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IBM's Upcoming Linux Ad Campaign
Chris Soghoian writes: "According to a Wired News story,
IBM is going to feature Tux as part of it's 'Peace, Love & Linux' ad campaign. Apparently, the campaign is going to kick off with a 6-story Tux billboard in Times Square next week." I'm looking forward
to seeing the CG Tux TV ads.
Did anyone else notice the bit about "and e-mail" as part of the campaign? I hope that does NOT mean spam!
www.eFax.com are spammers
Try telling that to someone who bought linux shares.
"If leading hardware vendors are willing to risk their credibility by endorsing and placing Linux systems in the market, it's easy for customers to conclude there must be something real about Linux."
Hmm.. Great logic. Of course vendors never risk their credibility by endorsing something that's not real.
if they spent that money on *bsd, they might as well just donate it all to MS
I guess it's all water under the bridge. To this day Novell has superior products like NDS and ZENworks but still does not know how to sell them or market them.
War is necrophilia.
> I wonder: the analogy to the 1960s may work,
> but should ex-hippies really be the target
> audience? Are they the ones running all the
> servers nowadays?
No. They're running the mainframe. But those old salts aren't hippies, even if they're from from the same generation. Would you call Steve Wozniak a "punk"? (Save it for Steve Jobs...)
The ex-hippies are busy pestering the recalcitrant, 20-something Solaris/NT/VMS admin to install Napster, RealPlayer, CometCursor, WebShots, WinAmp, and/or DirectDraw on their so-called "workstation." The easiest method to get them to go away is to try to persuade them to install a "free UNIX" on their dilipidated Apple or Wintel junker they have at home. They seem to suspect you're trying to trick them. Linux and BSD sound to them like something British cattle get infected with. Something that doesn't come with any good games.
Mainframe guys, who probably have a history with IBM gear at some point, are their target. At our company, the AS/400s are marked for death about once a year, and they get an annual reprieve when the MSSQL on NT replacement system just can't pick up the job. Linux for IBM is a subtle way of saying to all of us in-the-know: "Upgrade your crufty old datacenter. Windows NT not required". Sounds groovy to me.
Democracy. Whiskey. Sexy. Pick any two.
I've actually had an opportunity to dine with a very senior designer and architect of OS/2 and did discuss with him some of the issues surrounding the possibilities of opening up OS/2 to the public domain. M$ licensing issues aside (which are major) he did also mention that some senior engineering staff are concerned with revealing some of the tricks/techniques were used to optimize and tune OS/2's kernel.
Apparently, when OS/2 went from versions 1.2 to 1.3 and later from versions 2.0 to 2.1, someone thoughtfully sent the code over to Watson (IBM main research group) and Rochester (AS400 development) Labs just prior to each release. The researchers and mainframe/mini OS tuning specialists pored over the code for a couple of months, tisked, tisked what they saw and really went to task. As anyone who experienced the improvements in performance and responsiveness could tell, they did an amazing job, but did so by applying very proprietary techniques and algorithms (developed over 30 years and 10's of millions of $$$) found on mainframes and minis.
I know that IBM has been looking at improving linux's kernel, but I understanding there is some internal debate as to what should or should not be revealed to the general public and their competition (M$, Sun, HP, SGI, et al).
Just some food for thought
I've contracted to IBM in the past, working at a number of their locations. I knew many people before, during, and since that period who were employees or contractors at IBM. I also know several people from some of their manufacturing plants.
Not one of them has ever hinted at a "sweatshop" as you claim, nor have I ever seen any news articles alluding to such activities. Their employees are not only well paid, but have excellant benefits, solid training programs, and far more say in how their job is done than most other places I've worked at.
In addition, IBM's support of the development community with their "Personal Developer Edition" software is far better than any other company I can think of. How many other companies will sell you a multi-thousand dollar package for the cost of media and shipping so you can use it for training? Sure it gets them more trained people in the field who know their products, but that benefit doesn't seem to be enough to convince any of the other companies to provide similar services.
IBM is a big company, and I'm sure they have their flaws, but your comments have no relevance to reality that I am aware of. If I'm incorrect, please post some links to netzine articles discussing their "sweatshops."
I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
I don't think many people will get the message behind a giant drawing of a penguin and "Peace, Love, and Linux." They should have Tux shoot Debian CD's out onto 42nd Street. OK, just have an IBM rep in a Tux suit do it.
Maybe they should have used a stronger message -- like a Zero Wing quote. Because seriously, it's not like IBM has a well-known commitment to peace and love, right? I would have gone with "Linux Opens Your World" if they wanted something warm and fuzzy.
