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zleap wrote: >> What I'd like to see is Ubuntu put some stronger >> marketing messages around so at least it's not just a two-horse race for >> mass-market operating systems. > > Well thats our job, or as users of an operating system and way of doing > stuff that does not have a marketing department with a huge pot of cash > to spend, a few posters here, few there, cd's to hand out, > willingness to talk to people and answer questions, and more > importantly when you do you acually know what you are talking about. > > > Every user has a part to play in the way the system is promoted. Although I am actually paid to promote use of FOSS (and therefore it IS my job), I don't feel ordinary users should and will feel it is theirs. Supporting fellow users is one thing, while active promotion is another. A few posters here and there will generate *some* interest, but it aint gonna rival Bill and Steve's offerings and their huge marketing campaigns. Ubuntu has positioned itself as a commercial distribution. They do have a pot of money (quite a large one!). My worry is they are just not very slick. I have been trying to order 500 Edgy CD's direct from Canonical. I know i can get it for free, and have done, however we would like to give copies away. Starting with Edgy, canonical are no longer giving the CD's away. Fine, I thought, we'll pay for them at £1.50 each. I have had untold problems actually ordering them... 1) They don't publicise a phone number whatsoever 2) Their ordering process (for paid CD's) involves downloading, printing, filling, scanning and emailing a PDF form. What kinda system is that, why not use a html form, do it all in "a oner". 3) Upon not complying with (2), I put the requested info in an email and attached a P/O. I recieved no confirmation of recipt of this, and after hassling for 2 weeks, this has not changed. It's actually easier, and more trouble-free to order dapper, and get it delivered, for free?! I've send my feedback to Ubuntu and they didn't even bother replying. Apologies for the rant, but my point is that if I called Novell / Microsoft / Sun and wanted to order 500 copies of their OS, they'd bite my bloody hand off, while Ubuntu seem completely uninterested. It's the level of slickness Ubuntu are lacking, which while I may complain about professionaly, on a personal level, I don't care about. Unfortunately, users have been spoon-fed slick and shine from MS, Apple etc. and in most cases, they'll expect the same shine if they are to switch to Linux. It's getting there, but there is MUCH MORE ground to be made up. MB -- .~. Mark Brier - Open Source Tech Consultant / v \ mark AT openitup DOT org / lists AT openitup DOT org /( _ )\ PubKey - http://www.openitup.org/keys/markatopenitup.asc ^ ^ +44 (0)161 2422132 / +44 (0)7793 036840 -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html