Ubuntu Global Jam – October 2-4, 2009!

Ubuntu Global Jam is just around the corner and I for one can’t wait to participate in this event. Ok so if you are near NC (we are looking into the Charlotte, Asheville, Raleigh and Winston-Salem areas) then stop on in we are planning some events just gotta’ nail down a few more details (more on this as the week progresses). If you want to see some of NC and meet new people who are luvin’ all things Ubuntu, then keep your eyes and ears open for news on the the Ubuntu Global Jam in NC. 🙂

OK,so if you are like me and have no clue about fixing bugs, triaging bugs, or anything else that a can of bug spray and an exterminator won’t fix then this is the weekend for you. (though I’m hoping to learn a little about this at the Atlanta Linux Fest, so maybe I can participate in these events(bug jams).)

The Global Jam is in a sense a way for you and your LoCo team to have your very own LoCo UbuCon (ubuntu conference). You can fix bugs, work on documentation, give talks, tutorials, test applications, sift through the sandbox and comment on some brainstorm ideas. You name it if it relates to Ubuntu and you talk about, fix it, demonstrate it, refine it, then have at it. Set something great and wonderful up. Get all your friends to bring a friend roll your sleeves up and dive into the world of Jams Ubuntu LoCo style.

So what do you want to do and how can you participate. Take a look at the Ubuntu Global Jam Wiki. Locate your LoCo team on the LoCo Team wiki and enjoy participating in a weekend of all things Ubuntu!

I thought I would share some of the process that the NC LoCo team is taking to plan the events in the State, and if someone has some ways to improve this process please do. Better yet help us plan an event at one of the above locations. We would love the in put and of course the more the merrier. 🙂 Also these steps are not in any particular order.

1) We have a date the Weekend of October 2-4, 2009.

2) Decide what the team wants to accomplish.

Wanna Work on Bugs – Fixing, Triaging

Documentation – get the team together and update and fix wiki’s. Maybe there are some people who would like to help but they need some hands on training so give a tutorial on your LoCo wiki pages and have them fix things as part of the training. Not only are they learning but you get the pages updated and fixed as well.

Give some talks on what ever area of Ubuntu you know about. Maybe you know about a specific application, teach people about it and how they can use it. Or maybe you know some nifty ways to customize your desktop give a talk about that. What ever you know about, and are excited to share your knowledge then teach someone.

Invite local people to see what they are missing. Show local town officials what using a distribution like Ubuntu can do for your town.
Go over the FAQ’s of what it means to be a LoCo team. Maybe it’s been a while you have new faces and more people joining. Give a pep talk about being a successful team.

(ok those are a few ideas but the possibilities are as great as the applications you use and your imagination, think about the things that you attend and why you attend them. Think about the experience you want those who will be attending to have. Take your excitement and passion about the Ubuntu project and find a way to encourage others in the project.)

3) Pick a venue/place to have the event. This could be someone’s house, a conference room somewhere, a coffee shop, community club house anywhere there is sufficient room, power, Internet, etc. to gather and accomplish the goal of your event.

4) Create some buzz, blog about it, post to the forums and mailing lists, put stuff on your mailing lists etc. Anywhere you can gain support and drive attendance and show people it’s going to be a fun time then create some noise (in a good way of course) about your event.

5) Decide who is going to be responsible for what – one person trying to plan and execute an event will tire anyone out. Share in the planning and execution of the event. There will be plenty to do and everyone wants to help out where they can so let them.

6) If you need to request items like CD’s and Fliers or Conference Packs, books, or if you are having T-shirts or banners made make sure you allow for enough time to get everything approved and ordered in a timely manner otherwise you may have to pay more for things and your items may not arrive in time for your event.

7) Remember to have fun! Remember the LoCo teams are all volunteers and they are giving up their time to support and help with the Ubuntu Global Jam you want it to be fun for everyone whether they are helping with the event or attending it should be fun.

8) Thank those who help. More groups lose their volunteer force because they forget two words – Thank You. Give out those Motivational Paychecks.

So on October 2-4, 2009 join in the Ubuntu Global Jam Weekend. The Ubuntu Community comes together under all things Ubuntu and just gets things done. What are you waiting for find a LoCo team, let them know you want to help, and jump in. The more the merrier. Remember it can be two people in a coffee shop testing an application or triaging bugs, or 200 people doing all sorts of things in an UbuCon Unconference style event the choice is up to you. Have fun and Jam to the beat of all things Ubuntu on Oct. 2-4, 2009.