This is the information that started my whole linux resources pages. At the time of writing,
I've now been involved in the organising of four events for my local LUG (linux users group)
and found that I was continually being asked how to do it. So this page came about.
This is an evolving document. It was written in one day from stuff I've remembered
saying to other people. If you can think of anything to add, or that is missing, send it
to me and I will add it. You will also get a contribution acknowledgement.
Good Luck, Have Fun and let me know how useful you find this page.
Organising Fests for SLUG Sydney Linux Users Group, my LUG
(linux users group), started when it was decided that we would have a second installfest and I
remembered that the bloke who was going to organise it could not lift heavy loads and so would
definitely need a hand. So I volunteered to assist. My offer included organising power cables,
the network and the cuppa stuff. Since I had over twenty eight years experience with organising
similar activities, and gradually acculmulated a pile of helpful items for such events, it turned
out to be a pile of other items as well.
From this InstallFest, I went on to organise a ConfigFest, then an AppsFest (programming and scripting)
and the next InstallFest. These notes evolved from the packing lists and experiences of these
various Fests and the other events I've organised over twenty eight years.
There are also two other papers I plan on writing. One on a theoretical framework for
running your club/group/association and the second on why I promoted the sequence of
InstallFest, ConfigFest, then AppsFest as needed for SLUG.
For a SLUG InstallFest, we now plan on 100+ people participating and these notes are written with that
in mind. There isn't much difference between planning a smaller or larger event, just the numbers of people
and hence volunteers required.
For ease of understanding, I have divided the the organisation up into eleven roles/positions/responsibilities that need to be considered. If you are lucky, you will have fifteen+ people to carry out these leadership roles beforehand. If you manage this, would you let me know how you achieved it, because we always have people doubling up.
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Despite what has been said about democracy and grass roots movements, for the practical job
of getting things done, you need a central co-ordinator. At the least, they act as an information
conduit to improve communications efficency. At the worse they crack the whip. At the least, they
motivate people to do their best. The rest of this section is some tips for the organiser(s).
If you know how to make a list, then you are going to become a good organiser. I can not recommend
this highly enough. It is especially helpful for next time {:-)}}} to remind you of stuff you
forgot last time. I enevitably carry pencil and paper to jot down things I think off at anytime.
I also prepare list of stuff to load into the van and take along. Make sure you update your
list after each event. For what it is worth, I will add my lists here at a later stage.
Finding a location. The only advice I can suggest is to look, look and look. When SLUG started
having Fests, we took whatever small hall we could get. Later we found a school canteen area that
we could hold events in and this has been ideal, but a little crowded. Sincel then, we have only been
able to use one other location. Most other halls have heavy bookings that don't allow for a one day booking.
The major problem that I and SLUG have found over the years in getting a hall, location, etc is public liability
coverage. We have only fund two locations that will either cover our events or can sell you
a public liability coverage for the day. From time to time, individuals report successfully getting a
day's coverage from various insurance companies, but usually at a relative, major cost.
If finding a hall/location isn't bad enough, make sure there are adequate, clean toilets and preferrably
a take away food place nearby that people can quickly visit to buy lunch. Toilets are essential and
experience has shown that having to leave for lunch can send people home, rather than keeping them there.
What Time. For something like an InstallFest, a whole day seems best. The longer the time, the more
relaxed the day can be. Most SLUG Fests have been the equivalent of all day events, even if
one wasn't planned as such (they just kept on talking and moved elsewhere).
In some locations, you will have to have an evening event as people are not available on weekends.
I live at Campbelltown, which is a suburban area. This means most people are into the breeding cycle
where weekends are largly taken up with family commitments - weekend sport, shopping, house maintenance, etc.
Around Universities and high density residential areas, a different lifestyle exists that generates
more people with free time on weekends.
The problem with evening events is that the amount of effort required in getting computers and
equipment to the venue compared to the duration of the event. It is very hard to encourage people
to do this for an evening event. On the otherhand, if you are getting too many people, it can
be useful to hold evening events to contain numbers.
When I was younger, I wouldn't have thought about suggesting that you needed a second organiser,
but age reminds you that problems can take this person out of the loop very fast. So it is wise to have
a second person who knows the overall situation as well and can step in and carry on.
