How do I get involved?
Contact Larry or Ken (helios) at the links at the left, and let them know what you want to do, and if you are doing it to represent any particular distro or FOSS program. LINdependence 2008 is being set up around the "Team model". Each distro and FOSS program will have a "Team Tux" and if you care to work with one particular distro or FOSS program, you will be assigned to that team. Those who wish to work outside the teams may do so, but check with Ken or Larry first so we can keep things coordinated.
What distros will be installed?
That depends on what distros are represented at LINdependence2008. If there is not a team formed for a particular distro or FOSS program, there will be no one installing it during our various installfests and town meetings -- that plain, that simple. Bear in mind that this event has the potential to draw fairly substantial media attention, so it is the perfect time for a distribution or FOSS program to get their work known to the greater computing public and take an active role in their own growth.
Is that fair? Doesn't that smack of favoritism?
Not at all. This area is rich in Linux users. Since Felton is just over a small mountain range from Silicon Valley, it's feasible that most distros and FOSS programs have a significant number of user group members within an hour of Felton. Our staff and does not have the time to represent any particular distro or FOSS program, we are asking the leadership of distros/FOSS programs to ask their members to participate. Please contact Larry or Ken at the links at left for more information.
How long does this last?
The actual event itself lasts from July 4 to July 11 -- where we're asking people to try Linux, after a significant degree of familiarity, for a week. Here's how they become familiar: About six weeks prior to this -- in late May and throughout June -- volunteers and teams will be participating in town meetings, installfests and seminars around Linux and the various FOSS programs associated with the operating system. You are welcome to join us during that time if you wish. Again, with the proximity of Felton to the Silicon Valley, we can't stress the importance of getting local advocates for your distro/FOSS program to represent them. However, we are working with local hotels to provide a discount. Contact us at the above email addresses if you wish to work with us during that time period.
How many people from Felton are going to be trying Linux?
As of this time, we do not have an exact number but we will be gauging the interest in late April to get a better idea of where we stand. Since the project has been on the local grapevine since last fall, it has created a significant "buzz" in the community.
How much is this going to cost?
Right now, we are looking at around $25,000, which includes (but is not limited to) the rentals of halls in the area, newspaper and radio advertising, office supplies related to the project, postage for polls and publicity, etc. How much or how little we accomplish in publicity and meetings depends on how much we can spend. A budget and spending table will be made available as soon as we get some of the variables to stabilize, but $25K is pretty close to the amount we're going to need to make this happen.
That's a lot of money.
It is, but if you divide that up between the number of Linux users in the U.S., for example, it comes out to a small fraction of a penny per user. Of course, not all Linux users will donate, so we're asking that those who believe in the necessity and worthiness of introducing others to what we know already -- that Linux and FOSS are viable alternatives to what the digital mandarins in Redmond and Cupertino force on us -- to step up and please donate on behalf of those who won't. Every bit helps.
What happens to any funds left over?
Any money left over from the LINdependence 2008 project will be proportionally returned to the distros and FOSS programs that originally donated. How this works is as follows: If Mint, for example, is responsible for 20 percent of the net donations, then they would receive a check for 20 percent of the leftover funds. That is why it is important for individual donors to put the distro they are representing in the comments when they donate.
What happens if no one participates?
The chances of that have already been eliminated. As of this announcement, there are three distros and no FOSS programs that have responded positively with their participation. As of now, there are only the three that will be represented -- but we will be . We will update the participation level as we receive responses from different distros.
Sounds great. How do I get involved?