Let's increase our market share NOW

[cyberhood]

Ok, so we all know that Linux rules in the server, supercomputer and mobile phone market. Unfortunately, we also all know that we're getting our butts kicked in the desktop/laptop home and office market, hence the weekly threads on all the Linux distro forums complaining about our supposed “1%” share in said market.

What about holding an advertising competition?
Canonical could put up some prize money...
We Ubuntu users could make pro-Ubuntu, pro-Linux ads and post them on YouTube...
Canonical could set a deadline...
YouTube gets flooded with pro-Linux ads...
Make a thread with a poll for the community to vote for the best video...
Winner takes the prize...
Hopefully some of the videos go viral...

[spaceshipguy]

We Ubuntu users could make pro-Ubuntu, pro-Linux ads and post them on YouTube...

Probably a good idea not to mention Linux

Something like Obama Girl, you mean?
Ubuntu boy?
Does anybody out there have a six pack?

[cyberhood]

Probably a good idea not to mention Linux

Something like Obama Girl, you mean?
Ubuntu boy?
Does anybody out there have a six pack?

LOL... I mean, yeah, sex sells. That's not the kind of video I would make, but if it's pro-Linux and goes viral I'd consider it a success. I was thinking more RapNews style.

[fatality_uk]

* GRUMPY OLD GIT MODE ENABLED *

While making videos will move the needle maybe 0.001%, the real key is for Linux distos to get tie-ups with hardware makers, PC sellers and for the distros themselves to stop mucking around with DE's, lenses and god knows what else, pool resources and make a set of "killer apps" that will mean a user can start a Linux office app and know that a spreadsheet/word doc/photoshop file etc will work with 100% compatibility.

Until this happens, PC sellers wont stock Linux PC's because their market is the "average user" who will return said Linux PC in a heartbeat if they can't open the file they have just been sent.

[whatthefunk]

Ok, so we all know that Linux rules in the server, supercomputer and mobile phone market. Unfortunately, we also all know that we're getting our butts kicked in the desktop/laptop home and office market, hence the weekly threads on all the Linux distro forums complaining about our supposed “1%” share in said market.

What about holding an advertising competition?
Canonical could put up some prize money...
We Ubuntu users could make pro-Ubuntu, pro-Linux ads and post them on YouTube...
Canonical could set a deadline...
YouTube gets flooded with pro-Linux ads...
Make a thread with a poll for the community to vote for the best video...
Winner takes the prize...
Hopefully some of the videos go viral...

Youtube advertising is not going to work because its voluntary.

[forrestcupp]

Youtube advertising is not going to work because its voluntary.

+1.

Also, there are already thousands of videos on YouTube promoting Linux, and it's not doing any good now. Only people who are already interested in Linux are going to search YouTube for Linux videos.

The only real way to advertise is on TV and radio, and that costs a lot of money if you really want to be effective.

[Paqman]

Best thing Canonical can do is what they are doing: build relationships with OEMs and get Ubuntu preinstalled and in shops in the BRICs with proper marketing. Europe and North America would be tough markets to crack initially, if we can ship significant numbers in Asia and South America we can build from there.

[mastablasta]

they also need more games ported. because if they worked and worked well or better on Linux then more kids would be willing to give it a try. if kids have it and it's better parents would want it.

and most importantly they need to sort out package mangement and old software compatibility. i am thinking something PC-BSD style. old solftware should be bale to exists along with new. Microsoft has quite good backwards compatibilty. for example at work we are still using old dos based programme for an old databse. it's being used less and less but it works well on win7 and xp.

[pqwoerituytrueiwoq]

the average computer user (at least in the states) does not know what a OS even is, some don't even know what version of windows they are using, if i had a nickel for every time i asked "do you have a blue bar at the bottom of your screen" (we know where this is going)
what i suspect most people do is buy a laptop use it till it stops working right (virus/malware) and get a new one and i am sure the OEMs love that, that alone is a reason for them to stay with windows
if OEMs would sell linux laptops (assuming MS/Apple don't go on the sue everything warpath) and retailers would carry them there would be a note worthy percentage of linux users

[kurt18947]

the average computer user (at least in the states) does not know what a OS even is, some don't even know what version of windows they are using, if i had a nickel for every time i asked "do you have a blue bar at the bottom of your screen" (we know where this is going)
what i suspect most people do is buy a laptop use it till it stops working right (virus/malware) and get a new one and i am sure the OEMs love that, that alone is a reason for them to stay with windows
if OEMs would sell linux laptops (assuming MS/Apple don't go on the sue everything warpath) and retailers would carry them there would be a note worthy percentage of linux users

In the retail market? Oh yeah! I'd like to know how many machines whose hardware is functioning perfectly are replaced because "it's slow". Where is the incentive for Staples, Best Buy, Office Max et. al. to sell machines that don't 'require' replacement every 2-3 years? Perhaps no so different from the American auto companies who had no incentive to produce cars that didn't rust out/fail mechanically in a few years until the Japanese car companies sold cars that would outlive 2 or 3 'big 3' produced cars and burned less gas doing it.