[ug-discuss] OpenSolaris User Group Growth

[Stefan Parvu]

Hi Jim,

>I wanted to start a discussion about things Sun could do to help grow 
>the UG Community. There are about 50 OpenSolaris User Groups right now,
>http://opensolaris.org/os/community/os_user_groups/osug-leaders/ so 
>congratulations for a job well done over these first two years! Now how 
>do we get to 75? 100? 150? There is a growing interest at Sun to help 
>out, which is excellent.

How I see the things:

1). Education/Schools

Basically in my opinion we should focus on education and schools|universities.
The user groups can grow if we are present there where the young generation 
is learning: schools and universities. This has an important role for OpenSolaris and for 
future jobs related with (Open)Solaris market 

 - each local group should engage work, maybe as well with help from Sun Marketing, 
to target their own schools, universities

 - each local group should 'market' OpenSolaris to different events organized by students
or universities. Sponsor maybe some of them

 - expand as well to other events hosted by schools and in
cooperation with other companies


2). Hardware/Software shops

Even this might sound a bit of Sun Marketing approach I do
consider important to see OpenSolaris, there were people are getting their
computer gear from: hardware and software shops.

 - in how many shops have you seen any adds about OpenSolaris ?

 - how many shops are promoting OpenSolaris packages ? Easy to
redistribute  software packs with OpenSolaris ?

 - events organized by the soft/hdw shops ?

 - local groups should get involved with shops and possible start promoting to them OpenSolaris.
Maybe as well Sun Marketing could help on this too, since Sun is a big sponsor for 
OpenSolaris.

Rgds,
stefan