[ubuntu-za] Open Source Calendar for 2009

[Hannes Coetzee]

Thanks for all the replys guys. I agree that there are a lot of awesome 
applications for Linux but one picture on a month's calendar are not 
nearly enough to convince a Windows user that a particular range of 
software (like graphics or office) can replace the software that he is 
willing to spend (and in most cases waste) money and time on. I see so 
many times that people who can't really afford it are practically forced 
to pay between R3000 and R5000 for software when they buy a new computer 
just so they can write emails and type a few letters. It is not because 
they want to but because they don't know any better. I myself was 23 
when I first got my hands on a copy of Linux. There has also been an 
increase in ads on one of the most popular radio stations in KZN lately 
that people who report pirated software will get a reward of R100 000. 
It makes me sick.  I think that something simple like a calendar is a 
start to make more people aware of open source software. Everybody have 
one. I agree that there are proprietary applications that are more "user 
friendly" than open source applications but mostly because people have 
been taught by companies like Microsoft to think in a specific way. 
People that never had a computer learn to use Linux and open source 
applications a lot faster than new Windows users learn to use Windows. 
It is a lot easier to put a bunch of commands in a script and link it to 
an icon or add a service menu to perform complicated actions in Linux 
than it is in Windows. Well, you guys know the rest..

Here are my ideas for the calendar - I'm making it in Scribus and it is 
completely editable so anyone can add their own graphics, text or use 
another font. The calendar I'll use for my own purposes will be used to 
inform as many people as possible just how great a few selected open 
source apps are. I'll use the same wire type binding that some A5 
notepads use so that it will be easy to flip over to the next month. 
I'll release it as GPL and add one or two pdf tutorials on how to edit 
and customize the calendar. I think including significant events and 
anniversaries (for FOSS) is a great idea.

That's how I see it. Maybe someone else have a few more ideas to share?

Regards
Hannes