The other important reason for having a second person involved is to spread the expertise and
train other people for the future. The time to start planning the second fest is before the first
fest and this inlcudes training someone to organise it.
A slight digression - one of the problems besetting the Linux phenomina is the cult of personalities
that is also being encouraged - LT, RSM, ESR & others. This encourages egos that sieze positions
and try to make themselves indespensible. The way to nip that in the bud is to ensure that fest organistion
is a rolling responsibility.
Back to the job. How many should you plan for? In SLUG's case, we planned for 100, but would have been happy
with 10 on the day. SLUG took this approach and have had over 140+ for each InstallFest, 60+ at the
ConfigFest and 30+ at the ProgFest
Starting A Lug - If you are trying to start off a LUG in your area by holding a Fest, be
happy if you and your dog get company for the day. I've lost count of the number of organisations
I have started or revived that had exactly this many people on the first event. Rembmer, if they
have a good time, you have doubled the number of people postively promoting the next event.
If you are not sure that you are going to have it - Don't Have It. Success breeds success. Always talk positively
about the event - "it WILL be on such and such" - not "we are PROPOSING to have". See the paragraph
above about numbers. Always report things successfully.
Be Honest and you will get honest people. Linux is about co-operation - not about getting
money from where ever to have Linux parties. This comes back to numbers. If you can get 10 people along
who are prepared to help set up the hall, and sweep up at the end of the day, then you will
have a better quality LUG, than 100 people who only turn up when everything is done for them.
You will get the honest worker from saying "we have no ideas how many are going to turn up,
but we are going to be doing this, this and this".
The day is about what you do, not about how many turned up. SLUG has had the experience of exhibiting at
PC-IT 99 (The Sydney PC Show). 40,000 sharks^H^H^H^H^H^Hpeople cruising the aisles looking for stim and hand
outs. In comparison, any Fest has been a relaxing event where you can have a quality
conversation and achieve something.
Keep costs under control, or rather minimise losses. Unless you have sponsorship, you are going to have to charge. Even if you
obtain sponsorship, you should still charge. My partnership WOA
sponsored two Fest hall hires for SLUG to encourage them to hold Fests, but they were expected to
charge and set up a fund to hold future Fests.
Hall hire is our biggest problem because no matter how many turn up, we are going to have to spend the money.
Everything else, apart from milk for the tea and coffee can be held over to the next Fest.
On the day, the organiser(s) solve all the problems that crop up, e.g. talks running late, someone's PC
was messed up by an over confident, but not competent installer, etc. If you have a spare moment, make sure
that you consider the volunteers and ensure they get lunch, or a break, or whatever.
That is about the considerations from an organiser perspective.
This can be little or a lot, depending on your resources. SLUG's first installfest was mentioned
at meetings and on the list a few weeks prior with people being told it was for member's only.
They had around 15 people. The next was planned a few months ahead, received a number of mentions
on the SLUG list and people were encouraged to tell other people about it. We thought we might get 20
and ended up with 139 + helpers.
Our third InstallFest was well planned, six months ahead. We did all the above and printed posters for people
to put up at work, uni, school, etc. We also handed out a large number of flyers at PC-IT, all the time
wondering if we were going to be swamped with people. We encouraged people to preregister on a
WWW so we knew what to expect and thirty + did so, but only one turned up on the day. Instead another forty +
turned up on the day.
If you are starting a LUG through a Fest, do all the usual stuff. Take all the free local newspaper listings you can get.
Write a press release for all the local newspapers. Put up notices on all the supermarket and other
community noticeboards around. Try getting local computer shops to put up a small poster (A4 or A5)
in their shop and so on.
If you have a university nearby, hit as many public noticeboards around the eating and meeting places
as you can. Also consider the places where computer, science and engineering courses are taught.
Take a roll of posters, a stapler and thumb tacks and go for it.
You can try sending a poster with a covering letter to the computing techer at your local high
school, but don't bet on this getting large numbers as often the poster will not be put up or announced
as the Dept of Education is very worried about legal liability should you not be whom you claim to be.
In short, word of mouth works best and is cheapest. Note the comments for the organiser about speaking
positively about the event all the time and plan ahead as long as your can.
