A standard letter to send to software vendors asking for Linux support

[exutable]

Hey Guys,

I just received a sling catcher and realized that it isn't supported by linux in any way. Whenever this happens I usually write a pretty lengthy letter basically telling the company how many more customers they would have if they had linux support and all the advantages that would come along with it.

Although I don't mind writing the letters, wouldn't it be better if we had some kind of standard letter that explains everything and people could just copy and paste when they want to send it to software/hardware vendors?

Tell me what you guys think.

Thanks,

Dane

[DeMus]

Hey Guys,

I just received a sling catcher and realized that it isn't supported by linux in any way. Whenever this happens I usually write a pretty lengthy letter basically telling the company how many more customers they would have if they had linux support and all the advantages that would come along with it.

Although I don't mind writing the letters, wouldn't it be better if we had some kind of standard letter that explains everything and people could just copy and paste when they want to send it to software/hardware vendors?

Tell me what you guys think.

Thanks,

Dane

So you do that to? Well, I can tell you, your are not the only one. Unfortunately companies are only interested in earning money, and for them bringing out Linux software doesn't help much to raise the profit. In fact, it might even lower it. Think about developing time and thus costs.
Do you have any idea for this standard letter already?

[Idefix82]

I like the idea of this sort of letter, but it mustn't be long (not more than half an A4 page in 12pt font). Exutable, you are saying that your letter is lengthy and my guess is that nobody has ever read it in whose power it would be to change anything.

[exutable]

by lengthy, I mean it's a decent sized paragraph but not a huge 5 page essay. I think the letter should be approximately 1 page, have links to development for linux, express our need and the advantages that the vendor would have by developing for linux

I don't think that the vendors necessarily need to read the letter(although it would be nice) but simply recognize that it's the same letter from a lot of people.

What do you guys think?

[exutable]

Wrote a draft, obviously we need to pull some open source stuff here and edit it to be much better but here it is.



Dear Vendor,

I am contacting you because I would like to make an inquiry regarding your current support for the open source platform Linux. Linux is an open-source operating system with many derivatives, used by millions of people across the entire globe. Linux is used by all ages, races, genders, nationalities and levels of technical experience.

For more information about the Linux Platform please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux

My inquiry today is to express the desire that I and many other users have for Linux support of your products specifically [Fill in with software/hardware]. It is extremely difficult to purchase your product to only figure out that your company doesn't support one of the biggest and fastest-growing operating systems in the computer world.

Many times the biggest fear is the unknown, so here is a link offering all the information needed to develop for Linux:
http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/Accessibility-Dev-HOWTO/index.html

Please consider Linux for the sake of customers, business and community as a whole.


Sincerely,

Dane Shea

[exutable]

bump?

[bodhi.zazen]

Moved to the cafe.

IMO a personal letter is more effective them some kind of a form letter. What reaction do forum letters invoke in you when you get them ? I do not think that is the kind of a response you want to evoke.

1. Write a kind letter asking them to support Linux.

2. Be willing to pay for Linux support. Time to get over the notion of free as in free beer and start asking the community to pay developers for their time , so they do not have to work for closed source projects during the day and code for open source projects in their free time.

The beer may be free, but you should tip the bartender.

[speedwell68]

Wrote a draft, obviously we need to pull some open source stuff here and edit it to be much better but here it is.



Dear Vendor,

I am contacting you because I would like to make an inquiry regarding your current support for the open source platform Linux. Linux is an open-source operating system with many derivatives, used by millions of people across the entire globe. Linux is used by all ages, races, genders, nationalities and levels of technical experience.

For more information about the Linux Platform please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux

My inquiry today is to express the desire that I and many other users have for Linux support of your products specifically [Fill in with software/hardware]. It is extremely difficult to purchase your product to only figure out that your company doesn't support one of the biggest and fastest-growing operating systems in the computer world.

Many times the biggest fear is the unknown, so here is a link offering all the information needed to develop for Linux:
http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/Accessibility-Dev-HOWTO/index.html

Please consider Linux for the sake of customers, business and community as a whole.


Sincerely,

Dane Shea

I'd make it slightly less patronsing.

[AndThenWhat]

I'd make it slightly less patronsing.

Agreed. In persuasive letters you should always compliment or mention the things they are doing right first, then move on to your argument and where it fits in at the end.