David A. Harding
Monday, 21 Nov 2005
Last Sunday I spent 8+ hours at the
Rutgers University
Students' Linux User's Group's
InstallFest. I wanted to write something stirring about it, but I can't.
It was exciting—roller coaster or strangers-trust-you-with-their-
data exciting. But it really isn't much to write about. Or maybe it is.
There's a
full page article
about it in the targum.
I do have some ideas for next time:
- Networks without DHCP suck. We need a router and some CAT5
and everything will be alright.
- Give the newbies a glossary of terms we're using. They'll
want to learn them anyway.
- Put a RUSLUG background on the ruslug site. We can
download it to test the internet and ingrain our logo on the
newbies brains.
- Name badges for all. Colour code by competency: newbie,
intermediate, guru
- List, for the installers, of the time consuming steps in the
installation of the supported distros with a time
estimate.
- Register new installs with
The Linux Counter
- Give the newbies a sheet of how to get in touch with us via
mailing lists, wiki, and IRC (I'd be willing to give my
personal email too). Follow-up is the most important part of
customer service.
Thanks to
Mike Kazin
and the other SLUGgers for organizing. Special and personal thanks to
Rob Renaud
for being a guru, a partner in crime, and for buying me dinner.
