__/ [ Alex ] on Friday 23 February 2007 17:04 \__
> Hi ...
>
> When you read the tech magazines or watch tech-related shows on
> television, there are a plethora of advertisements for closed source
> systems, whether Microsoft, Adobe, Oracle, you name it. These
> companies have huge chunks of cash to throw towards Marketing and PR,
> but unfortunately open source applications don't have this advantage.
> Is there any way for OS projects like MySQL, PHP, Samba, or even
> distributions like Ubuntu or even RH (who does make a good profit) to
> get their products out there to consumers?
>
> Unfortunately in today's world, most CEO's and CIO's still stick to
> the verbiage that if it costs lots of money, it must be better, and in
> the software industry this just isn't true. Problem is, upper
> management generally doesn't know there's options outside of the
> companies who do the advertisement, and with companies like Microsoft
> putting so much FUD out there about Linux and other open source
> systems/applications, that doesn't help.
>
> What options do open source developers have to get their names in the
> marketing world? I honestly think if not for IBM's push with the
> Linux commercials over the last few years, many outside of the tech
> industry might not even have heard of Linux. In fact, I still run
> into folks all the time who have never heard of it... they simply
> think all PC's run Windows, and this is the kind of ignorance that
> might be avoided with more marketing power behind FOSS.
>
> I just thought I'd put that out there. I know it all costs money, but
> would the users of FOSS be willing to pay alittle if the money went to
> advertisement? I know I would --
Advertisements are paid for by the customer, indirectly. It's wasteful. The
perception of cost/quality is beginning to be change and merits of
collaboration -- facilitated by open communication -- better understood. As
time goes by, people understand software better. They depend on it. The FUD
(e.g. "you get what you pay for") no longer has an effect. Also remember
that the younger generaton will, in due time, replace the seniors. Then,
traditional things like paper-based commerce will be eroded and disappear.
And the same applies to shrink-wrapped software. Electronic storage changes
news delivery, software distribution, photography, communication, and
television, among many other things.
Remember that once upon a time people feared cars, You had to convince people
it was safe. Same with Open Source software. With experience and precedence
(early adopters), there's exponential growth in acceptance,
--
~~ Best wishes
everytime you say things like this i just think of that cult of people
who send around .doc files. i dont want to communicate with people who
talk in .doc format, but they do not wish to use something else, so
they discredit those without word. --Ed, c.o.l.a.
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