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Linux Demo Day Worldwide

Posted by Hemos on from the showing-the-world dept.

We've been alerted to the upcoming Linux Demo Day. It's July 23, and the aim is show the world writ large how cool Linux really is. Currently there are 33 LUGs, and numerous corporate sponsers - click-thru to sign up.The actual event is Sept. 12-13 - corporate sponser deadline is July 23.

16 of 19 comments (clear)

  1. A better way to celebrate linux birthday by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    How about a "Million Penguin march" =]

    1. Re:A better way to celebrate linux birthday by Vadimus · · Score: 1

      How 'bout a Penguin Hunt?

  2. I'm tellin' ya... by gavinhall · · Score: 1

    Posted by FascDot Killed My Previous Use:

    ...Hemos is getting to be worse than Sengan ever was.

    I tried to post this earlier, but /. was responding too slowly:
    If I were Andover.net, I would jump at the chance to take over Slashdot....if only so I could force the "editors" to take Proofreading 101.
    ---
    Put Hemos through English 101!

  3. Re:It's too early... by Neph · · Score: 1
    Linux looks pretty darn good now, and there's no reason this couldn't be done again once it's even better.

    Looks pretty darn good to whom? You like it, I like it, but how will it look to someone who's never seen anything but Windows?

    What I'm worried about is that people will try it, be disappointed (What do you mean I can't play Tribes? What do you mean I can't use Excel? Why is Netscape so slow and crashy?), and forevermore have Linux pegged as useless in their minds.

    What bugs me most about this is that there are so many projects that are so close, collectively, to providing the kind of features that will really impress these people. It would be heartbreaking if what I fear does in fact happen, and could be avoided by waiting, say, 6 months.

    I don't know how likely that is. But if the people behind this project really push the media's buttons, and in fact Linux is a fairly hot item in the news these days (as far as technology goes)... Well, I just hope I'm wrong.

    Steve 'Nephtes' Freeland | Okay, so maybe I'm a tiny itty

  4. It's too early... by Neph · · Score: 2
    Considering this is going to be aimed primarily at the masses, in other words desktop users, I think it would've been wise to wait a while until Linux' desktop offerings improve. I'm thinking in particular of KOffice and Mozilla, but there are a lot of other not-quite-there-yet projects which could be better used to wow the great unwashed, including games above all. Celebrating Linux' "birthday" is a nice idea, but perhaps not very practical.

    If this stunt gets all the attention it's trying to, Linux had better put in a damned good showing, because there won't be a second chance; this is going to be a first-impression experience for most.

    Steve 'Nephtes' Freeland | Okay, so maybe I'm a tiny itty

    1. re:It's too early... by Chandon+Seldon · · Score: 1

      There's no reason that we shouldn't try to actively promote Linux now. If more people knew that it exists as an option and is getting better, this would be a good thing.

      Linux looks pretty darn good now, and there's no reason this couldn't be done again once it's even better.

      Any positive publicity is better than no publicity.

      --
      -- The act of censorship is always worse than whatever is being censored. Always.
    2. Re:It's too early... by m3000 · · Score: 1

      I'm one of those desktop users who run Windows. I'm interested in Linux (how can I not be, I read Slashdot :-)) but my dad is resisting. With the demo day, I could at least see what it looks like in action, and see how hard it really is. The lack of apps does hurt it, because my dad is firmly rooted in Microsoft products, and we'd have to keep Windows anyway. But I'd like to try Linux anyway.

    3. Re:It's too early... by jwonase · · Score: 1

      I agree, and I disagree. At first I thought this as well, but then I figured, maybe Linux really is at the point to bring on the next 'layer' of users. Once this is done, the demand for more and better desktop apps would be greater.

      The people that would be interested in seeing a demo are people that are considering using Linux, but they just need a little push.

      So, maybe, it's just the right time. Hope so.

  5. Re:Date? by Edward+Teach · · Score: 1

    Maybe Team Slashdot just wants to get a two-month head start. I too, am confused and deranged. Well, I'm always deranged but confusion over the dates is my main concern right now. Could we get some clarification, Hemos? Which date is correct?

    --

    Setting his threshold to 5, Sparky eliminated most of the trolls on /.

  6. Re:Date? by jimithing · · Score: 2

    I am on the staff and the actual demo day is on Sept 12 -18 the July 23 date comes from the last day that corporate sponsors can agree to particpate. This is set to allow time for us to get all the information to the LUGs.

    Jim Ray

  7. Errors by Tiamat · · Score: 1

    I would, normally, not bother to write about the errors in a post, but in this case the actual content of the post was obscured by the grammatical and sentence-level errors, and it suggest a lack of professionalism. I assume that "Worlwide" in the subject was supposed to be Worldwide. (Erg.) Still, I can't, in my right mind, criticize anyone else's spelling.

    "It's July 23, and the aim is show the world writ large how cool Linux really is."

    OK, it's not the world that's 'writ large,' it's Linux's coolness. Second, the aim is 'to show.' Consider this sentence:

    "The event takes place on July 23rd, and the aim is to show the world Linux's coolness writ large."

    The post reads:
    "Currently there are 33 LUGs, and numerous corporate sponsers - click-thru to sign up."

    Introductory phrases such as currently are usually followed by a comma.

    I wish I could have focussed on the story and not on the words.

    1. Re:Errors by Tiamat · · Score: 1

      Haha,

      Let me point out that I have a sense of humor and that I'm not above these kinds of mistakes myself:

      "and it suggest a lack of professionalism"

      should read, "it suggests."


      In any case, I do think that comments are quite different than original news posts. I haven't ever criticized a slashdot commentor on their writing.

  8. Deja-vu by bafful · · Score: 1

    Haven't we seen exactly the same kind of thing some 2-3 years ago for OS/2? Go figure...

  9. Correct Date by dsaxena · · Score: 2
    The correct date is sept. 12th-16th as the web page states. Not sure where July 23rd came from :)


    Deepak Saxena
    Project Director, Linux Demo Day '99

    --
    Deepak Saxena
    "Computers are useless, they can only give you answers" - Picasso
  10. "At last... by Qarl · · Score: 1

    ...we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi"--Darth Maul

    (or something like that)

    This seems to be the sentiment behind the Linux Demo. The Linux community is always striving for more publicity in a wider forum, so ready or not I think there's no holding back this time. This is as much a mark of achievement for those already involved with Linux as it is for the education of the uninitiated.

    --
    --Carl
  11. Date? by Qarl · · Score: 2

    The Linux Demo Day site says the date is going to be September 12-19, rather than July 23. What's correct? Where did July 23 come from?

    --
    --Carl