Roadshow in a Box

Contact Information

• • Caryl@laptop.org
  • Southern California (Oct-June), Montana (June-Oct)USA
  • Experience: retired educator, member of OLPC Support Gang since December 2007

The Roadshow In A Box Project

• • Name: Roadshow In A Box
  • Description: The purpose of the Roadshow In A Box project is to bring awareness of the XO to as many educators, developers, and people interested in deployments as possible. The machines are used for demonstrations, presentations and workshops at conferences and schools, exhibit booths at expos, and showing to individuals who are interested in becoming a part of the OLPC community.

Support Volunteer, Caryl, and two students from the Audubon Middle School Contributors Program help teachers with hands on XO experience at the CUELA Tech Fair in October 2009.

How Does The Roadshow Work

The Roadshow began with 3 XOs (which will fit into a single XO box when the packing is removed). To this were added one G1G1 machine (mine) and one damaged machine that I repaired. Eventually, other damaged machines were acquired and repaired so that now there are 6 extra machines that can be lent out to people who want to try them to see if they will work for projects they are considering.

This Contributors Project could be replicated easily with as few as 5 machines, with 4 to be checked out and one to keep on hand for unexpected needs. More machines would make hands-on workshops and exhibits more feasible. Often there will be someone who will bring an XO that they got in the G1G1 program to the conference or exhibit and add it to the mix.

I have the machines marked with colored tape on the handle. Red means they don't get checked out. Green means they do. I have numbered them and marked them clearly with the number. Inside the battery compartment I have also written identifying information and my email address.

I have made up a simple check-out form to be used when people wish to borrow an XO for a short term loan.

Support Volunteer, Jamaal and students from the Audubon Middle School Contributors Program help with the XO hands-on session at the CUELA Tech Fair in October 2009

Where The Roadshow Machines Have Been

2009

February 20-22

7th Southern California Linux Expo at the Westin LAX in Los Angeles, CA.

Report

Great response. Had 5 XOs running Sugar and 2 loaner XOs running Debian Ubuntu from live usb keys. Handed out 200+ information flyers about volunteering and the contributors program. Collected 19 names of people interested in a SoCal (LAXO?) grassroots group.

One individual we met at SCaLE donated 12 XOs his company had bought through the G1G1 project to start the CUELA XO library (CUELA=Computer Using Educators of Los Angeles)

Another individual, who had come to SCaLE from Wisconsin has started his own Contributors Program project working with Native Americans in WI.

March 5-7

CUE Conference in Palm Springs, CA. I did a presentation about OLPC at the conference and had the Roadshow machines available in the internet cafe area several hours a day for attendees to try. There was a lot of interest in purchasing in small quantities, but that was not possible at that time. There was also a lot of interest in starting a new SIG for Open Source educational software (including the XO and Sugar) which may be possible in the coming year.

June 25

Bozeman Linux Users Group Did a presentation about OLPC, XOs, Sugar, and volunteering at the June meeting at Montana State University. Scott Dowdle, the club president had SoaS (Sugar on a Stick) running on his lab machines and we used the XOs from the Roadshow. Six machines were checked out to club members for a month.

Scott has since started an XO Lending library for Montana State University and the Bozeman LUG through the Contributors Program.

July-August

The Billings MT LUG group requested a loan of the machines and Scott Dowdle arranged for them to get them for the next month.

October

Took several machines to people in Southern California who are interested in doing either Contributors Program projects or small deployments, or both. Left 2 each with them for a one month loan. One of the borrowers was a student group from Los Angelus Trade Tech College. They have since formed a new "OLPC/XO University Chapter" and plan to apply for an XO lending library for their students, faculty, and families.

November 14

CUELA/LAUSD Tech Fair Unfortunately, we were scheduled in the last time slot of the day, so we did not have a good turn out. However, the people who did come really liked the XOs and were allowed to take home 2 machines each from the CUELA XO lending library to try with their students. Later, 2 other folks expressed an interest and they too were able to check out machines from the CUELA XO library. So far they have been showing them to other teachers, parents and students with great success.

December 4

Moorpark College "Year of Service" speaker series. Presentation and hands-on opportunity.