Social control propaganda

[lugoteehalt]

Have noticed recently that the mass media in the UK hardly ever use the word 'Linux'. Probably the same the world over??

Suggest Microsoft et al's strategy is to not remind people they can have free software.

Where for instance are the consumer journalists? These creatures pose as infinitely vigilant on our, the consumer's, behalf. This is the golden age of consumer journalism.

Might not Microsoft's media control techniques be used against them? Press packs, flack, whatever? This might work well in the short term although would expect that media control is ultimately driven by power so a stop would eventually be put to any effect on the media.

Is there some way the Linux 'comunity' could organise to get consumer programmes to tell us how to save a fortune by fitting free software? Articles in sunday suplements about some cretin's free software being a design statement, etc?

[hard candy]

I just searched Google news for the word "linux" and got 5500 returns. The oldest was 2/3/04 from all over the world. Linux is being talked about, not always positively.
The average coworker where I work (approx 6000 people) really doesn't doesn't know a whole lot about Windows let alone Linux, Apple, IBM (aside from ads on TV). So they really don't care. Maybe 10-20% of the world population is interested in computers if that many (my guess).
MaximumPC had an article on installing Linux this month. PC World usually has an article or short blurb about linux. TechTV will talk about linux once in a while. PC Games never talks about linux because Doom3 and Halflife2 aren't made for it. Consumer Reports talks about linux in their annual computer issue. Commander Cody (?) a radio talk person talks about linux frequently.
We may not see Linux mentioned as much as we'd like, but then, when something works well, there's no need to talk about it. :)
Remember, you frequent a narrow interest world focused on computing, how many discussions on dog breeds do you run into, or fishing forums do you look at?

[Parcival]

In Switzerland there's more ane more talk about Linux. However, that's not even necessary as everybody talks about the latest virus or security flaw in MS products. I have been preaching Linux for a while among friends and relatives, and suddenly they all start asking me for help to install Linux.

-last Weekend I installed SuSE on my dad's computer and my family's happy with it.

-my girlfriend wants it on heirs, too, once her exams are over next week.

-three other firends want me to come along with the SuSE live evaluation CD to see how it works on their machines.

-my friend from computer science classes turned from a Win XP fan into a Knoppix/Debian addict. His gf will get it on her machine, too, once her exams are over.


Remember, one year ago I was still using WinXP myself. If we keep going at this speed, future looks bright. Microsoft's problem is that my friends put up with its software so far because they thought they have no choice - now I can show them their choice, and the more security breaches MS gets into the headlines with, the easier gets my own game. To get onto people's desktop with one's software, one has either to control the market or win their hearts - right now I observe that the second outweighs market domination by far.

To be clear: I don't force anyone to install Linux and I don't think bad about people who still run an MS product - but the longer, the more people change their own minds.

[wranga]

Keeping Linux out of the mass media is not a Microsoft strategy, if it was they wouldn't speak of it. I've heard them critisize Linux on many, many occasions. The real reason that it is not talked about is that few people even have a basic understanding of how Windows works, so they would have no idea with Linux.
Most people with any understanding of there computers are in their teenage years, and the only reason they use Windows is because it is compatibal with nearly every game, commercial and freeware, and because it has MSN messenger.
I think that within a decade or two the popularity of Linux will boom, especially after the release of Longhorn which looks worse and worse with every code leak. ;)

[bwkaz]

Originally posted by hard candy
PC Games never talks about linux because Doom3 and Halflife2 aren't made for it. HL2 maybe not (though I think I remember hearing rumors that they were thinking about it? don't remember for sure).

But since ID is making Doom 3, and TuxGames has it available for preorder (requiring Linux), I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that it'll have a Linux installer. Either on ID's FTP site, or right in the box.

[lugoteehalt]

If we keep going at this speed, future looks bright.

-Parcival.
Exactly so they'll want to stop Linux now, before it gets on so many computers that substantial votes could be lost if they destroyed it. This is a danger point in time, perhaps.

MaximumPC had an article on installing Linux this month. PC World usually has an article or short blurb about linux. TechTV will talk about linux once in a while. PC Games never talks about linux because Doom3 and Halflife2 aren't made for it. Consumer Reports talks about linux in their annual computer issue. Commander Cody (?) a radio talk person talks about linux frequently.

-Hard Candy.

None of this is *mass* media. The point is Linux is FREE - cost nothing or little - people don't have to pay out vast sums for software. But they don't realise this. So tell them in mass media.

[bwkaz]

Originally posted by lugoteehalt
The point is Linux is FREE - cost nothing or little - You may be misunderstanding the way a lot of people (the GNU project especially) use the term "free".

They mean free to change, free to redistribute, and free to change then redistribute. They do not mean that it will automatically be cheap. Free as in freedom, not free as in beer.

[bandwidth_pig]

Free as in Freedom. Should be required reading for all GNU/Linux users:

http://www.oreilly.com/openbook/freedom/

Also, the Cathedral and the Bazaar should be required reading:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/cathedral-bazaar/index.html

I strongly encourage anybody who has not read these to read them. After reading these, you will be able to speak much more intelligently on these subjects. I know both books opened my eyes.

