InstallFest2LessonsLearned

From OSLUG Wiki

Lessons Learned from InstallFest2

Please list your thoughts about what you liked about InstallFest2, what could have been better, and other ideas for next time.

What went well

• Large turnout ([sign-in http://lug.oregonstate.edu/other/sign-in/] list) (count: 65)
• Install guides helpful (but see below)
• Massive amount of loaned equipment made it possible
• Willamette Room was the perfect size for the attendance
• Sign-in setup worked well (easy to use)

To be improved

• Need an Ubuntu mirror
• Name tags
• More copies of multiple distros
• Printed distro comparison - hard to access an online version while computers were busy partitioning
• More printed installation documentation (specifically the full gentoo handbook, etc)
• A predetermined list of which distro to recommend based primarily on experience, then by what they want to use their computer for and/or preferences
• For gentoo, pre-compile the essentials to reduce intallation time (Uhh, this is already available on the stage3 tarball plus the package CD -- DonnieBerkholz)
• Ventilation
• Hanging/tabletop CD pockets/organizer, each column(organizer) with a distro, each row(organizer section) with a copy of all CDs necessary for installation
• Having a CD full of wireless drivers would be nice
• Have it on a weekend, and have it last longer
• List of sites for the new folks

Other ideas

• If our next event is any larger, which is definitely possible based on the difference between InstallFest1 and 2, how do provide enough of us to install without having installees sitting around waiting? We were pretty much maxed out this time.
• A follow-up session on Linux use