Help Wanted: Linux PR
ROSE Blog: Rikki's Open Source Exchange
Sarah Stokely wrote a Linux.conf.au event report for our April issue of Linux Pro Magazine, which is trickling into the printer as I type. I noticed she has a lot of other thoughtful articles on her blog, The Open Source Report, including coverage of women in open source. For example, Sarah observes that none of the 10 winners of the Google Highly Open Participation competition are women.
Sarah also wrote an excellent article about the PR problem in Linux. I'm constantly amazed at how few people outside our community understand the worldwide impact of open source. (In fact, I had to explain to a couple of my non-tech-savvy friends that I don't actually write an "open sores" blog.)
openSUSE's Joe "Zonker" Brockmeier also read Sarah's PR article and he has a few suggestions for spreading the word about open source, including "Be Open and Friendly."
With Linux PR in mind, and in an effort to help future Linux users, I need to find an accounting solution for the nice couple who sat next to me on my flight home from SCALE 6x last weekend. They are small business owners who absolutely hate Windows Vista. Naturally, I asked them whether they've heard of Linux – they hadn't. Now I need to help the couple find an accounting system that will replace Peachtree and convert them to happy Linux users. (I promise my intentions are purely PR-related and have nothing to do with the fact that they are hot tub retailers.) Let me know if you have suggestions for the easiest way to help rescue these future Linux users. Otherwise, I'll do my homework and let you know what I turn up.
comments powered by DisqusSubscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Plasma 6.3 Ready for Public Beta Testing
Plasma 6.3 will ship with KDE Gear 24.12.1 and KDE Frameworks 6.10, along with some new and exciting features.
-
Budgie 10.10 Scheduled for Q1 2025 with a Surprising Desktop Update
If Budgie is your desktop environment of choice, 2025 is going to be a great year for you.
-
Firefox 134 Offers Improvements for Linux Version
Fans of Linux and Firefox rejoice, as there's a new version available that includes some handy updates.
-
Serpent OS Arrives with a New Alpha Release
After months of silence, Ikey Doherty has released a new alpha for his Serpent OS.
-
HashiCorp Cofounder Unveils Ghostty, a Linux Terminal App
Ghostty is a new Linux terminal app that's fast, feature-rich, and offers a platform-native GUI while remaining cross-platform.
-
Fedora Asahi Remix 41 Available for Apple Silicon
If you have an Apple Silicon Mac and you're hoping to install Fedora, you're in luck because the latest release supports the M1 and M2 chips.
-
Systemd Fixes Bug While Facing New Challenger in GNU Shepherd
The systemd developers have fixed a really nasty bug amid the release of the new GNU Shepherd init system.
-
AlmaLinux 10.0 Beta Released
The AlmaLinux OS Foundation has announced the availability of AlmaLinux 10.0 Beta ("Purple Lion") for all supported devices with significant changes.
-
Gnome 47.2 Now Available
Gnome 47.2 is now available for general use but don't expect much in the way of newness, as this is all about improvements and bug fixes.
-
Latest Cinnamon Desktop Releases with a Bold New Look
Just in time for the holidays, the developer of the Cinnamon desktop has shipped a new release to help spice up your eggnog with new features and a new look.