New York City: All Five Boroughs

Ideas for getting Free Software across to public in NYC

You need different approaches for different demographics
- You cannot use tech strategies to change the minds of non-tech people
- How do we figure the who-when-where to properly address those demographics?
We have to define the goals?
- Is the goal to just advance revenue/membership of FSF?
- Is the goal to get more people using Free Software?

Deface ads
- Put a sticker on "Do you have Microsoft Office in your pocket?" ads that say: "Is that DRM in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? www.some-anti-drm-site.org"
- Put up same ad with slightly different information, but "look alike" (aka "subvertising", RTMark-style culturejams)
Fake service advisory posters: PC line out of service in 5 years, due to DRM [1]
Do car-by-car subway slogan speaking
Challenges
- It's illegal (or is it?)
- Cannot be official

FSF could start a small college to develop software?
Well, ok, that's a huge job, but maybe a course that would help people learn about Free Software development process.
But, on the other hand, isn't that too Open-Source-y, not getting the politics out to people.
Can we show young people and students the community aspects?
Ethics have to be part of teaching development methodology
People trying to explore idea of freedom
What about a class where two competitive teams try to do a particular job?
Challenges:
- Finding departments/professors that are receptive.
- Need people who can develop courseware

How many people are off giving talks? How do we get more people giving talks?
Could prepared speeches be made available?
no, we need tools and people to help them to learn how to speak.
Challenges:
- We have to make everyone join toastmasters
- Public speaking is fearful for some

Shouldn't we all have automatic links at the end of the email to get donations?
.signature line that gets automatically generated
Individuals should be able to give directly to sub-projects that interest them
Challenges:
- bkuhn mentions having tried it but it didn't work well (only Orion gave)

Should we be like the Mormons/Scientologists/Falun Gung
"Would you like to be contacted later from someone who will teach you about software freedom?"
But it's so hard to get across the ideas simply; no one knows or cares about software issues. This tact is less effective with such people.
Challenges
- We don't want to be a cult

Free Software in the elementary schools
Challenges:
- - Very very hard to do education stuff at K-12 levels, particularly in NYC