Category: LoCo

During Jono’s (http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/17977168) a couple weeks ago, Jono was asked what ordinary users and enthusiasts could do to help Ubuntu reach its goal of getting 200 million users in 4 years. This was his response:

> “The most important thing folks like you can do to help Ubuntu get to 200 million users is join your LoCo team. LoCo teams are critical to the future growth of Ubuntu.”

I was scheduled to give a talk about [Ubuntu Canada](http://ubuntu-ca.org/) at the [Free Software and Open Source Symposium](http://fsoss.ca) on Saturday. That comment made me change my focus a bit.

The reason is I don’t think the things that we as a LoCo team do will make any sort of dent in that 200 million target. That’s not to say I’m not very proud of what we do. I think we do a great job of supporting and energizing the community that’s already here. Ubuntu Hours, Global Jams and release parties are fantastic opportunities to meet, work with and get to know other Ubuntu users. But besides perhaps making the community more vibrant and thus more attractive, I don’t think they do much to recruit new users.

So I put the challenge out to the people at the conference: what *should* Ubuntu Canada be doing to help us meet the ambitious 200 million goal?

There were a few suggestions:

* Raise money for marketing campaigns and advertisements
* Develop and discuss concrete ways Ubuntu solves specific problems real people have
* Encourage entrepreneurs to start businesses to support Ubuntu
* Do more to make people aware that commercial support is available from Canonical
* Work with groups like [GOSLING](http://www.goslingcommunity.org/) to help get Ubuntu into Canadian governments
* Work with the universities (particularly in my town of Waterloo) to promote Ubuntu there
* Provide training seminars in libraries and community centres
* Get involved in local events like the multicultural festival

And all those ideas are great, but it seems to me it’s still scratching the surface.

If LoCo teams *are* going to be a significant force in recruiting 200 million Ubuntu users, we have to become a movement. Something that permeates the culture.

I don’t have a lot of experience starting movements. Who’s with me? What should LoCo teams be doing to make Ubuntu a household name?

As of last night, I am an [Ubuntu Member](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Membership). Which means I have a bunch of new readers on [Planet Ubuntu](http://planet.ubuntu.com).

Hey, guys. :D

I’m one of the LoCo contacts for [Ubuntu Canada](http://loco.ubuntu.com/teams/ubuntu-ca/) (along with [Ralph](http://drupal.txwikinger.me.uk/). I live in the lovely and exciting city of [[wiki:Waterloo, Ontario]] and I’m president of [Kwartzlab](http://kwartzlab.ca/) the local hackerspace. I throw awesome, nerdy Ubuntu release parties, complete with cake. Because all parties need cake.

You can read more about the stuff I’ve done on my [wiki page](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/dscassel/).

As for what I’m doing, tomorrow I leave for Montreal, and I’m looking forward to meeting [Fabián](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FabiánRodríguez), [Eric](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/sipherdee) and other folks from [Ubuntu Quebec](http://loco.ubuntu.com/teams/ubuntu-qc/). If you’re in Montreal, [you should come too](http://loco.ubuntu.com/events/ubuntu-qc/1161/detail/)!

And we’re only two weeks away from the Ubuntu Global Jam. If you’re in KW or the surrounding area, you should [join us at Kwartzlab](http://loco.ubuntu.com/events/ubuntu-ca/1103/detail/), Saturday, September 3. We have a [development project idea](http://drupal.txwikinger.me.uk/content/ubuntu-ca-loco-project-global-jam-september-2011) which, if we’re successful will help package maintainers with future Ubuntu upgrades. And, of course, we’ll have the usual testing and triaging if coding up packaging tools isn’t your thing.

So stay tuned! And, Planet, it’s a pleasure meeting you at last.