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Re: Doubts/suggestions with event organization(MiniDebConf '14)



Quoting shirish शिरीष (2014-08-12 20:48:04)
> I *think* there are other points which also need to be articulated. 
> For most of the students who are attending, they would be looking at 
> survival options as well.

I disagree.

Sure there is a big overlap between a) people interested in attending a 
(Mini)Debconf in India, b) people interested in getting a job in ICT 
industry, and c) people interested in promotion from ICT industry.  That 
does not, however, automatically legitimize merging those.

At MiniDebconf in Barcelona, Spain in the Spring, one headhunter 
(possibly it was Google, but maybe someone else) had been allowed to 
setup a table not at the event but on the opposite side of it.  They 
were mentioned once at the beginning of the three day conference, and 
then again close to the end, because they had made a competition and a 
winner was announced.  As I recall, it "stole" 10 minutes total of our 
attention.  My point is that it was not seen as a precious gift for the 
attendees that they were there, but the opposite: they were permitted to 
be near these precious targets for their commercial interests, but it 
was tried very hard to keep the conference itself not distracted.


I believe you can fill a whole minidebconf not only with people 
presenting ICT topics using a Free operating system to run their 
slideshows, but fill it with Debian enthusiasts presenting Debian 
activities!

 * Invite C-DAC to tell about they use Debian - and discuss it.
 * Invite Sweecha to tell how they use Debian - and discuss it.
 * Invite all attendees to consider share to the other attendees how 
   they use Debian, and what motivates them to do it.  Not only success 
   stories but also what does not work and what is bad.

For all speakers make it clear that it is a *community* event - not a 
sales pitch.  Those who attend are in principle equal to the speakers, 
no matter if in practice most/all may be beginners hungry for a job.


> I am of the opinion that we should encourage students to start small 
> businesses on free software or/and hardware and there is enough demand 
> for alternatives that has not been explored. Using some of the 
> products to articulate the same idea would be a good thing as well.

I am of the opinion you should encourage the use of Debian.

(in as many ways possible, not only as business)

Make it a conference about Debian for the Debian community!


 - Jonas

-- 
 * Jonas Smedegaard - idealist & Internet-arkitekt
 * Tlf.: +45 40843136  Website: http://dr.jones.dk/

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