Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Re: [Infopoint] Infopoint at Trentham Gardens

[alan c]

Simon Ward wrote:
> On Wed, May 21, 2008 at 12:01:06AM +0100, I wrote:
> > it’s Simon I’ve been told to speak with
>
> I’ve spoken with Simon.  He is aware of past Infopoints (I didn’t get to
> mention Trentham Gardens).  Questions were (maybe paraphrased):
>
>     “It’s a free stall, isn’t it;  it’s to give away free software?�
> I tried to briefly qualify that second part.
> If it wasn’t clear from the first part…
>     “Will you be taking any money at the stall?�
> whether it’s commercial is the main concern.

My experience in Bracknell is that if I display in a (strongly) retail 
environment such as the computer fair, where cut price items are 
expected, then attenders are suspicious of 'Free' (as in zero price) 
stuff. The initial sessions I ran did offer free CDs (zero cost) but I 
go very few takers! I discussed with the organisers and they were 
happy that I was 'non-trading' if I simply asked for prices which were 
sensibly 'at cost'.  I find that 50p for a handwritten CD in an 
plastic or paper envelope is accepted as 'at cost'. In fact I am 
finding that this is probably below cost somewhat because versions go 
out of date so fast and there is wastage, and other costs, if 
balancing the books is paramount. When ubuntu shipit packs are 
available, they look suitably like a polished retail product, and 
again, for zero cost, they produce great distrust. So I ask for a 1 
pound donation for them. This is a compromise - at this price, some 
traders want to buy a bunch and I know they may/will sell then at 3 
pounds or more each elsewhere, so I limit supply, although if traders 
distribute them I do not really object, they have costs too, and my 
primary objective is to spread FOSS!

The ubuntu shipt CDs are understandably becoming less easy to obtin in 
larger quantities, althiough can be purcghased at a very low price 
from canonical. Even so, I woul dneed to ask a practicval price of 2 
pounds if  use dthat approach. My slight worry is that whereas 1 pound 
is evidently not trading, 2 pound might b eedging up towards what 
might look like trading, but I have not gone into it yet.

In conclusion, asking for money in most environments is essential if 
you want to be taken even half seriously, but the price must be 
obviously at cost, certainly low.

The term 'commercial' may be misleading because a charity is surely a 
commercial enterprise and some charities are immensely rich.  Also a 
'non profit' might give the impression that there is a (big) 
organisation behind it somewhere.

Good luck
--
alan cocks
Kubuntu user#10391
Linux user #360648