Anyone else think this hippie thing is a really bad idea? When I'm choosing a platform for a bunch of enterprise servers, I'm looking for "Speed, Power, Stability", not "Peace, Love & a VW bus full of stoned penguins"!
Don't be such a square, man.
--
Lets not forget that we are also facing an economic recession (perhaps a major world-wide one) and this campaign could be directly aligned with that. Bad times often results in people to being sentimental and the hippie movement aimed itself directly at the establishment (Microsoft?), idealized a minimalist existence (cheap OS), social commitment and getting along (Open source). This squares nicely against the immediate present and could create an illusion of "returning" to the "Good old days".
;)
Also the very real need to reduce costs, likely arising from cutbacks, makes an emphases on "free" software very attractive. I suspect there is subtle psychology at play here and my kudoes go the IBM marketing for this.
The only real question that remains is -- where the hell were these people when OS/2 was around.
we all know how successful OS/2 is because it was co created with Microsoft and it's current incarnation is Windows NT/2000. IBM didn't kill OS/2. IBM isn't making the big push on desktop linux, but rather on server linux. A typical server farm's failure rate lies first with NT (most failures) second with AIX and lastly with Sun. So IBM seems to be killing two birds with one stone on this one. They don't want NT (netfinity would be better suited to linux right?) The can run linux on the more expensive powerpc based machines. ...and you can run it on sparc too right? Seems like it's a no lose scenario for IBM in that they can sell more hardware (the bread winner. In addition, who does all the software work for these boxes....and who makes money indirectly from it?
>>"Upgrade your crufty old datacenter. Windows NT not required". ;)
Bingo. Actually, the openness will allow IBM (and its competitors) to sell more hardware, support, services, whatever you want to call it. Curiously, by lowering the bar to competition, IBM is better positioned to dominate the mainframe market. Mainframes allow you to do something big and complicated, synchronously! (Compare synchronous and asynchronous coding
Umm, could you be anymore wrong? First of all the company that manufactured the card punch was a subsidiary of IBM like Lotus or Tivoli. Secondly, the company was based in Germany. Thirdly, like many German companies in the US, they were taken over by their enemies. It seems obvious that the germans took over production of this facility (being based in germany and all) and that this writer is clearly libelous trying desparatly to get his Warhol 15 minutes of fame and cash in on a little shock news that ranks with Jerry Springer.
That Microsoft owes IBM anything. If IBM helped them great, but they never really asked for anything in return. If they did MS would be paying some form of royalties.
Personally I think IBM Linux will make about as much head way as Corel Linux did.
Speaking of Microsoft speaking out on it. Of course they will say somthing. Maybe not to IBM directly but none-the-less they will say somthing. Especially with XP getting closer and closer to release.
~AdmrlNxn
Whistler is to Zeus as Linux is to Hercules
~Admrlnxn
"I got your mom in my trunk"
like IBM Developer Works, IBM e-business and Software News Alert, etc.
Fact: Windows 2000 has 99.999 percent uptime - unless put in the hands of an idiot. Then again so is any OS out there.
Fact: Windows 2000 is unhackable in the box, out of the box, on the machine, in my backyard, in my trunk.
Fact: There is no fucking alpha version of Windows 2000. They abandon it because the Itanium was coming. So why not release a 64bit version of it on the next generation of Windows. Of course it won't be for the alpha chip. Too slow.
Fact: Dr. Pepper is a mighty fine drink
~AdmrlNxn
Whistler is to Zeus as Linux is to Hercules
~Admrlnxn
"I got your mom in my trunk"
Wht I don't understand is why IBM's attempted use of Linux in the market is receiving so much flak. They may not have a great track record with OS's but they are a huge corporation with money to back it up. More than Corel.
Now everyone freaks. Oh no, not IBM again. Granted they are better at hardware. It still doesn't change this kinda exposure all of you Linux fans have been hoping for.
One huge 6 story billboard of a penguin. The push is on yet you complain. Maybe this shows you how pathetic you linux fans can be. You want Linux to be a main-stream accepted standard OS but now you don't want IBM to intervene.
What? Do you want Linux to just filter to the surface? Won't happen. Linux isn't a bubble that will float to the top.
Every OS is a fucking brick. You just need to market it to bring it to the surface. For Linux this is god-sent. Embrace it. While it lasts... Once XP hits, be afraid.
