Free Software PDF Readers

PDF Readers Sprint Guide

Equipment

Required

1. Web-enabled computers, one per attendee, for finding adverts online
2. GNU/Linux compatible printer (capable of printing envelopes) check whether you need letters to include the envelope as the first page of the .odt document, or whether you need the letters and envelopes to be separate documents from the letter, for easier printing
3. Sufficient ink to print a letter and envelope for each 'bug'
4. Printer paper
5. Envelopes
6. Access to whatever email account or mailing list that reported bugs are sent to
7. Working script for processing email reports generated by web form (available in FSFE's web SVN)
8. Template ODT letter adapted to your local contact details and language (in SVN)
9. Approved expense request, or agreement with country team coordinator to cover postage costs

Desirable

1. Refreshments for attendees
2. Projector for showing examples of adverts, demonstrating bug reporting page, and projecting identi.ca / chat room feed for remote participants
3. A small prize for the person who finds the most adverts (eg. box of chocolates)
4. FSFE leaflets and booth materials for promoting FSFE to attendees
5. Assistance transporting materials to the event venue
6. A list or directory of websites of local councils in your country / area for attendees to work through (this makes hunting faster)
7. Speakers for background music
8. Playlist of Creative Commons music

Activities

Assemble a group of Free Software activists and:

1. Find adverts for proprietary PDF readers on government websites in your country/area
2. Send letters to the institutions responsible asking them to remove or replace the adverts
3. A model letter can be found on the PDF Readers campaign page, and another in web SVN (see above). You can modify the letter for easier printing, or to make it more relevant to your country/area.

Don't forget to microblog about what you're doing, and use the #pdfreaders tag when you do so. You may also want to use tags like #openstandards or #opengov.

Optional

1. Publish a press release in the run up to the event (ask your country coordinator about access to your national/regional FSFE press contacts list)
2. Organise an interview with local radio or podcast in the run up to the event
3. Send a copy of petition signatures from people in your country/area in addition to the letter regarding the specific bug to each institution (more costly in terms of paper and postage)
4. Email the institutions a copy of the printed letter and optional list of signatures
5. Send follow up letters to institutions that have been contacted in the past and failed to comply

Note on scripts

A PHP script is available in the web SVN which generates .odt files directly from the XML bug reports which are generated by the web form on the PDF Readers campaign page. See readme file located with the script for additional instructions. This script is designed to be easy to set up and use (send feedback to web@lists.fsfe.org mailing list).