Linux Advocacy mini-HOWTO
Paul L. Rogers, Paul.L.Rogers@li.org
v0.4, 6 February 1997
This document provides suggestions for how the Linux community can
effectively advocate the use of Linux.
1. About this document
This is the Linux Advocacy mini-HOWTO and is intended to provide
guidelines and ideas to assist with your Linux advocacy efforts.
This mini-HOWTO was inspired by Jon ``maddog'' Hall when he responded
to a request for feedback on guidelines for advocating Linux during
NetDay96 <http://www.netday96.com> activities. He responded
positively to the guidelines and observed that they were the basis of
a list of ``canons of conduct'' that would benefit the Linux
community.
This document is available in HTML form at
http://www.datasync.com/~rogerspl/Advocacy-HOWTO.html.
Nat Makarevitch <nat@nataa.fr.eu.org> is in the process of translating
this document into French.
Chie Nakatani <jeanne@mbox.kyoto-inet.or.jp> has translated this
document into Japanese <http://jf.gee.kyoto-u.ac.jp/JF/JF-
ftp/euc/Advocacy.euc>.
The author and maintainer of the Linux Advocacy mini-HOWTO is Paul L.
Rogers <Paul.L.Rogers@li.org>.
Comments and proposed additions are welcome.
If you need to know more about the Linux Documentation Project or
about Linux HOWTO's, feel free to contact the supervisor Greg Hankins
<gregh@sunsite.unc.edu>.
Greg Hankins will post this document to several national and
international newsgroups on a monthly basis.
2. Copyright Information
This mini-HOWTO is Copyright � 1996 by Paul L. Rogers. All rights
reserved.
A verbatim copy may be reproduced or distributed in any medium
physical or electronic without permission of the author. Translations
are similarly permitted without express permission if it includes a
notice on who translated it.
Short quotes may be used without prior consent by the author.
Derivative work and partial distributions of the Advocacy mini-HOWTO
must be accompanied with either a verbatim copy of this file or a
pointer to the verbatim copy.
Commercial redistribution is allowed and encouraged; however, the
author would like to be notified of any such distributions.
In short, we wish to promote dissemination of this information through
as many channels as possible. However, we do wish to retain copyright
on the HOWTO documents, and would like to be notified of any plans to
redistribute the HOWTOs.
We further want that all information provided in the HOWTOs is
disseminated. If you have questions, please contact Greg Hankins, the
Linux HOWTO coordinator, at gregh@sunsite.unc.edu.
3. Introduction
The Linux community has known for some time that for many
applications, Linux is a stable, reliable, robust (although not
perfect) product. Unfortunately, there are still many people,
including key decision-makers, that are not aware of the existence of
Linux and its capabilities.
If Linux and the many other components that make up a Linux
distribution are to reach their full potential, it is critical that we
reach out to prospective ``customers'' and advocate (being careful not
to promise too much) the use of Linux for appropriate applications.
The reason that many company's products have done well in the
marketplace is not so much due to the product's technical superiority
but the company's marketing abilities.
If you enjoy using Linux and would like to contribute something to the
Linux community, please consider acting on one or more of the ideas in
this mini-HOWTO and help others learn more about Linux.
4. Related Information
Lars Wirzenius, the comp.os.linux.announce moderator, also has some
thoughts <http://www.iki.fi/liw/texts/advocating-linux.html> about
Linux advocacy.
Linux International's <http://www.li.org> goal is to promote the
development and use of Linux.
The Linux Documentation Project
<http://sunsite.unc.edu/mdw/linux.html> is an invaluable resource for
Linux advocates.
The Linux Business Applications <http://www.m-tech.ab.ca/linux-biz>
site provides a forum for organizations that depend on Linux for day-
to-day business operations to share their experiences.
The Linux Advocacy Project's <http://www.10mb.com/linux/> goal is to
encourage commercial application developers to provide native Linux
versions of their software.
The Linux CD and Support Giveaway
<http://emile.math.ucsb.edu:8000/giveaway.html> program is helping
make Linux more widely available by encouraging the reuse of Linux CD-
ROMs.
Specialized Systems Consultants, Inc. (SSC) publishes the Linux
Journal <http://www.ssc.com/lj/> as well as the Linux Gazette
<http://www.ssc.com/lg/>, an online newsletter.
5. Advocating Linux
� Share your personal experiences (good and bad) with Linux.
Everyone knows that software has bugs and limitations and if we
only have glowing comments about Linux, we aren't being honest. I
love to tell people about having to reboot four times (three
scheduled) in three years.
� If someone has a problem that Linux may be able to solve, offer to
provide pointers to appropriate information (Web pages, magazine
articles, books, consultants, ...). If you haven't actually used
the proposed solution, say so.
� Offer to help someone start using Linux.
� Try to respond to one ``newbie'' posting each week. Seek out the
tough questions, you may be the only one to respond and you may
learn something in the process. However, if you aren't confident
that you can respond with the correct answer, find someone that
can.
� Seek out small software development firms and offer to make a
presentation about Linux.
� If the opportunity arises, make a presentation to your employer's
Information Technology group.
� Participate in community events such as NetDay96
<http://www.netday96.com>. While your first priority must be to
contribute to the success of the event, use the opportunity to let
others know what Linux can do for them.
