We've been talking about this for years.
We just never could seem to get it done.
Now it's going to happen. It began on Saturday, the 19th of September.
As far as we can research, the "concept" of Linux as a product has never been publicly advertised. Not as an ongoing advertisement...
Broadcasting several times a day for a month.
And contrary to popular belief...every shred of information available for human consumption is not on the Internet.
Shocking as that may be to some...we may be wrong on this one.
But we are seeing no evidence of anyone else launching a prolonged advertising campaign for Linux. And we've looked.
This may be "The Grand Experiment".
Or not...
Of course, it hasn't happened to this point because people will not invest in expensive radio air time without a return on that investment. It has to be tied to something...either commercial or non profit. Just throwing Linux out to the public could do more harm than good.
In 2006, when this first started, we were approached by "George". George is a professional voice talent and he offered to cut our commercial. Once we heard him, there was no way we could say no. George has requested to remain anonymous, and for the life of me I couldn't figure out why...
We figured it out.
We've received several requests for George's work...pro bono of course, and as he did it for us, he might do it for others. That makes sense.
Well no, a man has to pay for a roof over his head and as competitive as the voice talent market is...he does well enough to find paying work. Once he's heard, the requests will increase. He just cannot do that much free work. As much as he would like to, he simply cannot at this time.
We were lucky....and we are extremely grateful.
The original track he recorded ran pretty long but it was done so anyone could edit
the track to fit their needs. George has given us the rights to this and one other track and has emailed the radio station with his verification. He has indeed given this to the Linux Community.
We've stripped out all the private data about our enterprise...this isn't a marketing campaign for us.
It's simply news that Linux is now on the air. It will air on KLBJ AM. It's also a way for you to use the data without having to remove our taglines.
Yeah, that's me...Mr. Considerate.
Both raw tracks are available for download and released under Creative Commons Attribute-ShareAlike 3.0 license. We stipulate no attribution is necessary. You can download the short broadcast version we used, minus our info tagline in mp3 or ogg. You can get the long version in mp3 here and the ogg cut here.
Cut, splice, hack, lay tracks under it as you wish.
This isn't about our ad or endeavor, this is simply a notice that Linux, as a "product"...as an alternative to Microsoft Windows is available. Linux now has a commercial presence on the Austin radio airwaves. We also want to make the raw tracks available to anyone that wants them.
But here's the beauty of it.
Initially we were only going to make 30 second ads...budget restraints and all that, but once we started negotiating with KLBJ AM, we found we would have money left over so we had George do the 60 second track that currently plays on air and used Free Open Source software to mix and produce it. I did it at my own computer in about 35 minutes.
Oh, and where are the 60 second spots going to run?
The Kim Komando show...one spot for each of the three hours. Three times each show for four weeks. Why? Poetic justice...her show is full of ads for antivirus software, registry fixers and all the addons that slow a Windows computer to a crawl. She is unapologetic about her preferences for Microsoft products.
A pleasant surprise awaited us as well on that Saturday. Thomas Holbrook II of Freedomwareproject.org submitted our radio ad to the Oracle Broadcasting Network. It will air there for a month. And yes...some might not care for the political activism that resides there but we also realize that there are people there that dispise MS business practices and may be ripe for change. Our deepest thanks goes out to Thomas for his gift.
People need to know they have a choice.
So whether you just listen to the production or use it for your purposes, have at it.
Tux has taken to the airwaves.
All-Righty Then...
27 comments:
I would like to contribute by putting the ad on my blog. Do I need to take some permissions or something. My blog is at blog.amit-agarwal.co.in
@ aka
You are more than welcome to post it. It is also released under the Creative Commons Share Alike Unported license.
h
Posted!
http://dasublogbyprashanth.blogspot.com/2009/09/finally-solution-to-poor-linux.html
--
a Linux Mint user since 2009 May 1
While I'm all in favour of some publicity, your advert misleads.
1) Linux is a kernel, not an operating system; the listeners you're targetting aren't going to realise that they actually need a distribution.
2) Linux is not virus-free and it's dangerous for you to state that users don't need suitable anti-virus software. It's also not, on its own, a good reason to use a Linux distribution.
3) Stating '99.9% of applications you need are available for free' is just guesswork. You can't possibly know my individual needs.
On a related note, I was asleep after thirty seconds. I think that's plenty for a radio advert, any more is wasted.
Don't get me wrong: I'm a Debian contributor, I stand for freedom and choice. But getting a million users onto a Linux distribution right now will do more harm than good, because no single distribution is ready for that. We have a long, long way to go to make it easy for people yet.
OK, I'm confused now.
It's licensed "With Attribution" but the guy who recorded it wants to "Remain Anonymous". How the heck do I comply with the license on this?!!
http://dasublogbyprashanth.blogspot.com/2009/09/riaa-stay-of-of-elementary-schools.html
That is another of my posts. It doesn't have to do specifically with Linux but with freedom in use of software in general (RIAA specifically).
--
a Linux Mint user since 2009 May 1
Thanks Ken - nicely done :)
Dude, you've just been slashdotted
http://linux.slashdot.org/story/09/09/20/209211/Forkable-Linux-Radio-Ad-Now-On-the-Air-In-Texas
Hope your server holds.
