Ubuntu US Teams

Article contributed by Amber Graner and Elizabeth Krumbach

Are you the only person in your area who is in your state LoCo Team? Or perhaps meet-ups in your area haven’t been as successful as you had anticipated. Never fear! There are things individuals can do “on their own” to contribute to their LoCo team.

• Host an Ubuntu Hour
• Contact local computer recycling and reusing organizations which distribute old computers, do they want to use Ubuntu? Offer to help with installs or “Linux expert” consultation.
• Wear an Ubuntu hat, t-shirt or other schwag and carry around CDs when you go out everywhere – when someone asks about it engage them in conversation and offer a CD! A banker at my local bank now updates me on his Linux adventures each time I see him.
• Talk to their Local Libraries and ask to put the fliers and current release CD’s somewhere near where they check out books or some other place where people will have to pass them.
• Talk to any local and national chain books stores and see if they will display the CD in the Linux section of the store if possible with the Ubuntu books.
• Talk to local colleges both the computer science/IT department and the administrative staff to get them to put CD’s and fliers in the student centers, the libraries and the Computer/IT department areas and /or any other areas that students might show an interest in Open Source Technology (science department).
• Talk to privately owned coffee shops. See what they will let you display.
• Some religious centers (churches, synagogues, meditation centers etc) have business areas and libraries. Talk to them about personal freedoms and how open source supports their rights to worship freely. Let them read about it and then see if you can add the CD’s and fliers to their libraries and such.
• Rural Club Houses. Most small towns have club house/meeting areas. See if you can give a talk when say some civic organization is meeting. Get on their agenda and see about displaying stuff at these places where people meet in the community. Even if you don’t speak to them. Just see about placing CD’s and fliers in those places.
• Airports have racks for information. Fliers with instructions on how to get the CD if people want one, or making sure they have the instructions for getting the image should they decide they want to try it.
• Technical meetings at hotels. Most hotels will display who is meeting there. Find out when technical groups are going to be there and see if you can put fliers and Cd’s in their information racks.
• Visit Local technical groups, (LUGS, Programming groups etc) and just bring some fliers and CD’s with you. People love when you bring stuff to their meetings! You may also offer to give a talk about Ubuntu to the group. Check out the LoCoWorkingWithOtherGroups page for more about working with other groups.
• If your spouse wants to go to one of these things but they fear they won’t know anything or anyone. Have them bring cookies and the CD’s . That way even if people don’t want the CD’s they most likely will want the cookies and it is a great ice breaker.
• If you live on the boarder of another state see if their LoCo group is close. Join in on the fun they are having. No where does it say you can’t go an join in on the fun with another LoCo group.
• Blog, Blog and Blog. Tell people if you like something. Let people know in a constructive way what works and doesn’t work for you.
• Maybe advocacy isn’t your thing after all? Contribute directly to Ubuntu! Even if you don’t consider yourself a highly technical person, there are many ways you can get involved.

These are great ideas, but there are always more ways to contribute! If you discover other ways, please be sure to blog about it, tell other teams by writing about it on your state team mailing list and by emailing the loco-contacts mailing list to share your ideas. You may also want to add your ideas to the LoCoTeamRunning wiki page.