This is a little and very important job that helps improve satisfaction on the day.
SLUG is often able to use a school location. Unfortunately, it is not obvious to everyone
exactly where within the school grounds that people need to go, so people want signage to
say enter by this gate and go this way. This should be one of the first jobs carried out
on arrival, and it can be one of the first
clean up jobs.
An important sign is the front door signage. Firstly, it tells people that yes, this is the
Linux Fest (not the tap dancing fathers, or worse). Secondly, and this is highly recommended,
you have a little sign that clearly states you/your group/the helpers accept absolutely no
responsibility and that you are merely assisting them to install Linux on their machine.
P.S. I don't want to here your opinion on the worth of this - it is better to have something
than nothing.
The next lot of signage is the timetable for the day. People like to have a clear list
of what is planned. This is most helpful if you are running a talks program as people can
ensure they attend the talks they are interested in.
The last lot of signage is acknowledgements. Being Open Source does not mean that you are
ant-commercial. If a company or individual donates door prizes, sponsors costs, or anything else,
you should erect some signage to let people know they have done so.
It may seem strange to list this minor task as a separate role, but it is best to give this
task to someone who does not have other task first up. Too often, events start late
because someone has to finish loading gear, pickup people, pickup the milk, pickup the keys, put up
the signs, etc,, etc. A little delay on each adds up to a major delay that holds everyone else up.
If one person collects keys from the keyholder, you can afford a small social chat as you collect the
keys, listen to last minute instructions, clarify whether you have to take your rubbish away,
how do you work the alarm, etc, without standing there hopping around like you need the
toilet whilst thinking "shit I'm late" and still have to pick up milk, etc.
This actually starts with the organiser(s), but it is not something they should supervise on the day.
If you have never run this sort of event before hand, you should visit the location prior and try to
work out how everything is going to be laid out. If neccssary take a tape measure and measure EVERYTHING up,
the space, table size, how much space for a person on a chair, etc. You should at least visit the
location prior, even if you have run this style of event beforehand.
Then sit down and draw up a plan for the layout, power and network teams to received prior or
on the morning. Nothing is worse, and upsets volunteers, if it becomes obvious on the day that no
one has any idea where everything goes and the last thing you want to do is upset volunteers.
The 7 P's apply - Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.
Believe me when I say, it takes years of practise and ongoing experience to be able to walk into
a foreign location and say where everything is to go and get it exactly correct and the best layout.
Often you do not get a second chance.
On the day, your hall layout leader firstly checks that store cupboards are unlocked, then if they
do not already have a team of volunteers worked out, co-ops whomever is available to help setup
the hall. They will need to be aware of who has other roles and let them get on with those, but
anyone else is fair game to ask to assist.
At the end of the day, it is all reversed and everything gets packed away and the hall
swept and rubbish taken away. There is no shame in leaving the place cleaner than when
you arrived and it helps you get back into that place again.
Firstly, it needs to be determined that the location has enough power for the job. nothing
is worse than the whole location shutting down because a fuse blew. Thankfully most halls
seem to have enough power circuits.
Next consideration is that each major location can have power run to it. Locate hall power outlets
and work out the route of heavy extension cords, then establish the major distribution board
at each location. It is best if you can locate heavy power cords and properly built
distribution boards rather than use the light, cheap stuff that most people and computer
rooms seem to use these days. Extension cords will get physically abused in these settings and
if they are a thin cord running warm, most of the physical strength in the insulation is gone
and it is easy to cause an internal short.
Once the backbone power dstribution is established. then people can then plug their distribution
boards into your major distribution boards. Avoid daisy chaining the cheap power boards that exist.
This means the end board is carrying all the current and will shut down a whole string of computers
if it's thermal shutout is tripped. Do not plan on these cheap boards carrying their full rating.
Looking after power distribution on the day is a full time job for one person, but once the backbone is
laid out, it should be a light job. The day ends with madly trying to pack stuff up as tables get packed
away and people want to start sweeping up.
This is a job for a team of one to three people. Three is better the first time, but once
you train your regular attendees, you have to do less for them. By three events, they can usauly find the hubs
and plug in a network cable. By this stage, you can take on someone to train.