We stipulate no attribution is necessary
Actually, there is a waiver in that license for attribution. The author just makes it plain it is not necessary in the blog.
I had no trouble with it or understanding it. As an artist, I think this is the best choice of any of the cc licenses.
Love the tuxpilot image. 3 stripes for the co-pilot, 4 for the captain.
"It doesn't need any virus protection."
Wait, what? You seriously believe Linux OS's wouldn't face the same virus problem if they became mainstream?
"No more blue screens of death."
I can't remember the last time my Windows had a BSOD. Must be at least a year, probably more than two years ago.
"With Linux, you don't have to reboot after installing new software."
I can only think of Daemon Tools and anti-virus software.
Newsflash: when an installer says "You must reboot before using this software!", it's not true 99.9% of the time (look daddy, I can make up statistics!).
Way to go, Kendood! It sounds great. Where other people wibble and whine, you do. Well done!
@ anonymous
I can't remember the last time my Windows had a BSOD. Must be at least a year, probably more than two years ago.
That's odd. We encounter this problem in roughly 14% of the problems we fix with Linux. The rest are so ate up with malware and viruses that their registry looks like ground zero at the Bikini Atoll. Well wait, at least Bikini didn't have to be wiped out and rebuilt.
Nice try. Come out with us for two days and look at the Windows Wasteland out there and welcome to reality.
h
Linux is a kernel, not an operating system; the listeners you're targetting aren't going to realise that they actually need a distribution.
And they will have one...the one we deem fit for their hardware and personal needs. And please...the "Linux is a Kernel" argument is getting tiresome. That war is lost so cut your losses. Linux IS now the operating system. People just have to familiarize with the different choices.
Linux is not virus-free and it's dangerous for you to state that users don't need suitable anti-virus software. It's also not, on its own, a good reason to use a Linux distribution
OK...give me a website to visit that will give me a virus on my Linux machine. If you run Windows, I can give you at least 300 right off the top of my head (and bookmarks). Waiting...
Stating '99.9% of applications you need are available for free' is just guesswork. You can't possibly know my individual needs.
Shrug. YMMV
On a related note, I was asleep after thirty seconds. I think that's plenty for a radio advert, any more is wasted.
That's odd...our call-ins swamps us for 5 minutes after an ad runs.
Don't get me wrong: I'm a Debian contributor, I stand for freedom and choice. But getting a million users onto a Linux distribution right now will do more harm than good, because no single distribution is ready for that. We have a long, long way to go to make it easy for people yet.
Yeah...and I'm a Linux Advocate that has given the disadvantaged children of Austin just shy of 1000 Linux-powered computers in the past 4 years. 12 year old kids are picking it up in 30 minutes. Looks like we have company coming...better get the guest rooms ready.
h
Could you please post the script as well? I would like to tinker with it and get a local voice to work on it (under the same tersm).
@"Debian contributor"
Seriously, what part of Debian do you contribute to? Let me be sure to uninstall it since you don't think the Linux environment is ready for prime time. It makes me think you have very little faith in your own skills much less the skills of others working on Debian.
Or do you consider deleting whitespace in the source code as "contributing"?
Enough poking the troll with the stick. What seems to not be apparent to you (but very apparent to just about everyone else) is the ad has a contact given. Folks aren't simply told about Linux and then left with nowhere to turn. They are told a website and a phone to learn more, which means they are hooked up with Ken et al who sits with each person that agrees, ensures Linux will work for them, and provides an hour or two of tutorials.
And, by the way, there are NO Linux viruses in the wild.
I am still wondering about that "Debian contributor" thing.
[quote] And please...the "Linux is a Kernel" argument is getting tiresome. That war is lost so cut your losses. Linux IS now the operating system.[/quote]
Well, to be honest, the full name should be GNU/Linux because of the GNU userland, but that is a little harder to say than just Linux.
@ Yuhong Bao
GNU/Linux because of the GNU userland
You are completely correct on both counts. We tried early on to do the right thing with GNU but it got to the point where people were emailing us and asking us:
"Which should I use? Linux or GNU/Linux?"
That's when I knew "correctness" was getting in our way. I do not refer to it as GNU/Linux because it is awkward and it confuses people. Larry Cafiero, a newpaper editor in Santa Cruz, also a huge Free Software kind of guy said it best and I paraphrase...
I own a Chevrolet but I most often refer to it as a Chevy...
No disrespect meant. I admire Richard Stallman vastly, but when semantics gets in the way of converts...the semantics take the next bus out of town.
h
@ could you post the script as well
The only one I have written down is this one. I'll get the other one shortly.
Your computer has problems? Wanna hear the "industry's" solution? That's right, your software isn't working - so what do they suggest? Use more software to solve the problem(!) Listen to what you're being told: they want you to purchase software so the software you already purchased will work! ..
What!?
The problem is.. we've come to think of this as being perfectly acceptable. So stop accepting! There's been a solution all along, but you've rarely heard of it.
That's right! You spent maybe hundreds maybe thousands of dollars over the years that you didn't have to.
It's time for the secret to be told.