~AdmrlNxn
Whistler is to Zeus as Linux is to Hercules
~Admrlnxn
"I got your mom in my trunk"
One of the marketing guys here at work (we resell for IBM) got some of the promo materials for the campaign, and I have to say the bumper stickers at least rock. I don't have a scanner, so I'll describe them: There are three different bumper stickers. They're completely black and white, with the funny e in the "IBM e Server" logo red. The background is black, and there are three white circles with the peace sign, a heart and Tux's head on them, respectively. On one of the stickers, Tux is huge, no logo. One the other two, the white circles are all the same size, and they say either LINUX LIVES or LINUX POWER in huge letters.
:-).
Still, they're very plain and non-detailed. There's no flower power feeling. In fact, the impression I get is more making fun of the sterotype of Linux hippies, especially on the one with Tux dwarfing the peace and love signs, kind of a manic celebration of the fact that yes, Linux was founded on the principles of sharing and goodwill, but it makes a damn good solid OS right now for your business.
Perhaps I'm reading too much into it
Still, the one with the big Tux is going on the car.
does this answer your question?
"just connect this to..."
BZZT.
Liberty.
Lou Gerstner, is that you? :)
Cheers,
I think it will be a american campain, maybe someone could put up some of the material on a webserver for the people abroad. I'd love to see it.
Yeah, could sound like it, but most likely it's one of the many mailinglists/newsletters that you can subscribe to, for endusers and partners.
That's my guess.
--------
You're right, it says they (well atleast the marketing droids that thought up the idea) are idiots and now would be a good time to sell any IBM shares you own.
Let's look at this from the business viewpoint rather than the zealots viewpoint...
I'm going to get an e-business solution from IBM. Let's just say it'll cost me $500,000.00 (don't laugh the IBM partner I work for only does projects worth $500,000 and above!). That might consist of $150,000 worth of software, $100,000 worth of hardware and $250,000 worth of services.
Why am I going to skimp on buying a commercial, and rock solid, operating system like AIX 4 which'll set me back $1000.00 at most????
Answer, I won't.
Whing all you want about AIX but it's second to none for reliabilty and maintainability.
For serious (i.e. large business) users linux won't even get a look in.
If it does get a look in, do a total cost of ownership calculation and work out how much out of pocket you'll be and then pick AIX.
BTW, dollar amounts above are in Autralian dollars.
Most "ex-hippie baby boomers" I know are technophobes anyway. This will appeal to them about as much as a draft notice...
I don't know about that, but thinkgeek.com sells a poster of it here.
I happen to know that there will be absolutely no SPAM. IBM and their ad partners are a lot smarter than that! It's one of those 'I send it to two friends, then they send it to two friends...and so on and so on and so on...'
the comercials that ibm did about linux with Cirroc Lofton (ok I may have totally spelled that WRONG) of startrek DS9 fame? I saw it air once and then never again. If you missed it AdCritic has it here.
Prospecting Stinks. Stop Wasting Time on Cold Calling.
You put your page in your profile, so this is fair. :)
h tm
:)
http://home.earthlink.net/~admiralnixon/geek/OSR.
"However, Windows 95 sucks! That is right, it sucks. However, it is still entirely DOS based."
entirely dos based eh?
"One system crash a day is an average."
One system crash a year would bother me.
"When released it had a counted 63,000 known bugs! "
I don't think any variant of UNIX has ever been released with that many bugs.
"System restore so you can roll back your system to an earlier date if it becomes unstable."
Some of us take stability for granted I guess.
Now, lets check out your 'expert' review of the linux OS.
"Linux - This is a touchy subject among all fans of Open Source. This is a totally free operating system. It is just totally different from Windows. Do not be expecting an easy transition."
Somehow I don't see it being a very difficult transition for me.
"It was built back in 1991 and has evolved into kernel build 2.4. It is stable in a manner of speaking. Different kernel builds mean re-compiling (meaning un-stability"
Means 'un-stability'. You must be some Linux expert to say this. Usually recompiling adds a feature or improves performance. I think you are confusing recompiling with service packs.
"that is why ID Software stopped writing for Linux)."
Last time I checked, ID is backing Loki games and Doom 3 will be released for Linux at the same time as the Mac and Windows version. Care to comment on that?
"Not to many people know how to do that, in fact 98 percent of people have no idea what compiling is."
Including you it seems. 98 percent of most people have no idea what brain surgury is like, but that doesn't stop people from learning it.
"It does not run any Win16 or Win32 apps."
Really? The WINE developers would be amused to hear that.
"It has its own API. Its main mode of support is forums where many new users get shot down by the older techno-junkies."
