[Linux-aus] Linux advertising ..the push to mainstream desktop acceptance?

[Rohan M.]

Hi all,

Ive been running my own small home-based business for the last two years
here in Darwin (rural areas mainly), and as a Linux geek at heart I have
been pushing Linux every chance I get. I can proudly say that I have
converted at least a dozen home ms windows desktop users into 100% Linux
based home desktop users and seen their Linux skills improve a lot over
time too. I know that figure might sound low to some (about 1 person every
2 months) but its not as easy as it sounds and I have not had a shop front
to *really* push Linux, yet! (also thats not counting the rural area
businesses who now use Linux every day on their networks and the few
Mindil Beach Market stalls who use Linux to print/store their artwork - so
Linux is getting around here in the top end)

This brings me to the point of the email, Linux Advertising - where is it?

Some google'ing will find lots of people who want to start something or
tried to but nothing actually came of it. Of course there is the IBM and
Redhat adverts but they push their Linux products not Linux itself.

I have an opportunity to open a shop in the rural areas of Darwin soon,
and of course I'm going to be pushing Linux as much as possible (no M$
posters in this shop!... I want Tuxes!). So far I haven't been able to
find anything in the way of advertising and/or marketing for Linux thats
as free and open as Linux itself.

Does anyone know of a community project or the like that is making
available advertising and marketing materials for generic Linux use?

If not, maybe this is something Linux Australia could think about offering?

I think with microsoft about to make its big push for Vista, which will
make or break the immediate future for Linux in home desktop use (I think
anyway),   a big push to advertise Linux from the Linux community is
critical.

I did find a "Hello world, this is Linux"
(http://lobby4linux.com/WordPress/?p=74) blog about a guy who pushed
(pushing) Linux in Austin, TX, but there is no actual material there to
download, just some good ideas and a plan for some radio adverts.

Also http://www.denverlinux.com/myfirstlinux/ has a good little web-based
push for Linux (PCLinuxOS distro), but nothing useful.

I'm looking for posters, newspaper and magazine ad templates, some sort of
stats, tco's or other info under the GNU free doc license, etc. Something
the average small business could use to push Linux to the masses.

I have even been looking for free distro specific ads like fedora and
gentoo  but again no luck. Is this something the Linux community has over
looked all these years? We push Linux between ourselves on forums and
mailing lists, and of course through word of mouth when we get the chance,
but what are we really doing to 'get the word out there'?

Any feedback, corrections, ideas, etc are very welcomed.

Cheers,

Rohan Murch.

--
www.purplesock.net.au