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Selling Open Source on the Campaign Trail
Waldo Jaquith writes: "I'm a long-time advocate and user of open source and free software and, as of this morning, I am a candidate for the Charlottesville, VA (USA) City Council. Naturally, I see lots of areas in Charlottesville's IT infrastructure (as well as potential areas of expansion) where Linux and various free software projects would be ideal. But can I make that a talking point while campaigning? How do I make that concept accessible and interesting to 40,000 citizens?"
No one (the general public)'s interested in it. If someone asks you about your views on Open Source, then answer it truthfully, sure, but don't make it a campaign point to stand on. That's just foolish.
The only way I can see to make open source a valid point in an election is the issue of cost. If you can show that the city/state/district will save money and either reduce taxes or put more money towards, say, the schools, people might care. Otherwise, bringing it up will probably cause people to either ignore you, or decide you're a nerd and vote against you.
Basically, the thing to remember is that most people who've even heard of linux have had it pitched by rabid fans, who make themselves more enemies than converts. If you're trying to convince these folks that linux/open source is worthwhile, you're going to have a hard time.
And good luck in your run!
Fundamentally, you need to be pushing a solution to a problem people care about. Or you need to provide a better way of doing things, that is worth the hassle of accepting. Change for change's sake is scary to voters. And if you're trying to push Linux just because it's l33t and r00lz, then quit now; you're just wasting people's time.
If you can demonstrate that using Linux will...
- Reduce computer costs and free up more money for education...
- Make it easier for kids to get computers, to play and learn with (and so develop future job skills)...
- Have a proven track record of being more secure against attackers...
- Will enable computers and related services to more available, more quickly to e.g. rural areas than otherwise...
...then you've got something you can sell to non computer-geek voters.
You need to simply identify how using OSS well improve your would-be constituents' lives.
ShoutingMan.com
- reduced cost of licencing
- reduced cost of licence compliance
- reduced cost of dealing with security
- reduced waste in government offices (open software tends to have less feature-creep, which means less time doing stuff that shouldn't be done at all (like writing your memos in three columns).
Issues of freedom come second. The problem is they are more abstract, difficult to grasp, and non-local. And you are not running for President so your voters might not care about your opinions about copyright and copyleft.Of course if you were running in Berkeley, things might be different ;-) but you aren't.
-- look, cheese ahoy!
Would you vote for a landscaper whose campaign speeches were treatises on the merits of hardwood mulch over pine bark mulch? Or an auto mechanic who promised to improve the performance of the city's vehicle fleet by switching to synthetic motor oil?
I know I wouldn't.
If you're running for city council, stick to the top issues in municipal government: schools, taxes, crime, etc.
At most you might say something like "as information technology becomes increasingly important to the successful managment of any business or government, our city council would benefit by having a member who understands how to apply IT tools to improve the function of city government." But leave it at that.
Is Waldo your legal name, or will you be appearing on the ballots as "David?" :)
In all seriousness, and in answer to your question: take the example of Virginia Beach. At Microsoft's whim, VA Beach had to direct significant resources to a proprietary software audit, then follow it up by writing a fat check for all the Certificates of Authenticity they couldn't find. No one wants Charlottesville burdened with that sort of goofiness. VA Beach is close enough to Charlottesville that that story may actually strike a chord with your voting public.
You could point out that Thomas Jefferson, were he alive today, would probably use, and maybe even contribute to, one of the major open source OSes.
Saving money is always good. Point out what it costs to run dozens of servers and hundreds of computers with Windows XP, vs. Linux. Everyone wants smaller, cheaper government.
But, honestly, this isn't the sort of issue on which people get elected, even to city council. Worse, IT isn't really the business of council members -- it's the business of the staff in City Hall. If you want to change their IT infrastructure, get hired as staff. IT isn't a political issue. Making IT a political issue may get you a few geek votes, and it's certain to get you in the C'ville Weekly a few more times, but I can't imagine it alone getting you elected.
Signed,
--Random Charlottesvillian
actually, anyone should NOT be allowed to "check on" the Govment's IT operations.
Think of the poor schmucks who have to implement your policy, and shield them from the wackos and crackjobs so they can actually be able to implement what you ask them to do.
If you DO "open" your IT stuff to your electorate, you'll have plenty of people wondering why you're spending all this $$$ for the consultants who are training your staff and government how to use the "cheaper" OpenSource stuff. It doesn't matter that you spent $10,000 one month for one consultant to set up your systems, that it is a one-time job. Your political opponents will see that as an Extravagent Expense at the Taxpayers' Cost, because Consultants are a Luxury Item. It does not matter that you might have freed your government $20,000 in Windows 95->XP software upgrades alone.
