Thank you Paul and more importantly, well done, I will talk to IMCA they probably would be interested in a similar demonstration.
Arnaud Disant
Fix-I.T.
Cork
On 15 Sep 2011, at 11:16, Paul Scollon wrote:
> Hi all,
>> just writing to let you know the outcome of a workshop/seminar myself and fellow open source crusader Andrew Clarke held in Dundalk yesterday.
>> About 6 months ago I approached the Chamber of Commerce suggesting a workshop in saving software costs for small businesses. They offered to organise it and the local Enterprise Board offered to pay for the training facilities. We waved any fees in the spirit of what we were hoping to get across to people.
>> I was hoping for 10 or 11 local businesses to show up.
>> In the end end 50 businesses asked to be on the list, and we had to turn others away as the facilities could only hold 25 (so we did 2 sessions, morning and afternoon).
>> I can only say it went INCREDIBLY well, and the feedback form local business was astounding. We covered mostly open source software alternatives for Windows, plus some stuff on Portable Apps, but also mentioned Linux and how it was a great server solution for hosting your own services. We spoke about the origins of open source, and the difference between it and 'free' software. We also gave a lot of stats, case studies and bar charts and stuff that business people can relate to.
>> We demonstrated how easy it is to migrate users from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice, Phtoshop to GIMP and so on. They was particular interest and amazement at the availability of open source CRM and Groupware packages that we demonstrated.
>> Afterwards we were bombarded with questions and requests for mote hands-on workshops, further seminars etc.
>> I'm thinking that small IT companies who support open source around the country should similarly approach their local Chamber of Commerce and arrange similar events. The time for open source to make headway in business in Ireland seems to be now, if yesterday is anything to go by.
>> Some of the material we used, with more to follow, is available at http://www.opensourceireland.biz>> Paul Scollon
>> --
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