Hi!

I have some questions of course. Impressed by the long table and all the machines on top could you share how much time and what requirements you had to prepare that part of the event? It's probably something worth adding to SFD events for people interested in gaming but I would feel a bit scared to attempt the challenge without more directions :)

I just had some PC-s to be used for SFD event. I had to install Linux and all other software to all of them. Since they all were same hardware, I could clone them. I just prepared one PC and then cloned using Clonezilla Live CD. I installed Estobuntu - special remastered Ubuntu for Estonian people. One purpose was also introduce Estonian Linux called Estobuntu to Estonian people. We have currently local government elections - so under Estobuntu, where is ID-card software installed by default - there are everything you need for electronic voting software we have in Estonia

My idea was to show people Linux and other FOSS in action - so I had to prepare some PC-s for that. I could finally 12 PC-s to prepare with Estobuntu and lots of software installed. I remember, that I downloaded approximately 15 GiB of software through Synaptic - mostly games but also other software - audio-video tools, newest LibreOffice etc. Thanks for cloning I could easily deploy it to all other PC-s.

I had also another friend at local ISP, who helped me with some hardware - gigabit switches, 100M internet speed and fibre optic cable for that with setting it up with his team, couple of more powerful PC-s for gaming, power cords, extension cords with powerfulness monitoring display, keyboards, mouses, network cables (also patch cables, RJ-45 parts). So - I and my friend and students and local venue staff helped me to set up all this stuff - it took 3 hours.

This 100M internet speed was especially arranged for SFD event to offer real gaming perfomance over network.

I carried some of this stuff with my own personal car and other part came with my friend's personal car.

I had also couple of students who helped me to organize LAN-party - idea was to show, that even under Linux is possible to play and these games are worth to play. Very usual preconceptipon is there, that under Linux you cannot play. These young people, who played, were very satisfied and happy - so I guess some of them will install Linux soon or later onto their PC-s.

I also had special video team, who bring three professional video cams and made great video recording. Last part - LAN-party was also filmed but not whole part.

I had also some sponsors, who supported also with real money and I could offer free food for 20 people and also prepare 50 free DVD-s with Estobuntu Linux to share to people for free. I did not make more, because there is a plan to release newer version with all updates built-in and some corrections. As you probably noticed - Medibuntu repository is not working anymore and we need to remove it also from Estobuntu. There are some more corrections probably, which need to be done.

So - you need some PC-s and time to install/clone them. Then you need good friends - for venue, for stuff transportation, for additional stuff you may need. Also friends for filming or even realtime broadcasting like I did previous time.

I also invited local government to event - mayor and governor. But no one of them came - as I heard later - they did not have time... But situation in Estonia is very serious - Microsoft increased their prices up to 25 times - depends, which licensing scheme to choose. There are also several hidden problems inside these licensing schemes - only upgrade version but upgrading WinXP to Win8 will be quite painful and there is only one possibility to get full version install DVD but it costs more and it cannot be cloned due to activation issue and so one, so one...
So I hoped, that local school owners will come and we can discusse over it. But it seems like there is a ostrich-like behaviour - just hide your head under sand and do not act with this problem as long as possible...

Now I am planning to create Free Software Competence Centre into Estonia together with Estonian FOSS community and I try to involve also Estonian Government into it. I am doing also PhD (started at 2012 autumn), which topic is strongly related with FOSS and Estonian Government - "Free software strategies of managing information and communication technology infrastructure in Estonia".

We have already in Estonia Free and Open-Source Software Alliance (I am also one of the founding members) but this is just union of companies, who are ready to offer just technical support about FOSS but there should be also some kind of lab to put all these great FOSS solutios together into one integrated solution to deploy at public sector in Estonia.

Currently I am looking people, who know people, who are ready to share their experience of success or unsuccess stories about FOSS deployment at government level - especially in ministries but also other governmental institutions. So if you know somebody then please let me know! Whenever there is possible I try to find also funding to visit these places abroad. But I can communicate electronically (e-mail, social networks, VoIP + webcam, etc) and by phone.

