day):
: CupcakeCamp A tasty fundraiser for the Childrens' Museum
There is an UnOrientation happening in downtown Kitchener that Saturday. They might pass by the space...
It's also Charles's birthday!
Stuff To Do
Website
- Get people involved
Meatspace
- Set up wireless for the day?
- Generate signage for doors and events
- Map out the physical space
- Make sure we have enough workstations that can successfully burn CDs
- Get tickets for draws (Charles)
- Clean up the CR entrance
- Make signs for giveaways (different kinds of CDs)
- Make small agenda handouts
- Make demo introductions
Put OpenEducationDisc DVD on frogger
- Get demo machines ready (Paul and Rodrigo)