[kwlug-disc] Linux Conference

Fri Jun 5 13:15:39 EDT 2015

In addition to the below advice: find some other people who are as
committed (and will work as hard) as you. Organizing events is not a
one-person job. 

I think it would be excellent for you to organize something. As hinted
at below, there are some other events that have been running for a
while, so joining forces with one of them may be an option.

- Paul 

On Thu, Jun 04, 2015 at 02:58:50PM -0400, Khalid Baheyeldin wrote:
> I did not organize an event myself, but was interacting closely with those
> who do, be that in Linux events, or Drupal events.
> 
> The following recurring themes may help:
> 
> - Try to fix the venue and the date(s) as early as possible, so people have
> time to plan.
> 
> - The venue will be the biggest expense, unless it is provided for free.
> 
> - Have projectors ready for people to present.
> 
> - Ask for sessions as soon as have the venue and dates available.
> 
> - If the event is sponsored, then try to line up sponsors in 3 or so tiers,
> based on your expected costs (venue, lunch, audio/visual, ...etc, not all
> that will apply for all events).
> 
> - If the event is paid for by the attendees, make it as simple as possible
> to pay (e.g. Paypal).
> 
> - Have a marketing plan ready, including social media and local/regional
> media (e.g. newspaper, computer clubs, Communitech, user groups, ...etc.)
> 
> - Try to balance the needs of advanced and beginners needs depending on the
> audience you expect. Split them in different (possibly parallel) tracks if
> you do have many sessions and more than one room.
> 
> And finally, organizing an event is always hard work and time consuming for
> the organizers.
> 
> Hope that helps.
> 
> On Thu, Jun 4, 2015 at 2:17 PM, Colin Mills <colin.j.mills96 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
> > Thanks for the input everyone!
> >
> >
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Colin J. Mills (cjm)
> > FOSS <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open-source_software> Advocate
> >
> > Software Engineering Technology
> > Second Year
> > Conestoga College
> > Canada
> >
> > "makepkg, not war"
> >
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > On Thu, Jun 4, 2015 at 1:11 PM, <john at vanostrand.com> wrote:
> >
> >> ‎I was one of the organizers of the ontario Linux fest. I'm a little
> >> surprised the onlinux.ca domain is still active.
> >>
> >>
> >> Sent from my BlackBerry 12 neural implant.
> >>   Original Message
> >> From: B. S.
> >> Sent: Thursday, June 4, 2015 12:00 PM
> >> To: KWLUG discussion
> >> Reply To: KWLUG discussion
> >> Subject: Re: [kwlug-disc] Linux Conference
> >>
> >> There are also UoW people on this list whom will have seen your message.
> >>
> >>
> >> No doubt there is both academic and non-academic community interest,
> >> likely just a matter of people showing the interest and putting in the time
> >> to organize and execute. Whether there is sufficient community interest is
> >> probably hard to gauge. Paul / Software Freedom Day would also bring some
> >> expertise in these senses to your party. Same with those doing Ubuntu hour
> >> / release parties, Drupal group, and so on and so forth. There's a Waterloo
> >> events calendar (Lori?) around somewhere. Seeing how well, or not, such
> >> events are attended may be helpful to you.
> >>
> >> I don't know how in/formal your day would have to be to be successful,
> >> let alone the definition of success. These groups and the OnLinux
> >> organizations may be helpful in those respects. Time of year will also
> >> matter. AFAIK kwlug is less attended in summer, and except for co-op,
> >> students not in town for classes aren't present to attend anything.
> >>
> >> One of the things that have been problematic is the apparent divergent
> >> interests of the academics vs the wider user community. e.g. Sufficient
> >> interest in Languages / kernel vs application use such as gimp or Libre
> >> Office. Presumably manageable by collecting 'common' topics in time blocks.
> >> Presumably 'running your small business on Linux' (be it accounting
> >> software, VoIP, or marketing / web) will always have some low level of
> >> interest in the area.
> >>
> >> GL&HF
> >>
> >> >________________________________
> >> > From: Colin Mills <colin.j.mills96 at gmail.com>
> >> >To: KWLUG discussion <kwlug-disc at kwlug.org>
> >> >Sent: Thursday, June 4, 2015 12:43 PM
> >> >Subject: Re: [kwlug-disc] Linux Conference
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >* Ok thank you, hopefully we can get something going! I am going to
> >> BSDCan in Ottawa in the next couple of weeks and it just inspired a couple
> >> of ideas.
> >> >
> >>
> >> >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> >
> >> >On Thu, Jun 4, 2015 at 12:41 PM, Khalid Baheyeldin <kb at 2bits.com> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>On Thu, Jun 4, 2015 at 12:34 PM, Colin Mills <colin.j.mills96 at gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >>Hi All,
> >> >>>
> >> >>>I am looking at organizing a conference in the KW region centered
> >> around Linux in general. I feel like the area would have the biggest draw
> >> for technical users and casual users alike.
> >> >>>
> >> >>>* I found this : http://www.onlinux.ca/ does anyone know if its still
> >> active?
> >> >>>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>This is Ontario Linux Fest, which was modelled after the Ohio Linux
> >> Fest. It ran for server years in a row.
> >> >>I know two of the organizers (who happened to be from the
> >> Kitchener/Waterloo/Cambridge area, but organized the event in Toronto for a
> >> wider audience).
> >> >>
> >> >>I bcc'd them on this email.
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>* Anyway I would love to get some ideas and thoughts around the idea
> >> and see if its even viable. Have a good one everybody. Ill be at the
> >> meeting on July 6th :).
> >> >>>
> >> >>>_______________________________________________
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> >> >>>kwlug-disc at kwlug.org
> >> >>>http://kwlug.org/mailman/listinfo/kwlug-disc_kwlug.org
> >> >>>
> >>
> >>
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> >>
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> >
> >
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> 
> 
> -- 
> Khalid M. Baheyeldin
> 2bits.com, Inc.
> Fast Reliable Drupal
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