Should Linux vendors think differently?

Computer World ^ | 11/10/2005 | Neil McAllister

[ExDemSince92]

I hope linux devs never put looks over functionality as apple has.

That's the only way to become commercially successful, though. "Bright and shiny" is king.

I can scarcely imagine what a marketing puke would do if he were ordered to come up with an advertising campaign for Fluxbox or Blackbox (My personal desktop favorites). :)

[Terpfen]

No choice is just as bad as too much choice.

Carrying forward with your automobile analogy, you forget that computing is still in its early days. We're still in that time when Joe Blow could get a Model T in any color he wants, as long as it's black. To Joe Blow, Windows IS the computer. He doesn't make a differentiation, just as many users don't know that Internet Explorer is a web browser, not the internet itself.

Apple had the advantage of mindshare here. Imagine telling someone about Linux, and they stop and say, "What's an OS? Isn't Windows just the computer?" You can respond, "No, there's a difference, like how the Mac is different from Windows." Apple still has a certain amount of mindshare that Linux dreams about. This is one reason I think Apple is a far bigger threat to Microsoft than Linux currently is.

It shows Apple's priorities. That's why they aren't gaining marketshare.(one of the reasons, there are many)

If Apple's priority is the end user and the consumer market, what's wrong with that? So OS X doesn't run Big Corporation Z's servers. Okay, fine, but OS X can run their workstations perfectly.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

I wonder..........

Anything is marketable if you have the right market and the right pitch.

Once Apple drops it's pricing next year with the x86 deal I fully expect them to gain marketshare. I doubt they'll get their spot back at #2, but I still wish them well.

All any product needs is it's own steve jobs, marketing master and it will grow.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Carrying forward with your automobile analogy, you forget that computing is still in its early days.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I'd agree to that.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^To Joe Blow, Windows IS the computer. He doesn't make a differentiation, just as many users don't know that Internet Explorer is a web browser, not the internet itself.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Even now that mozilla has around 7-10% marketshare, there are people who still don't know about it. Even as old as Apple/Mac is, alot of people don't know that apple has things other than an iPod.

It's partially about market saturation. It's also partially about education. There's also an important role for marketing here.

^^^^^^^^^^^^You can respond, "No, there's a difference, like how the Mac is different from Windows."^^^^^^^^^^

That response does not always work. That's how I know about the (above).

That's why I carry knoppix disks with me. "come here, let me show you something" And I've never had a bad response.

^^^^^^^^^^^Apple still has a certain amount of mindshare that Linux dreams about. This is one reason I think Apple is a far bigger threat to Microsoft than Linux currently is.
Apple still has a certain amount of mindshare that Linux dreams about. This is one reason I think Apple is a far bigger threat to Microsoft than Linux currently is.^^^^^^^^^^^^

I agree with you about Apple's mindshare. There are many out there who forego buying one because of cost... and the amount of third party software available as a second.

But I disagree with the percieved threat via microsoft. Microsoft would rather you use a mac than linux. At least on apple they can still sell you software. The last thing microsoft wants is for linux(or any OSS period) to be *everywhere*. Given the amount of upkeep that's required for the average windows box there are many people who would be willing to try everything. If it weren't for my work position I'd mention linux more often. And I know they'd bite, all you need to see is the look on a person's face. Desperation is hard to mistake.