Definitely something which could be added to our startguide or resource page (or have a new page for it).

I guess everyone is doing as there is possible to do. I just have some friends to do it bigger than usually.

The idea was to introduce FOSS in more young people friendly way - using gaming and also offering Installfest as one easiest way to get Linux and other FOSS installed onto your PC.

So I would propose to add to that start guide this three-part model as one possible way to organize SFD event:
  1. lectures - at first explain, what the FOSS is and how it can benefit for regular people and also for government and whole country - good opportunity to influence desicionmakers
  2. Installfest - help people practically to install FOSS onto their computers - so they probably will not need any IT-company anymore :) This is another good opportunity to influence desicionmakers - you can show them, how this all works and probably also install it to some of their computers.
  3. LAN-party with FOSS-games - so also younger people will get excited about FOSS

This LAN-party can be shortened also with demo event - what kind of interesting solutions there might be based on FOSS. But as our young people are our future, then something should be also for them to ensure also in future will be people, who are interested and using FOSS.

I even planned to do SFD for two days - this is also possible - depends on which resources there are possible to use.

Important parts:
Understanding part - there is important to explain - why FOSS and how this can benefit for me, society, economy, human values etc.
Practical part - Installfest. When people will see and can use FOSS, then they will understand, that FOSS can be really used also in mission critical systems and there is not needed to own faceted IT-brain for that. There is not needed immediately type white letters into black window... Linux can be used also only graphically. Unfortunately usually local IT-companies are not ready to install FOSS and there are also no courses of FOSS - so Installfest could be both - people will get FOSS installed and also they get knowledge, how to use it and where to find further information and help. I guess in every country there are FOSS communities - so we should tell it also to people these forum address(es). Whenever needed, also some real demonstrations of FOSS solutions may presented - especially when decisionmakers are in place and looking that.
Fun part - LAN-party. As we know, our young people like gaming and we can put FOSS in front of that interest. Try to find some local students to organize that. They will know, which games are great and worth to play and let them to lead this part of event.

Prepare also souvenirs to give them to presenters and other helpers, who were helped you to organize that event. Certainly - it requires some money to create them - probably there is possible to organize it through main organizers like this stuff, what came from China to us - then it would be easier. There could be even preordering system to offer localized souvenirs - then local leaders should provide localized artwork to do that. There could be localized T-shirts, cups, mousepads, caps, etc.

E.g. we in Estonia have campaign - "Ask Linux from me" - http://kysi-mult-linuxit.alvatal.ee/ - this "Küsi mult Linuxit" means in English "Ask Linux from me". There are some artwork also - http://juhend.estobuntu.org/banners/kysi-mult-linuxit/ and also leaflets in Estonian - http://juhend.estobuntu.org/banners/kysi-mult-linuxit/kysi-linuxit-lk1.pdf and http://juhend.estobuntu.org/banners/kysi-mult-linuxit/kysi-linuxit-2poolne.pdf
There is one slogan famous in Estonia: "Everything is new in September! Also operating system is new!". So we try to organize campaign in every September to announce also change proprietary operating system and switch to FOSS operating system Linux.

NB! Important part here - try to invite some decisionmakers to SFD event! Try to organize discussion with them about possible FOSS deployment in your community, especially in public sector!

SFD event is good place to show to decisionmakers, that FOSS works! You can also prepare some demonstrations - how FOSS can benefit for your community and also for public sector, especially schools - RMS together with FSF has special site for that - http://www.gnu.org/education/ - I am also going to present one workshop at FSCONS 2013 - "Why is free software important in education" - so everyone are invited to participate!

I also tried to invite some more people from Tallinn City Government to have discussion over FOSS deployment in Estonian schools due to that Microsoft's price increase but they did not again have time for that... But luckily I have cooperation with them - so work goes one.

Best Regards,
Edmund Laugasson