You sound bitter. Tried running Linux and couldn't do it I bet. With your attitude, it's no wonder they shot you down.
"It is, how do I say, complex."
Complex for you perhaps. You seem to be yet another scared windows user that can't learn something new. I feel for you.
"One upside to it is that everything is free for it. You can download it right now if you want to. Its problems lie in an unstable UI. As in, there isn't any standard UI. Seriously!"
The hell you say! Having the choice between thousands of 'UI's' or being locked into one. Which do you think is better? How does having the choice to run whatever 'UI' I want make it unstable? Some people are afraid of choice it seems. Especially those that are used to letting microsoft think for them.
"There are many programs for many different UI's. My advice, if you don't know how to set up a home network or don't know what the word compile means... stay away..."
Using your logic, I advise you to stay away. We don't need you. However, if there are any windows users out there that would like to start thinking for themselves, Please consider one of the many free UNIX variants out there.
"there are 11 bin folders and you will get totally confused."
Naw, they won't. You did though didn't ya. Your page speaks tomes. I almost feel sorry for starting this little flame war with you. You truly have no idea what you are talking about. Heed my advice from the prior post. Please go learn something. The professionals that do use this site don't need your posts. Good luck to you.
The most important thing any republican needs to know.
Yep. That's why IBM is on the bandwagon.
At least they finally ditched Avery Brooks, but the farce doesn't end there: currently, Lotus (bought by IBM a while ago) is running two ads at South Station in Boston: "Looks like a dot-com, acts like a dot-com, moneyed like a blue chip." and "Casual dress code, your birthday off, a business plan that really works." The funny part is that Lotus just laid off 168 people on February 28th. So that's why they're hiring.
"Ancillary does not mean you get to rule the world." --U.S. Circuit Judge Harry Edwards, speaking to the FCC's lawyer
Who the hell moderated this?
Note to moderators. Please try and read the post before moderating it up.
War is necrophilia.
should ex-hippies really be the target audience? Are they the ones running all the servers nowadays?
Sure. Ever worked a gig in the Bay Area? Freaks, Deadheads, long-hairs, and flower children everywhere, and many working for high-tech firms, pardon the pun
At least that's how was. That's how it looks. Word has it that several of the coolest stoner spots have closed (White Rabbit, Steamboat, Electric Lounge, Liberty Lunch,
The moral of the story is that it may be hip to *look* like a hippy, but just don't *act* like a hippy...
I just left a company that did a "Peace, Love, and Integration" theme.
The "60's" theme sent the wrong message, especially internally.
Ever get the impression someone giving a marketing seminar just got around to watching Austin Powers?
They're the ones *buying* all the servers nowadays...
the no
Or is that too commercial for an opensource OS?
Novell blew a bunch of opportunities. Most of this was because I think they were not evil enough. It never occured to them to make sure you could only connect to a novell server via dr-dos or simply bundle DR-DOS with every novell client install. If they had done this it would have been a huge boost to the market share of dr-dos and would have slowed down MS some.
Also I think they blew an opportunity when they did not make perfect office into a server app (which they had hinted at). If they made perfect office a NLM and ran it from the server it would have been a major player in the corporate market.
MS understood bundling and cramming unwanted software down their customers throats but Novell never went down that road. Maybe they were stupid maybe they were just too nice.
They really should have hyped the fact the novell was significantly faster then NT at file server but you never heard a peep about that.
War is necrophilia.
The PHB IT mantra:
"No one has ever been fired for buying IBM, Intel, or Microsoft"
IBM's reputation standing behind Linux will have a profound effect on decisions made in the board room, especially combined with other factors:
It will effectively neutralize Microsoft's eternal strategy of ignoring the IT staff and concentrating on the managers to sell their products. Here IBM will offer, in the eyes of management, a serious comptetitor to Microsoft offerings, particularly in servers.
IBM will build upon support from administrators. Should decisionmakers have to choose between to viable solutions, the preference of the IT staff may actually be taken into account
Cost, cost, cost, and cost. Given two solutions, both backed by solid and reputable companies, management will tend to gravitate towards the cost effective one.
Overall, this ad campaign will do for Linux what IBM's adoption of MS-DOS did for Microsoft.
That sounds like you're selling cars.
Slashdot: Open Source, Closed Minds.
I understand that IBM is still making a lot of money from OS/2. Last I checked their OS/2 profit was larger then RedHat Revenue!
War is necrophilia.
Online I've found at best a casual mention of IBM's foreign labour practices.