SLUG started having a network at Fests for two reasons. Firstly we did think we would get that
many people. Secondly, we planned to run displays of different applications. Thirdly, it would allow
members to 'play' a bit with networks on the day. We never thought of it as being a major install tool.
Thinking about it, not many people install Linux from floppies, so that means a CD to install
from. Let me tell you that it is easier to get people to bring a network card and install it
before you try to install some old CD drive they have, before you start installing Linux.
Given that most PC-enabled homes have or are considering purchasing a second PC, encouraging people
to install a network cark is usually welcome. If you have anyone along to sell stuff, try to get them to
offer some basic, economical Linux friendly network cards as well.
It also means that you can establish a central FTP server and put one CD up for everyone to use. This also
provides a central repository for all the other files that may come in handy. No matter how
much we talk about it before hand, SLUG is yet to wheel a fully set up FTP/NFS server in the door
for any of our Fests, so don't feel too bad if like us, it gets set up on the day.
Okay - after the hall layout is planned, the first job is to work out what networking you are
going to provide. This usually means 10BaseT (twisted pair -recommended) and if you are brave
(thinnet -10base2). Mission impossible is trying to keep thinnet working reliable at an
installfest. I now have a multiport bridge that I'm hoping to use to isolate offending machines.
Our networks have usually been established with whatever turns up on the day and this varies
from event to event and largely depends on what people can borrow from work. Although, we
do start with a 30 metre thick ethernet backbone. It has a centre tap and we can plug multiple
taps onto each end. Various repeaters and hubs are attached as available and needed.
The hardest job was linking thicknet, thinnet and twisted pairs, but now we get enogh
hubs with the capacity and regularly establish one complete network on site. Discussion is
still taking place on the worth of establishing an internet link for the day. Unfortunately, the good
location we have, has only a digital phone line.
On the day - when people register, the door team determines whether they want to link to the network.
If they do, they are issued with an IP sticker, which is stuck on their computer and their name &
IP number is recorded. Very handy for finding faultly machines/setup or who has that IP number.
they are then setup and linked into the network. We usually issue 192.168.0.100 +. You can
issue other numbers to regular attenders, or the servers, etc.
One day, I will write a doco on the three steps you need to take to change your IP number
and set your machine up on a foreign network. It will be linked in here.
We only establish IP settings. There is no DNS setup for these networks. Encourage people people to bring
their own bit of networking cable. This will save yours being inadvertently taken home or damaged.
Put up a list of server IPs on the Fest notice board. The first event you will go crazy giving out the numbers,
but by the second event, people will know it is easier to look on the noticeboard that
find where your are hiding, woops fixing cables {:-).
Last bit of information is to make sure you have a good breakfast. The first installfest with
networking I finally was able to take a break about 3pm, just before we started packing up.
Depending on the numbers you expect/receive, this can be a job for one, two, or three people at a
time, which means four to twelve people taking turns on the door.
SLUG has tried preregistration for one event on our WWW pages and only one of the 30+ people
who registered turned up on the day, but we did get another forty on the day. So you may or may not
want to consider this.
On arrival, someone collects the entry fee. We charge $2 or $5 depending on location, hall hire
costs, the event and whether they are a member, etc. All charges are explained as being to cover
expensesand no one ever objects. Once they pay their fee, their hand is stamped. This is a good
opportunity to use that cute set of rubber animal stamps you have - choose a different one
each event. If we have prizes for a door prize, they are also issued with a door ticket
and we usually get them to write their name on a sticker and wear it. At first people were mixed about
this, but now everyone is happy as it is easier to spot names and say "What we we do to help you John,
blah, blah".
At this stage, you will need to determine what they are here for. Most people (100/140), come to
our installfest to just look around, listen to the talks, watch demo machine and learn. This isn't
why we started having the talks side, but it has become a rather important consideration.
People with machines are listed and given another ticket as their installation ticket.
Hint - get clearly different tickets. The details of the installation wanted, distro, hardware, etc
are noted on a sheet of paper, which is given to the installation team, or pinned on their board
of installations required. We usually get people to leave their systems in their cars until
it is their time for installation, then return it to their car once it is done. This protects you
and them from gear that walks, which there is very little of. Once again, that recommendation for a no
responsibility sign is repeated.
