[Ambassadors] Re: the microcosm

[Alex]

Hey, thanks so much for reaching out Troy!

Did you have a chance to check out the "Fedora Ambassadors" page?
http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Ambassadors

If not, let me tell you in a few words what we do. We go to all sorts
of places and events where we can meet people and educate them about
the value of open source software and get them involved in the
community--be it as users or contributors.

There are a few resources already available, such as standard
presentation decks you can adapt for yourself, and some posters and
signs you can print.

Recently, we launched the Ambassador Kits, which include all the
essentials that a starting Ambassador can use to begin evangelizing
Fedora...

There is so much out there, I have a hard time picking stuff to list here.

I am copying the Fedora Ambassadors list, to which I encourage you to
subscribe and use the energy and know-how of thousands of Ambassadors
all around the world to help you promote Fedora.

Please let me know if you have more questions/ideas/etc--I will be glad to help!

Cheers,
Alex

On Wed, Apr 1, 2009 at 11:42 AM, Troy Large <troyatlarge at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I live in Ely, Nevada, USA, third rock from the sun - in general it is
> a town in the middle of nowhere (we have a local shirt - Ely NV., 394
> miles round trip to Wal-Mart). In this town in middle of nowhere we
> have a store that deals with computers and there needs. I've spent a
> fair amount of time there and see a real potential for advocating
> Linux systems, for sure at the level of home users and possibly at the
> level of networked applications in work environments. One of the most
> telling issues for this is the number of people showing up with bad
> problems in their Microsoft systems - Vista being a dog and people
> waiting to upgrade until Microsoft has something other than vista.
>
> Because of security problems, the computer at that business, which
> allows people on-line access for free,   makes use of Linux (Ubuntu) ,
> which has stopped the constant stream of virus attacks which
> constantly bugged the network prior to the using Linux.
>
> All the same, there is no splashy eye catching display advocating and
> promoting the use of Linux systems, Fedora, Ubuntu, etc., with all the
> big pros in using such system - free - relatively secure - etc. This
> lead me to think, why not put one in the store - something eye
> catching that makes perfect use of everything in rhetorical strategy
> has to offer as well as the utmost in creative marketing. Yet when I
> look into that, to find examples of it, I thus far have found nothing
> - NOT GOOD!
>
> Second, I have also locally noticed a very real aspect which needs
> addressing as well. The local economy and state economy has gone in
> the toilet - the state thus is talking about getting rid of teachers -
> in turn the students are out protesting against cutting education.
> When I spoke to the kids about the dollars the state spends giving to
> Microsoft, they where found to be completely receptive to the idea of
> using Linux as though they had been preconditioned for it. I am
> guessing that news of cutting everyone who works, combined with news
> of having the workers pay big bankers bonuses, and other news
> supporting the mega wealth at the expense of common folks, has left
> the kids receptive to going against government handing big boys huge
> dollars - although that is just a guess. In any event I strongly
> suspect that presently we a youth open to free ware like we have never
> had before - to not make use of such a phenomena would be a true
> shame.
>
> With all that said - I now ask, are there ready to go advertising sets
> for use in local stores which advocate Fedora, or Linux in general? If
> so, where may I view such packets. Are there any projects that focus
> directly on the youth population in terms of advocating Linux ?
>
> Troy Large
>



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