Ubuntu Hour Success, Can We Do It Again?

Tonight we met in San Diego for our first meeting since taking out summer break. This evening saw a group total of 6 users and had both a new interested user who will be back next week with her netbook wanting us to install Ubuntu onto it. Another story occurred when I got off the city bus and was walking to the Coffee shop when out of the corner of my eye saw a individual who appeared to be running Ubuntu, I approached this man and said one word in the form of a question

“Ubuntu?”

“Why yes”, he responds. For about five minutes we conversed about such matters of Netflix on Linux (or lack there of), and the current debate of Unity. I invited him to walk two doors down and Join the Ubuntu Hour about to start, He agreed and joined us all at the meeting. Such a random occurrence I wonder if ether its meant to be or Ubuntu is making a great impact into the mainstream market?

We had a high of six people come today, and one, this makes me think about just how can we capitalize on this and continue the upward trend. I see several ways and methods that we can use to continue the upward trend:

1. Advertising:
   We need to get the word out. Just like any other event, how can new people come out if they do not know it exists. Create flyer’s and put them in places around town. Not just the location of the meeting, but places where possible Ubuntu Users are gonna be. Also carry some around with you because you never know when you might need to pass them out.
2. Consistency:
   Not every person who attends the hour, is gonna be subscribed to the Ubuntu loco email list, or hang out in your LoCo’s IRC channel. In fact, most Ubuntu users probably don’t even know what IRC even is. Therefore it is vital for the event to be consistent in both its location and time. Make sure if there needs to be a change in venue, it is made clear to the previous venue so people who attended the previous venue can be made aware.
3. Good Conversation:
   If the new attendees to your Ubuntu event are going to want to come back they need to have a good time when they are there. One way to do that is to simply engage them in conversation about Ubuntu and Linux with them personally.It is important however to try to figure out what their technical level is and not try to out talk them with technical terms to make them feel as if all Linux users know everything about computers and they do not, and also if they are more technical then you, find some commonality you can talk about without making them feel bored about the lack of technical conversation. (ex. the desktop environment and why they use it)
4. Answer all questions asked:
   If they come to you with a problem they are having with their Ubuntu computer, fix it or find someone who can. Certainly do not leave them where they were when they started with when they showed up to the hour. if you or anyone there can not fix it, give them your email or cell phone number. meet them for coffee in a few days after having done some research and fix it then.

Whatever can be done to make the people happy and wanting to come back can help make our community grow and therefor make Ubuntu better. After all with strength in numbers, we can be even more unstoppable.