Would you donate for an Ubuntu commercial?

[Johnny K]

Today I was searching around on the internet and came across Microsoft's latest FUD: a slanted, misleading anti-Linux advertisement (read more). Microsoft thinks it can get away with FUD's like this one because it realizes that most of the Linux community does not have commercial interests. It sees the Linux community as silent and faceless.

For that reason, we all need to come together as the Ubuntu community to show Microsoft and everyone else that we are not a silent group of individuals, but an enthusiastic community.

I am proposing that we all come together to fund an Ubuntu television commercial. It's the logical next step for Ubuntu and can introduce Ubuntu to the mainstream public in a way that has not yet been possible. Just last year, the Firefox community came together to do the very same thing, and was able to sponsor four separate television commercials with great success (read more). We can absolutely do this. All we need is enthusiasm. With that, everything else will fall into place.

I would like to hear what you think about this idea. How would you be willing to contribute to this project?

[Andrewie]

no!!! Their an corporation pay, pay for your own crap. If it was a distro like debain or slackware I would donate any distro that isn't owned by a company.

[Johnny K]

no!!! Their an corporation pay, pay for your own crap. If it was a distro like debain or slackware I would donate any distro that isn't owned by a company.

Thanks for the feedback. I see your point, but remember that Firefox is sponsored by the Mozilla Corporation, but still required additional donations from the Firefox community to fund the commercials. While I'm sure Canonical would be willing to help sponsor this, that doesn't mean we should just say "Let them deal with it" and wait for it to happen. Let's let Canonical know that we are interested in pursuing this and would be willing to help however necessary.

[Andrewie]

Thanks for the feedback. I see your point, but remember that Firefox is sponsored by the Mozilla Corporation, but still required additional donations from the Firefox community to fund the commercials. While I'm sure Canonical would be willing to help sponsor this, that doesn't mean we should just say "Let them deal with it" and wait for it to happen. Let's let Canonical know that we are interested in pursuing this and would be willing to help however necessary.

If Canonical can't pay for commercials, are they really ready to market this. Commercials are only part of the battle.

[Johnny K]

If Canonical can't pay for commercials, are they really ready to market this. Commercials are only part of the battle.

Maybe they aren't, Mozilla is huge and even it wasn't able to sponsor commercials on its own. Nonprofit organizations have to be very careful about how they spend their money.

If it turns out Canonical cannot sponsor commercials on its own, would you say "Oh well, too bad if Canonical can't sponsor commercials on its own. I refuse to help."? I know you wouldn't say that and neither would the rest of the Ubuntu community. I'm sure Canonical would love to have a commercial, but if it turns out they need additional support would we be willing to help? That's what I'm trying to find out. I personally would love to help however possible should need be.

Is there any other feedback anyone else wants to provide? I'm curious to hear what everybody has to say about this.

[hardyn]

this was tried last year, a group was trying to scrape together funds to paint out an IRL car with Ubuntu colours for the Indianapolis 500 auto race. It didn't really work.

Honestly i don't think that advertising would help any... why?... because the Linux geeks are already using Ubuntu or are using another distro, and i don't see a TV ad converting any non users, most mid level computer people are happy enough with windows.

I don't see the ad being of any benefit, just an expenditure. I would also fear that a TV ad, to the lay person may come across as a free windows clone, and we already have enough trouble with that... how many 'Ubuntu is too hard' post are there on this forum?

my 0.02$.

[Kymac]

Well, in my opinion, it would be a little to early. Ubuntu is ready for the Desktop, but has not yet been made 'idiot-proof'. It still has some hardware problems and such, and I think it would be better to wait a year or two before considering this so as not to get to much negative reviews/publicity from people who don't understand what their doing. Since its new, people are going to be very judgmental, and if it doesn't work the first time, they won't come back to it no matter what.

[RAV TUX]

Today I was searching around on the internet and came across Microsoft's latest FUD: a slanted, misleading anti-Linux advertisement (read more). Microsoft thinks it can get away with FUD's like this one because it realizes that most of the Linux community does not have commercial interests. It sees the Linux community as silent and faceless.

For that reason, we all need to come together as the Ubuntu community to show Microsoft and everyone else that we are not a silent group of individuals, but an enthusiastic community.

I am proposing that we all come together to fund an Ubuntu television commercial. It's the logical next step for Ubuntu and can introduce Ubuntu to the mainstream public in a way that has not yet been possible. Just last year, the Firefox community came together to do the very same thing, and was able to sponsor four separate television commercials with great success (read more). We can absolutely do this. All we need is enthusiasm. With that, everything else will fall into place.

I would like to hear what you think about this idea. How would you be willing to contribute to this project?

NO, I encourage Ubuntu users to make their own commercials and post them on YouTube which is free. No need to pay the machine, thats for blind borg-like companies like Microsoft and Apple. Ubuntu needs to be more promoted by a more Grass-Roots ad campaign.

reference:
Grass Roots homegrown ad campaign ThinkTank Thread for Ubuntu
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ht=grass+roots

[ssam]

canonical have already run ubuntu billboard ads

http://wildbill.nulldevice.net/wordpress/?p=177

[some_random_noob]

I agree with others here that Ubuntu isn't ready. We first of all need to ****-punch Microsoft by getting Ubuntu pre-installed. Dell will do this, just wait.