Your political critics and opponents will use a broad brush to denegrate a fine detail, and will use the finest details to derail any broad activities...
Also look for distributions and OSS projects based in your area, and ask them would they rather give money to Bill Gates or have it fueling the local economy. remind them that Microsoft has $38BN in cash just sitting in a bank account, doing nothing to help the US economy out of the slump. Plus you can tell them how much more secure the software is, how OSS contributes to "Homeland defense", how less time and money will be wasted on trying to get Microsoft to support their products, how the inherently "free" nature meshes with the pioneering and intensely meritocratic spirit of America. If all else fails try this as a slogan / soundbite "Mom, apple pie, open source and America, you know it makes sense"
Any sufficiently advanced man is indistinguishable from God
I don't know about that. Eventually whatever software is in use on those Windows systems (not just Word and Powerpoint, but vital city management systems) will need to be ported. This isn't just a matter of getting people to use a new system, it's a matter of getting the necessary programs running on the new systems as well. That, and retraining, is where the main cost points are.
Wow that's an interesting and provocative question. Sadly I don't have the time tight now to give you a proper answer, when I get back home I will expand some thoughts that now I lay down.
;-))
First, obvious to someone who's going to vote, you have how much money the city or the governament scope will save. Then after you PROVE and you do your little MARKETING (hey that's politics) of how you are going to save money, say that this money is going to be used for:
1) Buy schools new computer, hire people to teach computer classes to children (education issues)
2) Build a network among schools, fireman, police, hospital, etc... (health, security, future issues)
3) Found user groups so people can help people (community issues)
Okay, that's enough, my boss is calling me. Anyway, you must find a balance between what people traditionally want from politicians (all the good and the ugly of it) and how using open source will satisfy these needs.
Money is the first thing someone would think, but you also have Microsoft that may OR may not crumble (even if just a little) with the trials.
Say to people: "Hey, let's not buy software from a company that been accused of doing Bad Things to us. Choose an alternative! Vote for me, bla bla bla".
Politicians do this all the time (playing with what MIGHT happen and exagerating the facts or assumptions).
I don't know how your personality is, if you can play this political game or not. Anyway, you will have to.. and once you start (I don't know your past) you will have to make these little concessions.
Draw on papers what people want and what Open Source can give you. Than separate these two piles of paper and in between go filling the table with the arguments that you will use, topics that you will choose. If you can make a lot, and good, connections, maybe it will work. Just remember to judge stuff from the point of view from someone who's going to vote for you.
Last, go to schools, universities, user groups, star trek meetings around your area and get as many as geeks as is possible to, of course, vote for you and give you more ideas. (think globally, act locally
Buy a Nintendo DS Lite
Retraining Class Day 1- ... Now, type your name and password. ... Now double click on the icon for Word/Excel/CustomBuiltProgram.
... Now, type your name and password. ... Now double click on the icon for Word/Excel/CustomBuiltProgram.
OK people, here is an example of your computer running Windows98. To use it, you turn it on by pressing this button.
Now here is an example of your computer running Linux. To use it, you turn it on by pressing this button.
Why do people think it is so much harder to use Linux than Windows? Granted, they would have a hard time loading Slackware 2 from twenty diskettes, ("Shit, I forgot which is the boot disk, and whick is the root disk.") but get real. Professional computer experts will load and configure the computer, install programs, network everything, and leave it ready for the user. The user just has to point and click.
And ever see a user try to load Windows on a computer. Most of them are lost immediately. Which is to be expected, because it is not what they are familiar with. Give me a map and compass, drop me into the Amazon Rainforest, and I will be lost immediately too. But that Crocodile Hunter guy on TV would figure out where he is, and start walking. Might take him a week, but he would find his way out, while I would still be trying to reboot the compass.
IMO, a (good) secretary is much more likely to be able to handle staroffice or any other wierd thing you thow at them than thier boss will be. It's the VP who doesn't really USE his computer for anything besides e-mail and powerpoint that refuses to learn something new, not the secretary who spends all day actually USING thier computer and probably can adjust to a new word processor in no time.
Thanks, folks. The answers that seem to be the most correctish are the ones that read "what are you, stupid?" The point being that this is a topic of such piddling interest and without bearing on the Real World(tm) that it has nothing to do with a city councilor, least of all with a campaign. It's the IT guy's job, end of story, for the most part. I had suspected this to be the case, but figured that it was something worth asking /. about.
:) Thanks, all.
Now I know.
-Waldo Jaquith