� Always consider the viewpoints of the person to which you are
``selling'' Linux. Support, reliability, interoperability and cost
are all factors that a decision-maker must consider. Of the above,
cost is often the least important portion of the equation.
� Point out that the production of freely available software takes
place in an environment of open collaboration between system
architects, programmers, writers, alpha/beta testers and end users
which often results in well documented, robust products such as
Emacs, Perl and the Linux kernel.
� Report successful efforts of promoting Linux to Linux International
(li@li.org) and similar organizations.
� Find a new home for Linux CD-ROMs and books that you no longer
need. Give them to someone interested in Linux, a public library
or a school computer club. A book and its CD-ROM would be most
appropriate for a library. However, please be sure that making the
CD-ROM publicly available does not violate a licensing agreement or
copyright. Also, inform the library staff that the material on the
CD-ROM is freely distributable. Follow up to make sure it is
available on the shelves.
� When purchasing books about software distributed with Linux, give
preference to books written by the author of the software. The
royalties that authors receive from book sales may be the only
monetary compensation received for their efforts.
6. Canons of Conduct
� As a representative of the Linux community, participate in mailing
list and newsgroup discussions in a professional manner. Refrain
from name-calling and use of vulgar language. Consider yourself a
member of a virtual corporation with Mr. Torvalds as your Chief
Executive Officer. Your words will either enhance or degrade the
image the reader has of the Linux community.
� Avoid hyperbole and unsubstantiated claims at all costs. It's
unprofessional and will result in unproductive discussions.
� A thoughtful, well-reasoned response to a posting will not only
provide insight for your readers, but will also increase their
respect for your knowledge and abilities.
� Don't bite if offered flame-bait. Too many threads degenerate into
a ``My O/S is better than your O/S'' argument. Let's accurately
describe the capabilities of Linux and leave it at that.
� Always remember that if you insult or are disrespectful to someone,
their negative experience may be shared with many others. If you
do offend someone, please try to make amends.
� Focus on what Linux has to offer. There is no need to bash the
competition. We have a good, solid product that stands on its own.
� Respect the use of other operating systems. While Linux is a
wonderful platform, it does not meet everyone's needs.
� Refer to another product by its proper name. There's nothing to be
gained by attempting to ridicule a company or its products by using
``creative spelling''. If we expect respect for Linux, we must
respect other products.
� Give credit where credit is due. Linux is just the kernel.
Without the efforts of people involved with the GNU project, MIT,
Berkeley and others too numerous to mention, the Linux kernel would
not be very useful to most people.
� Don't insist that Linux is the only answer for a particular
application. Just as the Linux community cherishes the freedom that
Linux provides them, Linux only solutions would deprive others of
their freedom.
� There will be cases where Linux is not the answer. Be the first to
recognize this and offer another solution.
7. User Groups
� Participate in a local user group. If one does not exist in your
area, start one. The Groups of Linux Users
<http://www.ssc.com/glue/> information page allows you to search
for a local user group and also contains suggestions on how to
start a user group.
� Make speakers available to organizations interested in Linux.
� Issue press releases about your activities to your local media.
� Volunteer to configure a Linux system to meet the needs of local
community organizations. Of course, the installation process must
include training the user community to use the system and adequate
documentation for ongoing maintenance.
� Discus the Linux Advocacy mini-HOWTO at a meeting. Brainstorm and
submit new ideas.
8. Vendor Relations
� When contemplating a hardware purchase, ask the vendor about Linux
support and other user's experiences with the product in a Linux
environment.
� Consider supporting vendors that sell Linux based products and
services.
� Support vendors that donate a portion of their income to
organizations such as the Free Software Foundation
<http://www.gnu.ai.mit.edu/>, the Linux Development Grant Fund
<http://www.li.org/About/Fund/Welcome.html>, the XFree86 Project
<http://www.xfree86.org/donations.html> or Software in the Public
Interest <mailto:bruce@pixar.com>. If possible, make a personal
donation to these or other organizations that support freely
available software.
� If you need an application that is not supported on Linux, contact
the vendor and request a native Linux version.
9. Media Relations
� Linux International is collecting press clippings
<http://www.li.org/Products/Articles/Welcome.html> that mention
Linux, GNU or freely redistributable software. When you see such
an article, please send the following information to
clippings@li.org:
� Name of publication
� Publisher's contact address
� Name of author
� Author's contact address
� Title of article
� Page number where the article starts
� The URL if available online
� A summary of the article, including your opinion
� If you believe that Linux was not given fair treatment in an
article, review or news story, send the details, including the
above information, to li@li.org so that an appropriate response can
be sent to the publisher. If you contact the publisher directly,
be professional and sure of your facts.
10. Acknowledgements
Grateful acknowledgement is made to all contributors, including:
Jon "maddog" Hall <maddog@zk3.digital.com>
Greg Hankins <gregh@cc.gatech.edu>
Eric Ladner <eladner@goldinc.com>
Chie Nakatani <jeanne@mbox.kyoto-inet.or.jp>
Nat Makarevitch <nat@nataa.fr.eu.org>
Martin Michlmayr <tbm@cyrius.com>
Idan Shoham <idan@m-tech.ab.ca>
Adam Spiers <adam.spiers@new.ox.ac.uk>
C. J. Suire <suire@datasync.com>
Lars Wirzenius <liw@iki.fi>