On a related note, but cursory to my original post are some troublesome studies on miscarriage at hightech factories in Silicon Valley. (IBM is mentioned)
It's possible that the slashcode based nologo website I discovered as result of this search will have more information as it develops it's content.
I agree that the debian packaging system is probably better than RPM. In fact, I used to use Debian before I switched over to Redhat... simply because it was easier to find the latest-greatest stuff available in .rpm format than .deb.
.deb clone... it would certainly go over well with the community. And to make it even less politicized, change the meaning of the acronym from "Redhat package manager" to "RPM package manager" ... in the tradition of GNU/Linux recursive acronyms :)
Thank about that: that's probably why I'm in favor of an IBM distro... the most popular always gets the most stuff for it. Whenever I get binaries from Sourceforge or Rpmfind it's usually the RH6 or RH7 specific stuff that available first... though not always... but you can bet IBM-distro specific packages would always be there!
As for IBM buying RH, I'd like to see them make the next version of RPM as a
I'm sorry but it's not necessary for IBM to make any standard distro.
..
A strongly standardized distro would simply stiffle inovation completly. We really don't wan't that to happen. Granted that different distros appears very different to the eye but this is OK. However all of them are using glibc2.x and that is what really matters.
IBM are allready doing their part in getting glibc2.x and other important libraries in good shape together with FSF/GNU, RedHat, SuSe
IBM has chosen a road into their Linux operation that is very 'nice' and 'peaceful' and have got some 'love' back from many Linux users. I'll bet IBM people are treated very well when meeting Linux users.
They could make fine polished versions of RedHat/Suse CD's for their customers but that hardly counts as making a distribution of their own.
//pingo
--- Linux or FreeBSD, it's like blondes or brunettes. I like both. ---
Plus, I heard that GE is about to start an ad campaign for their new refrigerator line featuring those rascally hip-hop superstars Kid-n-Play. I tell ya, these megacorps are just sooooooo cool!
Cheers,
So your're saying the book is wrong?
It's common knowledge that IBM provided service and leased equipment to the Nazis.
The real questions are less about whether IBM is evil than they are about worshipful attitudes toward American tycoons. Don't you think it's important that the leader of a major industry probably knowingly provided equipment for use in a mass murder? The fact that the victims were Jews is irrelevant.
Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it. - Some Guy
If you watch TV news, you know less about the world than if you just drank gin straight from the bottle.
" The ads will appear around the world and will be coordinated with e-mail advertising and with video shorts featuring a dancing Tux."
E-Mail Advertising??? I hope that is not in the form of SPAM. The marketing of Linux is a great thing for IBM to do but I hope they dont start sending a whole bunch of SPAM out to people on there "mailing lists".
"If ignorance is bliss, why aren't there more happy people in the world?"
And you, my kind sir, are a COCK.
Bringing irony to the Slash-masses
dear god what radio station has advertisements for servers? that's just scary.
what the?
great comedy company.
nuff said
Plus, I heard that GE is about to start an ad campaign for their new refrigerator line featuring those rascally hip-hop superstars Kid-n-Play. I tell ya, these megacorps are just sooooooo cool!
Is your company running tools written by ma
Well as the guy said, Novell couldn't even digest all of the stuff it had just bought, and it sounds like that the one thing they might have been able to execute on (UnixWare) was kiboshed in favor of the WordPerfect client strategy. As it was, WordPerfect barely had Novell's logo stamped on it before falling NetWare sales forced it's fire sale to Corel.
SuperNOS would have been great - Novell could have leveraged their huge userbase onto UNIX, and would have had a compeling product to stop WinNT's tide into server rooms. As it was, later versions of NetWare were never that compelling of an upgrade, and the Unix on PC hardware was probably set back 5 years or more.
--
Business. Numbers. Money. People. Computer World.
When I worked phone tech support, and I always tried to make a mention of Linux any chance I could get so someone would ask me what it was, and I could spam them on company time. Several times I heard someone say 'I didnt know you could use a comuter without windoze' I enlightened them :)
...the American public's intelligence...
:)
ROFLMFAO!!! And yes, I am American. Err, actualy its And Yes, I love in the U.S. Thats better
>>A strongly standardized distro would simply stiffle inovation completly.
I respectfully disagree... I think a popular standardized distro would *increase* innovation by bringing more people into the fold. It's a snowball effect...
Think about 1990 or so.. at the time you had Windows, Mac, OS/2, Amiga, and Atari ST. Windows eventually became the standard that everyone agreed upon... and by that they most of them knew they could develop *one version* of their app without having to spend the time porting to other platforms and worrying about bugs from all those different directions. Application development exploded.
