[kde-usa] [kde-promo] KDE Cascadia

[Jeff Mitchell]

On 10/18/2011 12:11 PM, Carl Symons wrote:
> The immediate issue...
> There has been some discussion about having CampKDE (or something
> similar with a regional focus) at LinuxFest Northwest (LFNW) in
> Bellingham April 28 and 29, 2012. I am one of the organizers. The
> organizing committee agreed unanimously to support. The sponsors at
> Bellingham Technical College (where the event is held) agreed. They
> also agreed that students should assist with producing the KDE event.
> There is no venue cost. There are publicity advantages in having a
> joint event.
> 
> There are also drawbacks to the location and event.
> Travel costs to Bellingham are higher than those to other
> locations...or more of a hassle if people choose to fly into Seattle.
> 
> LFNW draws people from the local community. It's neighborly, relaxed,
> more-technology-than-marketing. It also draws techies from northern
> Californa to British Columbia. That includes Portland--one of the
> centers of the FOSS universe. Only a few attendees come from outside
> that area. (Presenters are another matter...LFNW has had
> internationally recognized speakers.)
> 
> Given Jeff's explanation (mentioned above), along with the advantages
> and disadvantages of having CampKDE (or something like it) at LFNW,
> should we proceed? Will campkde-organizers, kde-usa, kde-promo, KDE
> e.V. support this event--CampKDE Cascadia jointly held with LinuxFest
> Northwest?

I think there are two issues here. One has to be solved before the other.

1) Are we going to take this direction with Camp KDE. If so, what are
the parameters...do we go on a promo blitz to make people aware of the
change in Camp KDE's focus, or do we deprecate the Camp KDE name in
favor of something new?

If we want to have LFNW be the first in this new line of USA event
thinking, we need to decide to do that, and decide how to present it.
One of the important issues is lowering expectations -- if we're taking
this new focus and new way of doing events here, we need to take the
pressure off, if we keep the Camp KDE name...take the pressure of our
past sponsors and the e.V., for instance, so that people don't feel like
this is the USA event they really need to be at (instead of a mindset of
figuring out which of the hopefully many events they can be at).

For instance, we need to try to cultivate sponsors at the particular
venues, and/or we need to cultivate sponsors to give generally for Camp
KDE/the new KDE USA events instead of one single specific event. I don't
think it's impossible, but we'll need to come up with an idea of what we
have to offer in return.

2) Do we want to take the LFNW opportunity? I'm broadly/generally in
favor, but #1 *does* need to be sorted out.

--Jeff

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