Preparing for a Talk about Linux

Once people know you are a Linux user, sometimes you end up as the first person that they think of when there’s a chance to share about it. If we want to advocate Linux then we should be prepared for such opportunities.

How does one prepare for a talk on Linux? There are so many things you could say about Linux. Let’s see what could be some things to consider.

• Know what the audience will be expecting. They will most likely want a specific topic so it’s better if you need to have an idea as to what they want to know. In a lot of schools or seminars, they usually would ask you to prepare for something. But if it’s a general talk about things, you could ask for their theme. You could find some ways to relate Linux with their theme.
• Who are the ones to listen to you? Are they totally clueless or they already have some idea about Linux? How fuzzy is their idea of Linux? Having an idea of what they know could help you figure out how to relate with them during your talk. Developing rapport with the audience is an important thing to do. Sometimes people are shy and they do not always express themselves so it’s also good to prepare by remembering your own experiences and your friend’s experiences with Linux so you could establish common ground with them.
• Have a quick show and tell presentation. If your talk is too long they will get bored. And with technology it’s generally easier for people to follow if it’s a show and tell kind of thing. It will make technology something that they could relate with. This is especially nifty for those who will give an introduction to a particular technology. If you will demonstrate what you could do with specific applications, you should probably prepare a quick demo by making a short list of the common tasks that could be achieved with the application and then certain special features. It’s good if you could make the presentation fun and lively.

These are just some things you could do when preparing for a talk.