Putting Ubuntu everywhere -- newsstands, malls, train stations!

[mercurysquad]

Last Saturday I was travelling via train here in north Germany, and while waiting for the next train at Bremen station, I went into a bookstore there. While browsing the Computer magazines section, I saw a stack of nice shiney looking 'magazines' which said "Mandriva 2007". Inside I found a step by step guide, features, screenshots etc. Attached inside the cover were 2 DVDs, Mandriva 2007 32 bit and 64 bit editions.

I almost wanted to buy it (just 4 euros!), but since I already run Ubuntu, with everything setup the way I want, I didn't see any reason to do so. However, I liked the idea. The whole packaging was really nice, from the quality of the paper/cover, the graphics, everything. To top it off, the cost was just under 4 Euros.

I was wondering, is Ubuntu planning on / already doing something similar? I mean, I've never run across any Ubuntu CD/DVDs on newsstands or bookstores. If we could put Ubuntu CDs or DVDs along with a nicely designed package, sort of like a magazine, at lots of places -- airports, malls, bookstores etc. it would go a long way in creating awareness, and many people might just buy it to try the LiveCD. If the price is about right, that is. And of course the booklet that would come with it has to be localized (the Mandriva one was in German). Also, since it was no longer completely free, they were able to include Cedega, DVD playing software etc...

[hellmet]

looks like a gr8 idea to me mate..
but, whoz gonna pick that book?
someone who knows what Linux is,
One who cares.
Why would some XP dumbo( not that all XP usrs are dumbos)
ever care to read it..? he wouldn't be interested in it..

But certainly, me n u, would try it out..

[mercurysquad]

Well at the very least, it will be 'advertisement' .... and will also make Ubuntu available off-the-shelf. I'm pretty sure people will at least pick it up to browse randomly. Anyway I was quite impressed with Mandriva's effort. But then, it's a company which sells a linux distro...

[slimdog360]

this is the linux format magazine? They already have produced a copy of it with Ubuntu attached. I saw it a few weeks ago. This is in Australia though.

[Patrick K.]

I work for Kodak, Support.

I've had an average of 23% of the calls come in where the person was using linux.

12% Linspire,
4% Mandriva,
6% Ubuntu
1% Other.

Hope this helps you all understand.
Just so you know, these are average users, none of them expressed any above average computer skills.

[mercurysquad]

this is the linux format magazine? They already have produced a copy of it with Ubuntu attached. I saw it a few weeks ago. This is in Australia though.

In India Ubuntu has been distributed with magazine cover CDs for ages.. I think right since Hoary, I've seen every release distributed with one of the computer magazines (not just a linux mag). PC Quest, Digit, CHIP etc.

But this thing wasn't a magazine with a Mandriva cover cd.. it was just Mandriva DVDs with a booklet describing it.


BTW, almost a quarter of the support calls from Linux users might mean two things - more people are using linux than before, or 2) more people are having problems getting linux to work.

[Sam]

An another way to spread Ubuntu is to order free CDs thru shipit, then put them at your university library/local shop/favourite bar...