CeBit 2006 Wrap-Up

I've just spent the last three days volunteering for Linux Australia at the CeBit 2006 exhibition. Linux Australia had two stands, a standard sized stand with the LA banner floating across the back and a larger, triple-sized stand labelled as the "Linux Demo Zone". Both stands were ably manned by volunteers too numerous to name, although James does capture quite a few here, and were consistently packed with personal and business attendees wanting to know more about Linux, how it can work in their personal and professional lives and to see it first hand, many for the first time. The Linux Demo zone was providing hands-on experience with a variety of Linux Desktops, Linux thin-clients and clustering solutions from UNSW. As I understand, it over a thousand copies of Ubuntu 5.10 were given away and the demonstration of the Ubuntu 6.06 beta left many people eagerly awaiting this release and relishing a chance to run Linux now that many of their doubts and concerns had been satisfied. The demo stand was also distributing linux.conf.au, OSIA and OpenSkills material which disappeared nearly as quickly as the Ubuntu CD's did. I'd like to congratulate all the volunteers, organisers and the producers of the handouts that proved so informative and useful to the people who were taking them so quickly that I never had to hand one out. Another facit that I was impressed with was the spirit amongst the Linux vendors and members of OSIA working or running stands at CeBit. There was a healthy, genuine spirit of of co-operation and competition amongst them and a readiness to share skills and ideas freely. It's truly impressive to see the spirit of the Free Software movement translate so successfully into the business world. I have already benefitted greatly from advice and experience shared with me over those three days and expect to return it in kind when the opportuinity arises. Great work everyone :)