path: root/english/events/checklist.wml

#use wml::debian::template title="Checklist for a booth"
# $Id$

<p>This list intends to help people organizing a booth for the Debian
project at any exhibition.  Please send comments to <a
href="mailto:events@debian.org">events@debian.org</a>.
</p>

<h3>Organizing a booth</h3>

<p>This list is ordered.  However, some items can be done in parallel,
of course, some other can be done in different order.
</p>

<ol>

<li> If you are aware of an event in which Debian could possibly take part,
     mail to <a href="eventsmailinglists">debian-events-&lt;region&gt;</a>
     - this also applies if you are not planning to run a booth.
</li>

<li> Running a booth only makes sense if there are two or more people
     sharing the work. Consider asking  <a
     href="eventsmailinglists">debian-events-&lt;region&gt;</a> for
     help if you do not have enough help.  If nobody else wants to or could
     help, please reconsider running a booth.
</li>

<li> Now that there are some people who will help at the booth, make sure
     you have at least one machine is avaliable at the booth for showing
     off debian - as one alternative, the debian events box is available
     for this. Ask events@debian.org. If no machines are available, please
     reconsider running the booth, since without machines it'll be quite
     empty.
</li>

<li> Now when both people and machines are available, it is time to contact
     the administration and ask them about a free booth for the
     project.
</li>

<li> It has proven helpful at many events to coordinate the event in the
     Debian Wiki using the form on <a
     href="https://wiki.debian.org/DebianEvents#Adding_a_new_event">the
     Debian events page</a> there.
</li>

<li> Please ensure that the booth will actually have furniture.
</li>

<li> Please ensure that the booth will have a power plug and IP connectivity.
</li>

<li> Check if there will be walls to put posters on.
</li>

<li> If posters can be used, check out if you can afford printing
     large posters or get some sent to you (check out 
     the <a href="material">material for booths</a>). Debian can also
     refund the costs of printing large posters.
</li>

<li> Check out if you can afford phrasing, designing and printing
     flyers so that visitors can take something with them.
     (Check out the <a href="material">material for booths</a>).
</li>

# <-- <li> If it is a large exhibition, check if somebody wants to produce
#      Debian CDs for visitors.  Check out if you can find sponsors to
#      pay for the production so visitors can get them without a fee.
#      Please ensure that handing out binary-only CDs actually is in <a
#      href="$(HOME)/CD/vendors/legal">compliance</a> with the license
#      of the distributed software.
# </li> -- this has been deprecated, at least in Germany. It should be
# rewritten. -->

<li> If somebody will be at the booth who is capable of holding a talk
     covering Debian in general or a specific angle of the project,
     ask them to sign up at the administration if they would like to
     accept this talk.  In any case, you can always schedule talks within
     the booth, be sure to place the schedule in advance (the first
     day) so that people are aware of it. 
</li>

<li> Even if no formal talk is being organised, you can always ask the
     administration for some room to organize a Birds of a Feather (BOF)
     meeting.  A BOF is an informal meeting between developers
     and users with no outline in which anyone can ask any question they
     are interested in.  They are quite enlightening because developers
     get the chance to know what people think and people get to answer
     the questions they have.
</li>

<li> Negotiate with the administration how many tables and chairs are
     required at the booth.
</li>

<li> Please ensure that there will be enough power splitters at the
     booth so the machines will actually be able to be turned on.
</li>

<li> Please ensure that there will be enough network cables and
     hubs/switches at the booth so the boxes can be connected.
</li>

<li> Bare tables don't look nice, you may want to consider using white
     table cloths so the whole booth will look more professional.
</li>

<li> If you want to sell anything (t-shirts, cds, pins, caps etc.),
     you'll have to contact the administration first to find out
     whether this is permitted at all.  There are some major events
     where selling stuff at booths is not permitted at all.
</li>

<li> If the administration is fine with you selling stuff at the
     booth, you have to find out whether there is a state or local law
     that prohibits this (especially if the event takes place on a
     Sunday).  The event administration may be able to help.
</li>

<li> If you are selling stuff, you should not emphasize on making
     money at the booth.  It may also look strange if you ask for a
     gratis booth etc. and then sell something and make <q>lots</q> of
     money at the booth.
</li>

<li> On some events a social event is organised for speakers and exhibitors.
     Check out if there will be one and how you can attend it if
     you are interested.  As a rule of thumb: A social events usually
     is quite nice since you meet people from other projects and companies
     and can relax outside of a stressful exhibition.
</li>

<li> Please ensure to take enough fingerprints of your GnuPG key with
     you so others can <a href="keysigning">sign</a> it.  Please also
     don't forget a passport or drivers license to prove your
     identity.
</li>

<li> If you can get money to do more things for the booth you
     can read some good ideas regarding 
     <a href="material">merchandising in booths</a>.
</li>

<li> When people and machines are available, please ensure that the entire booth
     staff can operate the machines.  That requires a demo account
     with a password known to the entire booth staff.  This account should be
     allowed to run <code>sudo apt-get</code> if the machines are
     connected to the network and have access to a Debian mirror.
</li>

<li> It would be nice if one of the people who are staffing the booth
     would write up a short report after the show so <a
     href="$(HOME)/News/weekly/">Debian Weekly News</a> could report about
     the show afterwards.
</li>

</ol>

<p>Mails covering organization of the booth and talks should be sent
to one of the <a href="booth#ml">mailing lists</a> so they get
publicly recognized, archived and can attract more interested people
to attend.
</p>

<p>If you don't want to send such mails to a public list, you can
always send them to events@debian.org so we can give some hints to you
if required or useful.  We won't step in contacting the administration
bypassing your effort, though.</p>

<h3>Running the booth</h3>

<ul>

<li> If you want to run a professional booth, it is always good to
     know where to put jackets, superfluous shoes, drinks and other
     stuff.  Please contact the administration if there will be a
     small room for it.
</li>

<li> Please check with the administration how you can get to the booth
     during the show before it has opened to the public.  Some
     exhibitions require special exhibitor-passports.
</li>

<li> At the exhibition the ratio of developers per visitors should not
     be over two (2.0).  It's nice to have a booth full of people, but
     it's not very inviting if the booth is already filled up with
     Debian people and no visitor is able to get in.
</li>

<li> Don't forget to take a group picture of all Debian people helping
     out.  This was forgotten very often but helps a lot associating
     pictures and names while also making Debian less anonymous.
</li>

<li> When the day is over or at the end of the show, please don't
     return a booth full of junk like empty bottles and stuff.
</li>

<li> It does not look nice if people at the booth are sitting
     behind the table just looking at their notebooks instead of taking
     care about the visitors.
</li>

</ul>