[Ambassadors] NA Events Expectation Proposal

[David Nalley]

Sorry to bombard the global list with this.

I'd like to propose that we set the following expectation:

If we go to a conference, especially a Linux conference and:
Have a booth, have speakers, and/or have a FAD associated with the
event that we consider sponsoring it. (and by consider I mean we
should default to sponsoring and only with very deliberate reasoning
should we not sponsor the event)

Here is my reasoning.
We get benefit from showing up at these conferences (If we don't, we
shouldn't be going)
We often have FADs at Events - when we do this we are essentially
taking advantage of the draw of the conference to build our own
community.
We should never be seen as a leech on these (often community organized) events.

Moreover it's in our best interest to grow these events, IMO. I think
we can and should do more than show up and man a booth if possible.
There are cases where we shouldn't do this, but those are really the
exception rather than the rule.

I'd even be willing to say that if we plan on a FAD at or in
conjunction with the event that we must sponsor the event itself, and
that be part of the FAD budget.

Heretofore it's largely been left up to the event owner to decide
whether to sponsor an event. So for some events, like OLF, SELF, UTOSC
etc we have funds set aside for Fedora to sponsor, and others we
don't. We've even sponsored BarCamps and LUG meetings (pizza at the
LUG meetings).

So - if you are going to talk at a LUG meeting - consider showing up with pizza
If there's a BarCamp - consider having Fedora sponsor it - and make
sure you pitch a lot of Fedora/FLOSS/Linux talks.
If there is a conference we are going to have a presence at we should
be sponsoring it.


Thoughts, Comments, Flames?