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View Full Version : National Switch to Linux (or Ubuntu) Day



paintandswim09
July 10th, 2007, 07:13 AM
A though came to me the other day while I was mowing my yard: What if we had a really big, coordinated effort to get people to switch to Ubuntu, or just Linux in general? Some thought came to my mind concerning ways we could implement this.

1. Ask all ubuntuforums.org members to get on the forum for at least (insert a reasonable time amount) on that day, and maybe half that the next day and half that the next day. Inevitably, people will need help and the community would need to be prepared to help. On the same page, moderators could set up a National Switch to Linux Day subforum.

2. Somehow provide more bandwidth and/or download sites/mirrors from which to download the .iso file. I don't know at what capacity the official Ubuntu site runs, but I imagine that it could be stressed easily. Options would include pointing to other sites (download.com), or possibly having community members provide mirrors (is that possible?)

3. Spread the word. Obviously, it is getting around, slowly, as I was eventually led to Ubuntu. This could range anywhere from just spreading it by word of mouth to individual efforts of creating LiveCDs to local media coverage. The bigger the better. Of course, if you run Ubuntu, you've already told all your friends, haven't you? ;)

I cannot recall other thoughts, although I want to say there were more. Oh, a few more things.
-I would like to assume that other distro's are friendly with us Ubuntu users. What would it take to get them on board? I am not sure what percentage of the Linux community is Ubuntu, but getting Slackware, PCLinuxOS and others on board would be great.
-Are there any dates in particular that stand out potentially as National Switch to Linux Day? Perhaps an anniversary of Linux's creation (assuming there is a solid one), or something like that?

That's all I have on the idea right now. Oh, and I realize that many community members are not from the 'States like I am. I'd like to do this at least local or in the US, but how does Global Switch to Linux Day sound? Anyway, if you think this is a good idea, let me know. Add ideas. Suggest better ones. Or am I just blowing hot gas? I can't really have an outside-looking-in perspective, so I need one.

Thanks!

**EDIT: One of the things that I had though out but forgotten was that we might need some help in the department of helping people get Ubuntu off their computers. Unfortunately, I don't believe that everyone we could get to switch would stay with their new OS. Helping people get out of Ubuntu would not only be nice, but I think that it would create an impression of professionalism and care. To see that we recognize that Ubuntu is not for everyone and are still willing to help would say a lot.

RAV TUX
July 10th, 2007, 07:49 AM
A though came to me the other day while I was mowing my yard: What if we had a really big, coordinated effort to get people to switch to Ubuntu, or just Linux in general? Some thought came to my mind concerning ways we could implement this.

1. Ask all ubuntuforums.org members to get on the forum for at least (insert a reasonable time amount) on that day, and maybe half that the next day and half that the next day. Inevitably, people will need help and the community would need to be prepared to help. On the same page, moderators could set up a National Switch to Linux Day subforum.

2. Somehow provide more bandwidth and/or download sites/mirrors from which to download the .iso file. I don't know at what capacity the official Ubuntu site runs, but I imagine that it could be stressed easily. Options would include pointing to other sites (download.com), or possibly having community members provide mirrors (is that possible?)

3. Spread the word. Obviously, it is getting around, slowly, as I was eventually led to Ubuntu. This could range anywhere from just spreading it by word of mouth to individual efforts of creating LiveCDs to local media coverage. The bigger the better. Of course, if you run Ubuntu, you've already told all your friends, haven't you? ;)

I cannot recall other thoughts, although I want to say there were more. Oh, a few more things.
-I would like to assume that other distro's are friendly with us Ubuntu users. What would it take to get them on board? I am not sure what percentage of the Linux community is Ubuntu, but getting Slackware, PCLinuxOS and others on board would be great.
-Are there any dates in particular that stand out potentially as National Switch to Linux Day? Perhaps an anniversary of Linux's creation (assuming there is a solid one), or something like that?

That's all I have on the idea right now. Oh, and I realize that many community members are not from the 'States like I am. I'd like to do this at least local or in the US, but how does Global Switch to Linux Day sound? Anyway, if you think this is a good idea, let me know. Add ideas. Suggest better ones. Or am I just blowing hot gas? I can't really have an outside-looking-in perspective, so I need one.

Thanks!

How about International Switch to Linux (or Ubuntu) Month!

PartisanEntity
July 10th, 2007, 10:18 AM
Terrible ideas. Such events, if they were to take place, would draw many people due to the hype mainly. Many users would switch just for switchings sake, which is a bad way to approach any OS. It would backfire as many of these new users realise how much initial effort they have to put in to get over the initial learning curve.

Linux based operating systems don't need any of this Microsoft-marketing style hype. Linux based OS's have been increasing their user base gradually, and that is a good thing for us all. So I say just let it be :)

zugu
July 10th, 2007, 12:39 PM
Why do some people try to make it as if Ubuntu and Linux are two different things?

"Switch to Linux (or Ubuntu)"

PartisanEntity
July 10th, 2007, 12:41 PM
'Linux' is often used to refer to other Linux based operating systems even though we all know it is a kernel and not an OS. I agree though that using it in this manner, such as in the title of this thread, is misleading.

paintandswim09
July 10th, 2007, 05:55 PM
What I meant was that we could push people to switch either to Linux based operating systems in general, or to Ubuntu in particular. I get the general impression that people don't think it is that hot of an idea. This would at least be good to get people to learn about Ubuntu, even if they don't switch to Ubuntu. The first step would be to be known. Obviously, the people we don't want trying to switch to Ubuntu are the people who are lost in Windows or OS X; the kind of people that would have a terrible time trying to switch to Ubuntu, and inevitably fail and then hate Ubuntu. But for every one of those people, there is probably another person who has the know how, but just doesn't quite see the purpose. I think we could really do this.
Oh, and pertaining to this-> An "Are you ready for Ubuntu?" Forum thread comes to mind.
After the first sentence, Ubuntu and Linux based operating systems (to make everybody happy) could be used interchangeably.

PartisanEntity
July 10th, 2007, 08:23 PM
What I meant was we do not need, nor should we, push them. When someone is ready then they will switch, but before they switch, they might try it out, then go back to something else, then come back etc..

Linux based operating systems have been increasing their user base gradually over time, and this is good because it is the natural pace. The last thing I want to see are artificially hyped initiatives to get people to switch, it will just backfire IMO.

ThinkBuntu
July 10th, 2007, 08:28 PM
Sorry, but switching an OS is rarely a "spur-of-the-moment" thing that someone will quickly do. It takes preparation and consideration. Give it time...

John.Michael.Kane
July 10th, 2007, 08:35 PM
IMO let nature take it's course. Those who want to run a alternative operating system will do so with time.

Be it linux or bsd based.

paintandswim09
July 10th, 2007, 10:37 PM
Ok then... I guess not. It's just that the reason why this came to me was that I have several friends and they have several friends and so on that are considering the switch. I am pushing them, because I know they can handle it. I just thought this would be a good way for all the people who know people considering switching to get that extra motivation and push.