FOSDEM is one of the biggest FOSS conferences in Europe, with more than 7000 attendees in the last years. It takes place in the ULB university in Brussels every first weekend of February (1st and 2nd next year), and virtually everybody is there.
The GNOME Foundation has had a stand to give out stickers, do outreach and share with our community there many years in a row. However, given the current budgeting situation for the GNOME Foundation, and the need to reduce expenses, it is possible that the GNOME Foundation won’t be able to pay for several staff members to attend FOSDEM. Therefore, it is likely that the GNOME stand at FOSDEM won’t be managed by staff. Therefore, if we want to retain a stand, we will need help from community members to help organize, coordinate, be at the stand for the two days (9am to 7pm approx.), and help cleanup on Sunday. Therefore, I’m looking for:
One or two people to either write the call for stands (FOSDEM 2025 Call for stands :: pretalx), or be as a secondary contact (then I could send it myself). Ideally these people could help coordinate too.
At least 5 to 6 people committed to spend time at the stand for at least 2 hours each day. Being at the stand can be quite exhausting, so being able to take turns is a must.
At the stand, the idea would be to have:
A table cloth: We should have one from previous years. I can help coordinate for the staff to send it to me or to whoever else, or help with printing it
Stickers: we should have from previous confs and years, but we should also print some. I can help getting the expense reimburshed or asking the Foundation to get them printed and sent.
A banner: We should get the Foundation to send it to one of the organisers, I could help if need be.
Laptops/tablets/phones to demo: this is up to the community, and I can probably not do much here. So help organizing the demo would be greatly appreciated.
If you have more ideas of things that we should have, they are completely welcomed. In principle, selling merch would be discarded due to the logistical effort it carries with it, but if somebody wants to put the effort, it should also be possible.
If we don’t get enough people interested in helping, then we will unfortunately not be able to apply for the stand.
Thanks everybody, looking forward to your replies!
Pablo Correa Gomez
I helped at the stand for many years (never signed up beforehand), though not since things switched to another building (H instead of K). In the past there used to be an event box with contained various essentials. I never set it up though so not sure what was in there.
If it is within H building (like last 2 years or so) then I’m not sure of the value of the stand. It’s very cramped, dark and crowded in there. So it’s difficult for people to hang out at that stand as they’ll easily block the flow of people walking by. It’s also way more exhausting to stand there and somewhere with some space and some light.
There used to be circular colourful stickers with the GNOME logo on it. Those used to be highly popular. I have away hundreds of those. But no idea who arranged things like that.
I really like the stand at it was at K building; a place to meet other GNOME people. If it’s like that then time flies by rather quickly (for me).
Forgot: we often sold t-shirts and socks; various sizes including kid versions. Though no idea if that’s still popular. Price usually was low (so slightly above cost of making them); quality was always good.
I am pretty sure I have these at my home in London – after FOSDEM last year they were used at OpenUK’s State of Open conference in London, and they ended up with me afterwards. I’ll check exactly what I have when I get home next week.
Like Allan, I’m not totally sure whether I’ll go to FOSDEM. If I do, I’m happy to help; if not, I can arrange for these to end up with the right person.
Thanks @allanday and @wjt for the offer. Counting on you if you come!
@ovitters thanks for your feedback on previous experiences. I guess this is very personal, but the last 2 years, it was all crowded and loud everywhere. We don’t know where will we be assigned, so I’ll rather ask first
Thank you very much, so it seems like if you cannot come to FOSDEM (or cannot bring that with you), we would just need that to be shipped to an organizer, which feels doable. Let’s keep in contact!
The FOSDEM stand has been officially approved! @wjt do you have some timeline when you will know whether you’ll be there? If so, would be great if you could bring all the things you have with you. Otherwise we’ll need it ship it, and I’m traveling from the 15/12 to 23/01, so either we do it soon, or it’ll have to be sent to Maria.
I feel like it ought to be possible to find a UK GNOME-ie who could take the booth stuff with them to minimise shipping. (I think you’re in Germany?) @allanday do you know yet whether you’ll be at FOSDEM?
The picture really is everything? I love those circular stickers (giving them away I mean). I’ll be travelling to FOSDEM from Netherlands, though only have limited space. This as I’ll travel first by biking and then a (coach) bus. Anyway, above seems doable to bring. I’d likely stick it into a ~40l backpack and I usually travel light (~20l backpack is spacious for a weekend).
Maybe send me an email to set it up? Use the account name I use here and then at gmail.com.
I will go to Brussels from Rotterdam with @garnacho so we can share the weight.
If needed I can take my suitcase with me as I will not take the bike to the station.
@wjt if anyone comes to Amsterdam before FOSDEM I can pick it up there except the first 2 weeks of January.
I wonder if there is any merch left from previous events that we can use. I can also try to organize something to be printed but the question is if we have any budget at all.
I wonder if there is any merch left from previous events that we can use. I can also try to organize something to be printed but the question is if we have any budget at all.
There seems to be some stickers and flyers. We should check out if we think we’d need more, then we can ask the staff for some more, there’s budget for it. T-shirts and other items to sell would be a remarkable overhead in terms of organization. I personally don’t feel comfortable taking care of that responsibility. If you do, maybe we can talk about it?
Just a note, please be cautious about the ability to temporarily import and export items (especially commercial things being sold or even given away) across the UK/EU border post Brexit. If you’re actually selling things, this may also require a work visa.
