[free-sklyarov] Protest on Sat. morning in San Jose

[Rick Moen]

begin roylo quotation:
> The ideal behind it was to be convenient for everybody.

Great.  Please consult BALE, in the future.  That URL again:
http://linuxmafia.com/bale/

> Also, this might work out better. 'Cause you guys can announce the
> protest within those event.  And people can take breaks and come join
> the protest for an hour or two.

Nope.  That doesn't work.  Running the InstallFest is a rather intensive
activity:  We're there from before 10 AM to well after 4 PM.  Driving to 
San Jose in the middle is not an option.

> If you guys still think it is a bad ideal; We can always call it off.

Your call.  I assume you verified that a substantial number of people 
will be able to be there with you, before making the announcement.
(Also, I hope you're aware that downtown San Jose is extremely dead on a
typical Saturday morning.)

However, while we're at it, herewith, a few modest suggestions about
intelligent event logistics and publicity.  (I'm for those, too.)

1.  Have all details all in one place, on an event Web site.  Lobbing off an
    announcement to a mailing list is nice, but you need clear, easily
    findable details on a Web site.  Well in advance:  Others will link
    to it, and use it for material.  Make sure the page has spokemen's 
    contact e-mail addresses and telephone numbers:  Reporters will use those.
    Example:  Windows Refund Day --  http://linuxmafia.com/refund/
2.  Make sure you include street address and cross-street.  (And
    day/date/time, obviously.)
3.  Include a street map, generated from Mapblast, Yahoo Maps, Mapquest, etc.
4.  Provide public transit information.  (In the S.F. Bay Area, you can get 
    this from http://www.transitinfo.org/ .)
5.  Provide infomation on the parking situation.
6.  If possible, have people rendezvous at somewhere convenient nearby, 
    and walk to the site en-masse.  It's more dramatic, and lets you
    take care of organisational problems before reaching the target site.
6.  Have at least one person carry a cellular 'phone.  Let other
    organisers have the number.
7.  Have flyers.  Have banners and signs.

> If we want to call it off please let me know before Friday night, so I can
> tell others as well.

8.  Make the best decisions you can, then do what you can with the
results.  Don't waffle.

I _suspect_ that you've hardly planned this at all, and need to do some
quick re-thinking.  But you make up your own mind.  I don't know you:  
You may have this going just fine.

-- 
Cheers,             "I used to be on the border of insanity.  However, due 
Rick Moen           to pressing political concerns, I recently had to invade."
rick at linuxmafia.com                        -- Kurt Montandon, in r.a.sf.w.r-j