Developers want a popular, standardized platform to shoot for... give them that and they'll work hard to produce for it. You'll then get *plenty* of innovation!
Sure, and bald men have more testosterone.
here
Think about it: GNU is about free software. Now the people who worked HARD to make it the way it is today and free are in fact working for a big bad money hungry company. Without any reward.
--
Never underestimate the relief of true separation of Religion and State.
Why not to open OS/2? Why not to release it under GPL? It was (and still is) technologically superior to Linux, and I believe that only it can act as a contender to Microsoft Windows. If you guys are really concerned about open source community, why not to do it?
James Cameron's TITANIC
I was very moved by Titanic. It grabbed me, enticed me, and, come to think of it, I even laughed at times. 2.5 years later, and I'm still glad that signed up for Sprint Long Distance and got a free copy of Titanic.
Bringing irony to the Slash-masses
-Karl /dos]# file msdos.sys
-----------------
[root@kgutwin
[root@kgutwin
msdos.sys: fsav (linux) virus (17518-87)
"Embrace and advance."?
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
http://www-1.ibm.com/servers/eserver/linux/passpor t.swf
-Cam
I wonder: the analogy to the 1960s may work, but should ex-hippies really be the target audience? Are they the ones running all the servers nowadays?
The retro feel is "big" at the moment; for example, in the car market: the new VW Beetle, the new Mini, Dodge PT Cruiser etc. These are modern cars that borrow the style of their forebears, but are limited by 60's technology. (They also carry a premium price, but still sell like hotcakes.) Linux is also retro - a modern implementation of the classic Unix; fortunately it doesn't carry the premium price tag.
Peace, (Free) Love, (Free) Linux - very clever marketing.
Gee, maybe Microsoft should advertise Win2k with an infant shitting its diapers. What better way to advertise a 1-year old OS. . . and a MS one, too.
Thanks for letting everyone know that you don't have a single fucking clue as to what you're talking about. NT/2000 sprung forth from OS/2? Again, thanks!
Cheers,
IBM Linux commercial. It has got Captain Cisco in it but I haven't seen it on TV with that line of commercials with him in it. I guess they've been saving it.
I figure some MS folks are on this site reading this as I smile because I'm happy to see IBMs move. The people at Microsoft do not understand that to win people over(like IBM is doing) is not by fighting and buying companies out. It's giving back to the people so they will love you for it.
Things are diffirent from the way it use to be. When you got a computer back in the old days it came with DOS of all forms. Now people that pay for a PC at Bestbuy and take it home don't know that MS is doing it not for them but only for themselfs. These people don't know that... they are blind and they don't see that there are hurting other companies. That's why I think it's good that IBM is making Linux ads.
A long time a go I didn't know of Linux, I was thinking MS as the way and the only way. There are people who never heard of Linux and from it being more a *nix makes it even better. People are able to do things that they wouldn't ever be able to do with Windows and at the same time don't have to pay for half of there server and develment tools that they will get for free. When there is a day where Microsoft plays fair that's when I'll be happy to boot up there goods. Into then Linux is the place to be...Why some may ask? It's the people that's making it better, MS don't know what we want... IBM do and there are about to start flashing the light in other people eyes. Thank you IBM and all there staff for supporting the backers of Linux right along with the Linux movement.
From Zero to Hero... Starbuck Zero
It's nice that IBM supports Linux in general, but I've said it before here, and I'll stick by it... IBM should do a Linux distro. They should probably buy RedHat, which already seems to have close ties to IBM at RTP, and the stock is cheap now anyway (and no, I'm *not* a RHAT stockholder).
:) This already happened with IBM's name on small PC's which were still seen as curiosities by management types when they first appeared years ago. Once you get this kind of acceptance, the momentum builds, more folks get involved, and things get even better.
First of all, an IBM Linux distro would become sorta like the "IBM PC" in that it would be a quasi-defacto standard that everyone rallies around, but IBM doesn't really control. This already happened with the PC. The GPL would ensure it further, and IBM's emphasis on being a *hardware* company would also help ensure it's impartiality even further. I believe IBM would be a good citizen with it's own Linux distro.
Secondly, IBM's good name would help it's acceptance with the PHB's
Finally, let's face it.... there's really only one company big enough to stand up to M$'s bullying and that's Big Blue. I'm sure some of the older OS/2 engineers at IBM don't need to be reminded about M$. Without any *major* competition, M$ will just do whatever they please. A very successful IBM Linux would keep them in line. M$ also has the advantage in that it has one standard API for developers to shoot for whereas there's still a bit of fragmentation with Linux with a variety of packages and little discrepancies. I really wouldn't mind a "defacto standard" Linux distro that an IBM could provide as long as it's GPL and open standards compliant. There would still always be specialized distros like Debian and Slackware.
