Like MJR, inspired by Colin's post, I have been thinking (not a pretty sight). One of the main issues with OSS is the general lack of awareness about it. To most people Windows is so ubiquitous that it is synonymous with the idea of a PC.

So the question is how can we raise awareness of OSS software? Whatever it is has to be low cost (i.e. free or nearly free) but has to reach a fairly wide audience. I though the installfests a good idea in principal but I could never see how they could be implemented in a effective way.

However 2 things have worked their way into my consciousness recently that may offer a solution. Knoppix and The Forum.

I think Knoppix is a great way of showing non-technically minded people that a) there is another life after MS and b) that you don't have to know f*** all about operating systems to run GNU/Linux (in fact you don't even have to know that its called that!). I now always carry a Knoppix CD around with me and whenever someone asks me about this Linux thing I'm talking about I just find the nearest available PC (i.e. the owner doesn't mind my booting a CD off it) and run it up. Usually the response I get is initially "Is that it? So how is it deferent from the PC I normally use?" and then most people quite happily play around with the word-processor, spreadsheet, etc. with no problems (the next question is always "so where's the games?") Then after a while they ask "How much is this?" and that give me the chance to do the whole OSS spiel.

Great thing about Knoppix is that 99 times in 100 it just boots and runs. No hardware issues or technical install problems. It just works.

Just behind the coffee shop area in the Forum there is a small exhibition area. Several times now I've noticed local specialist groups using it. I occurs to me that it would be great if we could set up some Knoppix demos here. Perhaps over a weekend. I might be a good way to reach a more general public. There's all sorts of ideas floating (just mistyped that as fouling, Freudian slip?) round my head, so I'll stop there.

I'll do some research and see if there's any way to get access to that area (costs, eligibility, etc.).

Feedback please.

Keith