[Parcival]

@ lugoteehalt

I don't share your pessimism. Microsoft has won the market, but it hasn't won the people's hearts. In the battle for market shares Microsoft is using a "top-down" strategy, whereas Linux clearly works "bottom-up". It's people like us here at this forum who are the key-players in bringing Linux to others; our big advantage is that we're "close to the people" because we live with them, whereas Microsoft has a huge distance to bridge to meet its users.

One year ago when I did the switch to Linux because of the Palladium discussion I figured I will stay an outsider computerwise among friends and family as they all were sceptic. However, I always had a their respect as I fixed their computers, and they saw how happy I was with SuSE while they read all the bad news about they don't like anyway being spread in the mass media.

The battle about market shares will be decided at the bottom of the market. I'm sure that good coverage in the news helps the Linux movement, but most of all it's our own credibility and the freedom this software gives that move us forward and make other people join us. :)

[lugoteehalt]

You may be misunderstanding the way a lot of people (the GNU project especially) use the term "free".
Come on, Linux is usually much cheaper than comercial stuff.

The only point I'm trying to make is that Linux people should organise to influence the content of the mass media - which essentially controls what everybody thinks. Why leave Microsoft with this type of thing to themselves? The truth doesn't matter and rarely percolates from below. All that matters is what people believe; and what they believe is determined by what they hear, largle through the mass media.

Some bunch of Linux types should be churning out press packs and the like; and should become adept at same. What the drug companies get up to is nightmareish; why should the devil have all the best PR?

[hard candy]

And who will pay these "Linux types" for doing all this marketing? Remember, you have millions, if not billions, spent on advertising commercial software. A couple of million on behalf of linux isn't going to do much good.
Parcival is right, grassroots is the way to go. It's cheaper and in the end is more effective. Linux pulling even with Microsoft will not happen in this decade unless something unforseen and drastic happens.
And by the next decade who knows if these OS's will even be that relevant? x86 may be replaced by a new architecture- look at how 64 bit has taken off since AMD came out with their version.
Microsoft is having to do some serious rewriting for 64 bit.
Write letters, talk to people you know, give away copies of distros (I've given away about 30 copies of different distros) especially ones like Mepis and Knoppix that people can try without installing.
Mass media depends on advertising revenues, the editorial staff may say that doesn't influence them but I think Corporate advertising influences media management which influences staff which influences what they choose to write about. Plus is the Times (London or New York) writing for 10 million windows users or 1 million linux users?
Remember when Coca Cola came out with "New" coke? They spent millions promoting it. People preferred "Old" coke. Eventually, Coca-Cola had 2 versions of Coke. Now where is the "New" coke? Grassroots do have power- it doesn't seem fast enough to some but if it is worthy, it will prevail. Golly, now I'm flashing back to the radical days. "Power to the People!":D

[bandwidth_pig]

I will assume that lugoteehalt is speaking from what will be appealing to business from a cost perspective. And while that is true and perhaps a added benefit for business, that isn't what GNU/Linux is about. You can jump up and down and scream that it is zero cost all you want. Nobody from the GNU/Linux camp is going to support that notion on any scale of relevance. It's an attractive selling point. For certain. But if you do a little research lugoteehalt, you will find that this selling point pales in comparison to the real selling points of GNU/Linux. Companies have no problem paying for software. They do it every day today and have for 20 years. So, price alone won't cut it. You can pitch the argument that a company can do the same for less, and that to ignore that isn't good business sense. Well guess what. To a corporation whose total existance is soley based on profit, anybody who gives software away for free isn't practicing good business sense either and can't be trusted. Anwyay, I could talk about this all day. I won't because many people here have heard me go off before and will most likely fall asleep.

IBM is doing the very marketing your talking about BTW.

[lugoteehalt]

Agree with most of what has been said. (But still feel it is foolish to understate the inexpense of Linux, for the ordinary person.)

Perhaps we can agree that percolation from below, from the grassroots, is desirable but so is using the mass media. I fully accept the mass media is a power controlled propaganda apparatus; but it can still be subverted - at least in the short term; this is the price it pays for the appearance of democracy.

Any road IBM is doing the very marketing your talking about BTW. gives me an idea:

How about writing to IBM and congratulating them and suggesting they do a mass mailing of Knoppix?

Just as AOL CDs pop through the letter box, almost as often as free-sample, neoprene vaginas, so IBM could mass mail Knoppix.

I fully intend to write to IBM to this effect.

What do you think?:

Would it be best to collect a lot of signitures in a petition: 'We the undersigned congratulate IBM on its decision to support Linux and respectfully suggest that a Knoppix CD be sent free to many homes (perhaps with some IBM customisation).' If so, could someone post the HTML for a petition?

Or what?

[bandwidth_pig]

I myself see no need to congratulate big blue. They are doing what they are doing for profit. Nothing more. Nothing less. Do not fool yourself.

[EnigmaOne]

Originally posted by Parcival
Microsoft has won the market, but it hasn't won the people's hearts.


Microsoft has pilfered the market, while alienating the people they've robbed blind.

:D

[EnigmaOne]

Originally posted by bandwidth_pig
IBM is doing the very marketing your talking about BTW.

..and the way it looks like it'll pan-out, SCO will end up paying the bill. Then again, that's a good thing.