Thousands of businesses, universities and even Wall Street have been using Linux! For years. What do they know that you don't? Linux is free. It doesn't need any virus protection and 99.9% of the software you'll ever need comes free as well.
It's as easy as clicking a mouse! That's it. No more crashes, no more viruses, no more blue screens of death.
And get this: with Linux, you don't have to reboot after installing new software. Linux runs on old hardware. No need to buy a new computer every time the industry decides to boost profits and release another buggy system.
So why are you still paying for the privilege of using your computer? There's a better way: Linux.
Helios, here's the text of the other add to save a little work. Feel free to edit this post for transcription, spelling errors, etc. if you find any:
-----------
Look, it's time someone gave you the facts about your computer. if you're a Windows user, you know all too well what the problems are. Viruses. Crashes. Sluggish behavior. Finally, you have to fix it or take it to the shop. We see it every day. Now, Microsoft is preparing for the release of their new Windows 7. They want you to pay hundreds of dollars to upgrade. Well, you don't have to pay for the privilege of using your computer anymore. We've been installing Linux at home and for businesses in Austin for 4 years. Our customers love it. Why Linux? It never costs you a dime. All the software you need is free and you never have to worry about Windows viruses again. Linux is all but immune, and many of your Windows programs will run on Linux as well. Have an older computer? Linux runs great on it when Windows won't. So instead of paying for a system that's gonna cause you problems, stop fighting your computer and start using it. Check out the facts, at www.fixedbylinux.com. That's L-I-N-U-X. fixedbylinux.com. Or call us at 512-739-9707. There's a better way: Linux.
Thank you Will...I sincerely appreciate it.
h
Excellent work, You have accomplished something very positive for the Linux community.
Love the Linux adv, long version, 1min 13sec.
I'm trying to learn how to make a DVD slideshow of a PC with Blue screen and show pics of Linux Mint being installed.
I already have seven shows airing on our local public access TV, and I'd like to tell people about Linux, and your audio clip with afew slides would work great.
The public access people require programs to be on DVD.
Sofar I have not figured out dvd styler, on kino, but I will keep asking for help, and will produce this DVD!!
Great radio adv!
I also broadcast low power AM, and will add your 1min 13sec adv to my playlist!
thanks again
Jim sunwattATmadisoncounty.net
Good work Ken. I did a little write-up on it, to try and get the word out.
I see that it struck a nerve, the trolls are popping out all over. I love this one, it's just so WRONG...
Anonymous said...
While I'm all in favour of some publicity, your advert misleads.
How?
1) Linux is a kernel, not an operating system; the listeners you're targetting aren't going to realise that they actually need a distribution.
OK. So what you are saying, is that Windows users are idiots, who aren't capable of figuring this out after a Google search? You have a terrible opinion of Windows users.
2) Linux is not virus-free and it's dangerous for you to state that users don't need suitable anti-virus software. It's also not, on its own, a good reason to use a Linux distribution.
Really? Please provide proof that Linux has ever had a virus problem, of any kind, besides "Proof of Concept" viruses, and that the viruses were actually capable of being a problem. And then tell us why moving to a virus free operating system isn't a good reason to switch? Do you not think that data integrity is important? Do you think that you can promise data integrity on a virus prone system?
3) Stating '99.9% of applications you need are available for free' is just guesswork. You can't possibly know my individual needs.
Actually, it's not guesswork. It's 100% true, for everyone except Windows programmers.
On a related note, I was asleep after thirty seconds. I think that's plenty for a radio advert, any more is wasted.
ADHD is a wonderful thing.
Don't get me wrong: I'm a Debian contributor, I stand for freedom and choice. But getting a million users onto a Linux distribution right now will do more harm than good, because no single distribution is ready for that. We have a long, long way to go to make it easy for people yet.
If this person really was a Debian contributor, it would know that there are a bunch of Linux Distributions that are ready for "that". My personal favorite is Moon OS. Others like Ubuntu, Fedora, Mandriva, Mint, etc. All are ready for prime time.
Gotta love the trolls. In fact it's time for another article about trolls, and since it's 9:00 AM Sunday morning, and everyone else is asleep, I guess I'll write one.
Good work Ken. Keep it up.
I'm a relatively long time Linux user of six years, and I like what you're doing.
The lack of advertising pitted against the Billion dollar budget of Microsoft is no doubt one of the many reasons why Linux is experiencing slow but steady growth on the desktop instead of the exponential growth that it deserves.
That said, I was surprised at the section in the above blog post regarding DVDs. Telling people to ignore the DMCA, and then telling them don't worry about it because Linux is secure could meet the legal definition of conspiracy. You might want to run that one past your attorney.
Tony G.
Tony,
If you install something, like say VLC, which is legal in it's own country, and it isn't in yours, yes, you are responsible. However that assumes that the legal system is interested in taking action, which it may not be.
And of course there's also the Patent issue. The Supreme Court ruling on what is and is not patentable could have some interesting fallout, including possibly blowing parts of the DMCA out of the water.
It should be interesting seeing how things play out over the next year.
I don't know who "George" is, but I wanted to mention that a well-known voice, Hal Douglas, just passed away at 89.
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