[Linux-aus] What are we doing about marketing? Was: Marketing Linux

[Pia Waugh]

Hi Tracyanne,

<quote who="linuxaus.1.tracyanne at spamgourmet.com">

> If there are better ways, then why is no one persuing those "better ways"? why
> are you not getting together a team to fund those "better ways"?

Why do you assume we haven't already been doing better ways. Below is a
short list of some of the activities of the Linux Australia community that
have already had a good impact and continue to make positive change in
perceptions in Australia

- Booth with demos and information at Education Expo 2005, 2006 and soon
  2007 - estimated attendees 10,000 per event
- Booth with demos and information at CeBIT 2006 and 2007 - estimated
  attendees 30000 of which about 7000 expressed an interest in FOSS
- Booth with demos and information at Linuxworld 2006 - estimated attendees
  1500
- Wonderful gems like makethemove.net by Chris Smart in Canberra
- Participation by over 25 teams around Australia on Software Freedom Day -
  estimated audience over 5000 Australia-wide. This event is I think one of
  the _best_ outreach programs out there (when done well) as it educates
  people to why software freedom itself is important, not just why
  Linux/Openoffice/Firefox/etc are good.
- Open Day at linux.conf.au 2007 - estimated 500 attendees
- Sponsorship of FOSS advocate to attend very large Education conference to
  speak about FOSS in education (Donna)
- Coffee fund-raising project for Linux Australia
- Presentations at _loads_ of events around the country, including
  education, Government, non-profit and corporate events.

Estimated cost for _all_ these activities in Australia == Under AUD$20k
(rough estimate). So you should be able to understand why people feel that
they have reason to have concerns about spending US$350k on anything, let
alone something that is quite localised and not necessarily in line with any
message we have already been taking.

Press (slightly out of date) :)
- http://www.linux.org.au/press/
- http://lca2007.linux.org.au/Press

I feel quite proud of all the efforts our community have made, and I would
encourage everyone to think of the little things they can do. Visit a
school, run a workshop for uni students, take FOSS CDs to your library. It
is the many little efforts that make the big change.

Cheers,
Pia

-- 
Linux Australia                                         http://linux.org.au/
 
      "Man is born free, yet he is everywhere in chains." - Jean Jacques
                                        Rosseau