They don't really seem to be promoting the "Hippie" culture beyond trying to get a sense of community. I think they are actually a decent set of ads, targeted of course mainly at IBMs customers.
hahaahahahahahahahahaha
I am an employee at microsoft and could be killed like the guy in anti-trust if i say this.
Microsofts new plan for post XP developement is to rewrite the 2000/xp kernel in VB. Microsoft is calling it boise, cause they are running out of city code names.
I also hear sgi is rewriting irix in mips assembler, and hp is rewriting hp-ux in system rpl.
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Vidi, Vici, Veni
Apparently, in IBM's stodgy corporate mindset, new stuff comes from hippies. Does anyone remember the OS/2 WARP commercials? Please, not again. The only thing that this type of ad will do is embarrass any corporate citizen that was thinking about using Linux into looking elsewhere. Nothing like risking your career on the latest hippie crap from IBM. We all know how successful OS/2 was (I still liked it...).
Can You Say Linux? I Knew That You Could.
I wonder: the analogy to the 1960s may work, but should ex-hippies really be the target audience? Are they the ones running all the servers nowadays?
They aren't running the servers but they are the ones telling the server jockeys what to run. They are the CTOs, CIOs and CEOs. They are the ones who need to be convinced that "Linux is ready for the Enterprise" and who better to do that the the behemoth from their earlier years, IBM, the Microsoft of their generation
Go and see the summary counts on the Linux counter and you will notice that Linux is not very widespread in the US (no. 24) as compared to, say, the Scandinavian countries (nos. 1-6).
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Unselfish actions pay back better
Disclaimer: I am a burger-flipper at McDonalds and what I'm about to tell you is confidential information, I shouldn't really be telling you - but Slashdot gives me a big mac.
Ronald is working on a new java-based triangular burger made out of troll-meat and built by herds of tiny spiny anteaters relocated to a secret burger plant in Holland from their native habitat in Texas (too close to Dell)
These burgers will go through your digestive system twice as fast as previous burgers, and will come in a range of iMac themed colors including "Pixel-necked Geek" (spotty red), "SuperStallman" (blazing red) and "CowboyNeal" (cowboyneal)
Expect the Wendy & BurgerKing distro's to be blown away by the resulting flatulence.
it was meant as a joke :)
This just in - "America not the centre of the world."
Film at 11
Sounds like IBM is still sore that MS destroyed their pet operating system.
Captain Sisko was the captain on Star Trek, Deep Space 9. That thong song was done by some guy names sisqo or something.
The left hemisphere supports CPRM.
They need help.
Is it just me, or has anyone else seen those clearnet ads featuring a penguin? I swear thats a modified tux...
SSL Certificate
Anyone else think this hippie thing is a really bad idea? When I'm choosing a platform for a bunch of enterprise servers, I'm looking for "Speed, Power, Stability", not "Peace, Love & a VW bus full of stoned penguins"!
Maybe they're going after the Mac desktop audience here, but it's hardly going to help push Linux in the server room where it's already stereotyped as an idealistic fad.
They may not be running the actual servers, but more likely running the IT depts or the whole company. (being of the 60's ... where the hell did I put those paisley bellbottom pants!)
Yeah, they did a great job with OS/2...
Cheers,
Hey, linux is doing decently in the server market. If we want to take over the desktop market we're going to need a *LOT* of buses full of stoned penguins.
-antipop
Will televisions in the UK, France, Australia, etc. be showing the same message?
--Cycon
Your Brain + EEG + LEGO Robots = Brainstorms
IBM decided not to make their own distro because they were concerned that the community might suspect them of "stealing Linux" as the Gartner Group suggests is already happening. IBM could do this by becoming the de facto standard and then extending the standard with proprietary componants. The GPL doesn't allow such modifications to source code, but it does allow the addition of non-GPL componants as in tools and such. That's all it would take.
Besides, supporting multiple distros helps IBM market the product to fans of all the various distros, to join those companies in the IBM Partner Program, and to allow software for any of those distros to be easily ported from laptops to PC Servers, to Risc Boxes, to the AS/400 to the S/390. This helps them sell expensive hardware and keep old customers by having massive amounts of software for those systems.