As mentioned under networking, a network IP is handed out if required, and their details
recorded.
To lead the volunteers doing installations, you need a couple of people who know volunteer
skills. The job is really knowing who can do what and matching people with installs. If they
have the ability to match people with people, that also helps, but is not essential.
Generally, they need to keep an eye on how everyone is going and how every install job went.
The first big installation day had the install team just turn up and get to work. For the second major
InstallFest, volunteers were give a 30 minute briefing before hand on what to do
and not to do.
SLUG has started recording the results and difficulties found on each install with a view
to making things smoother in the future. Unfortunately, this is not online, but as distributions
are chaning so rapidly these days, it is not a critical point.
Team Leaders need to be aware of over confident installers and make sure that every job
s successful, or that people do not leave with a worse situation than when they came. Again,
the recommendation for a no responsibility taken sign on the front door. SLUG is now saying that
we will help you install Linux, and you should have done a backup beforehand, and to this end the
install team don't actually run the keyboard.
Keep an eyeout for the install from hell - these happen. You will have installs that can take
a number of people to have a look at it to make it successful and will take all day. These
are the important ones for the Install Team to get volunteers with appropriate skills onto.
Initially, SLUG provided talks as something to fill in whilst waiting for your install. As
previously mentioned, we have since found that most people come for the talks and to look.
So the talks given at InstallFests have assumed a major importance.
They need to be accurate. They should not be too detailed or technically deep and it is better
to have some one relatively new to Linux, rather than a guru as they better remeber the frustrations
of learning Linux and can relate better to questions.
Ideally, the talks should be well away from the noise of the installs, but we have never succeeded
in achieving. Technology for the talks should be as high as a white board and as low as
a stack of butchers paper on a stand.
Electronic display technology is usually either not available, unco-operative or not reliable enough
in the setting.
Try to work out a program of talks before hand and put the timetable on the front noticeboard,
as people will vary their install to attend a talk.
A lot of people underestimate the importance of a social meeting point such as the cuppa
facilities. It is the most important activity at any Fest. If you are trying to start a LUG,
make absolutely sure that you have this facility provided. If you are going to charge a fee,
add $1 for a couple of cups of tea or coffee.
Why is this important? It provides a quiet way for people to linger, approach and ask questions,
seek information. Very few people will go along to something new and stick their hand up to ask
what they consider might be very basic questions in public.
At fests, there might be other opportunites to approach and ask that question,
so it may not be that important, but your volunteers do need a few breaks throughout the day
and this provides the excuse for a break, a stretch of the legs, etc.
It also allows volunteers to fill in the embarrassing stretches whilst they wait for a
distribution to install all those packages. Not only are they relieved of trying to make conversation
whilst this is going on, they can also appear hospitable by inviting the new person to
have a cuppa.
A couple of other things to add to your list are (A)a packet of garbage bin liners to collect and
clean up your rubbish and perhaps take it away if needed and (B) spare toilet paper, just in case.
The almost last thing SLUG does at its Fests is to get everyone together for thank you's
and a discussion of how the day went. As well as volunteers, anyone who attended and is
still there is welcome to contribute because a voluntary thank you from these people
means more than any thank you from the usual crowd.
We ask how people thought the day went, what went wrong, what could be improved, what was well
done and similar leading questions. Focus on generalities, not individuals. Encourage discussion,
but keep it on track. This is where you get your quality feedback.
If an individual apparently stuffed up, then they should be spoken to quietly by their team leader.
The team leader will need to find out what when wrong. Was it lack of skill, they didn't get
assistance when needed or the customer from hell? These are all possibilities. Remember, this is a team
effort and any problems need to be looked at from a team point of view.
Do not discuss people's "failings" in public. If it becomes obvious that people need training,
then organise a training day. If you criticise someone in public, then you will at worst
lose them and others from your LUG, or at best make a long term enemy and turn others against
you.
The last thing you do of course is to packup, cleanup and get out. Well, actually, the last thing
SLUG usually does is adjourne to another place, like a nice, nearby pub for a few ales, or a pizza
joint, etc.
There will undoubtedly be other things to add to this list, but I've been distracted too many times today and have lost the thread. So I will return later to update it.
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