I think you are right in some ways, but I think you are wrong too - not
that that is a bad thing! :)

The folks who are going to be there tonight are most likely going to be IT
pros... not mom and pop and the kids - mainly because the weather is going
to be poor, but also because I don't know of many 11 year olds who want to
see a real life creation of the 1984 Macintosh commercial. 

I do think that with all the info we are going to hand out tonight - ie,
the meeting invites, etc, that all us linux meeting goers might think a bit
about having a dog and pony show for the next meeting or two. Bring your
hardware in and put on a demo for all to see. Knock our socks off. We all
know that Linux is great for playing MP3s (well, I do anyway) but how about
someone demoing some mp3 stuff? Or if you have a Lego mindstorm, bring that
in!  THAT is what people want to see - not a pretty desktop that makes
silly noises and has a music score written by Brian Eno. 

I plan on bringing my laptop tonight. It has nada installed on it (idiot me
did not put Star Office on it like I wanted to) but I did manage to copy
the contents of a mp3.com sampler disc onto it. There are some media files
and things like that so we can show that it is not just windows that will
let you have fun.  I am trying to find some mpegs too... not having a lot
of luck there.

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 2/17/00 at 2:25 PM Bradley Miller wrote:
>Personally, I'm thinking we're targeting the wrong market the more I'm
>thinking of it.  I think we should hold a huge "this is what Linux can do"
>meeting that could really impress and blow people away.  I think it would
>come off as a more popular program if the people who REALLY wanted to see
>an alternative were coming on their own freewill.  Instead we're saying
>"psst -- as long as your coming down to the see the latest Gates circus .
.
>check this out".  
>
>It's kind of like standing in front of the Ford dealership with the keys
to
>a GM for a test drive.  They aren't there to buy or look at a GM, yea you
>might get some wishy washy people but that's not the core we need.  Now if
>you said "come out and try the latest GM" then you will get the curious
and
>the ones that might be SERIOUS about a change.   
>
>That's just my .02 cents for the day . . . back to work I go.