Licensing schemes of IBM mainframes are annual payments for each software application or tool based on the CPU size of your mainframe. Therefore, UNIX competitors have been pulling away market share by writing applications to take over sub-tasks of the large mainframe applications, hence reducing the mainframe software licensing fees significantly. For example, a PKZIP utility for our OS/390 Mainframe costs $10,000 a year to use.
--Matthew
With ads that feature
strong 1960s-style psychedelic graphics -- a heart and a peace symbol along with Tux -- to appeal to ex-hippie baby boomers, whom IBM hopes will find the idea of a free, community-developed operating system appealing,
I wonder: the analogy to the 1960s may work, but should ex-hippies really be the target audience? Are they the ones running all the servers nowadays?
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Their radio campaign has already started in LA, apparently, because just last night I heard IBM offering Linux based machines and support on an LA radio station..
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Since the article says the ad is going to run world-wide, I wonder how it will be taken by other countries that did not experience a "psychedelic" age such as America did during the 1960's-1970's. I am very pleased to see Big Blue spending money on marketing Linux to the world.
"Worst Ad Campaign Ever!"
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
Consider the fact that IBM is a trans-national megacorportation known for contracting sweatshops to manufacture it's products...
It's funny how IBM is playing up the 'freedom' aspect when their human rights record leaves much to be desired.
More GNU Linux development/credibility/etc. is generally positive, but before we celebrate too vigorously don't forget to look at who are 'allies' really are.
"Peace, Love, and Linux"?
That will go a long way to getting rid of the "hippy" stereotype that comes with GNU/Linux.
-- Truth goes out the door when rumor comes innuendo. -- Groucho Marx
Somehow I don't think that an ad campaign is any evidence that Linux is not a fad.
Perhaps this ad spree will bring universal agreement on the correct pronounciation of "Linux". Personally, I pronounce it the way Linus does, but I have witnessed many a bitter feud over this. What we need is a major campaign like this one to bring agreement over this potentially divisive issue.
Hopefully, IBM will do the right thing.
"I like to wear big boy pants."
Since when has Big Blue ever meant 'innovation' to the masses? Heck, anyone remember Apple's brilliant '1984' commericial during the 1984 Superbowl? IBM is not necessarily a boost for Linux. Heck, how about some other products that IBM pushed hard: OS/2, Lotus Notes, and Java (about 5 years too early). If anything, I think it's impressive that Oracle, of all companies, is promoting Linux. IBM though? Nah.
Anyone have this ad in a non-sorensen version? Preferably mpeg, but anything playable by aviplay would work...
-- Erich
Slashdot reader since 1997
What you say!!
Ultra-super-mega-troll 2000, release!
The only thing that people are going to be getting confused with George Foreman's Grill is an iMac. (See a pic of the Foreman Grill for yourself here if you don't believe me.) Maybe that's why Apple adopted those hideous new polka dot and flower power designs?
Cheers,
I am sorry, but this is too good to be true.
...You didn't tell the secret we ALL want to know?
What's the "secret sauce"?
:)
(I know, I know, 1000 Island dressing)
WWJD? JWRTFM!!!
What better way to promote the latest rehash of a 30-year old operating system than an ad campaign rehashing culture from 30 years ago? :)
Cheers,
Great....now half of America will stop and think...Linux? Is that some kind of new Microsoft software? I am still surprised that some people don't know that you can have a PC with a non-M$ OS on it. But then again, I forgot that I was overestimating the American public's intelligence/attention span/interest in this stuff.
Personally, I doubt I'll ever see a Linux tv commercial, but we can always hope. Either that, or they should make some kind of "Tux: The Movie". Just as long as they make him as bad ass as "Feathers McGraw" (from Wallace and Gromit fame).
http://www-1.ibm.com/servers/eserver/linux/passpor t.swf
IBM already made a Linux ad. AFAIK, it never made it to TV, though.
+1, funny
-Dave
This sounds exactly like Apple.
Long haired hippy freaks >>> The Linux Pimp
--It's Pimptastic!--
I submitted a story mentioning the banners/ads that IBM was starting to put on their web pages a few weeks ago.
I can see it now... tux with an afro that is his height again on the times square billboard!
--------------------------------- Born Again Bourne Again Believer: New Life, GNU/Linux Be Free!
Two whole documents "Not Found" on the same page!
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"Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
Wasn't there an html page of the Tux penguin generated using linux kernel code? I've been searching everywhere (well, not *everywhere* but all the places that I know where to search) and I can't find it. I can't afford to lose any karma, but hey, I wanna know badly enough...