Mandrake Linux 9.2, Adware Version

thedarb writes "Mandrake has decided to sell ads to be seen during installation, web browsing and in screen savers. This all comes in their upcoming 9.2 release. Seven G's and you could put your face in their installer." Update: 09/12 18:07 GMT by M : Mandrake has a page about the ads.

Comments

So long as I can change it it's OK

[farnz]

I'm not bothered about this decision at all, so long as there's no effort to prevent me stripping out the adverts; ideally Mandrake will offer a purchased version without them, but I don't see why they shouldn't be allowed to cover their costs with advertising.

Now, if I can't modify it to remove the adverts, and re-upload this version under a new name, that's a different issue.

As long as it's just during the install.

[JoeD]

I don't see a problem with this as long as the ads only pop up during the install, and don't wait for you to hit enter before proceeding.

I don't see it as any more annoying than the "Windows will make everything you do more fun" message that they used to put on the Windows install. Actually, that message always cracked me up, so I can't really count it as annoying.

If they start taking money to install a folder on the desktop full of "special offers from our partners" then it might cross a line.

Re:Interesting

[Frymaster]

This keeps Linux "Free as in Beer" and "Free as in speech" at the same time

basically, there are only two revenue models in this world:

1. sell your product or service to end users
2. sell access to your end users to advertisers

all of the linux distros have been trying 1 for a while: charge for box sets, charge for enterprise support, charge for the added update stuff. a good plan, but redhat pretty much owns the enterprise market. and that's where the money is. so it was really only a matter of time until someone came along with model 2.

you should all remember that the reason for this switch is that plan 1 hasn't been working for mandrake. transaltion: you haven't been buynig box sets and tee shirts.

Not about advertising revenue

[ShieldW0lf]

I'd suspect that this is less about advertising revenue and more about keeping ppl who don't subscribe from downloading Mandrake from their servers.

Re:Linux has always been ad free

[digitalhermit]

I see. Mandrake is one of the most "free" distributions available. THey allow their full distribution to be downloaded and their update system doesn't require any subscriptions. They maintian free support lists with Mandrake employees taking part. They look for innovative ways of raising money to continue this distribution -- ways that minimally affect the users -- and suddenly they're contributing to the downfall of Linux?

Now I love Debian because it's completely free and apt-get rocks, and I get irritated when some late-comer, money grubbing corporation jumps on the Linux bandwagon to try to swing the not-insiginificant number of geek dollars, but Mandrake is one of the good guys. Their philosophy (not corporate philosophy or business model) seems genuinely to be to provide free-speech software. If they can make a little money doing so, then that's even better. And their distribution is one of the easiest to use for non-Linux gurus (I know -- I've installed it for parents and grandparents already).

Linux users won't put up with it

[BenjyD]

Windows users seem more prepared to accept this kind of thing (witness the adverts in Messenger, invasive programs like RealOne, lack of pop-up blocking in IE).
I doubt your average Linux distro user (even a Mandrake user) is going to put up with this. Adverts during the install process I could just about stomach; after all, Mandrake has to make money somehow. But a major advantage of using Linux is that no one but you owns your desktop - this removes that advantage.

This is cool

[Azureflare]

This is good for mandrake. They are simply adding bookmarks to websites of the people who paid to advertise. Bookmarks are quite a bit different than the tone generated by the post and responses; it's not like the link is "embedded" permanently in the browser. You just go to edit bookmarks, delete, if you don't like the link. Mandrake is not forcing you to keep the link in your bookmarks.

I think it's cool. Mandrake needs the money, and this is the sanest and cleanest way of doing it. I'm a silver member of Mandrake, and even though I download mandrake from the 'net, I'm perfectly fine with this development. BTW RC2 is out, and it rocks!

Re:WTF!!

[tomhudson]

Ok, point by point:

1. the advertising during the install isn't a problem for me. Actually, I'd be interested in seeing which firms are willing to support Mandrake and/or Linux in general.
2. Links in the browser: Just change your home page (you were going to do that anyway, right :-)
3. Ads in the screensaver: uninstall the screen saver & install the screen saver from the previous edition, or just reconfigure the screen saver - it's not like it's hard to do "Configuration | KDE | Look and Feel | Screen Saver" :-)

So, overall, I see it as one way for them to continue to offer us a good distro w/o being overly offensive.

Re:WTF!!

[panda]

I'm not the OP, and I agree with the mods that it is insightful to ask how far avoiding ads goes, because it seems we can't escape advertising these days. I'd just like to say that there is so much advertising today, do we really need more?

Over the past decade, my TV watching has slowly dwindled, mostly because of advertising and "product placement".--It's sad when you notice that most of the ads are actually more entertaining than the shows.--First, I didn't renew my cable subscription in 1996, and then, about two years ago, I pretty much stopped watching TV all together. Of course, you can't avoid the TVs that seem to be stuck everywhere these days, like in shop windows, on the sides of buildings, and at the gym. The gym I go to has TVs everywhere and on some of the equipment, too. I don't need those TVs to distract me from my workout. Besides, I'd much rather stare at the blonde wearing the spandex outfit and doing lat pull downs.

I haven't used Mandrake in the past because I never saw a compelling need to try it out when Debian, Red Hat, and Slackware have served my needs well. Someone gave me some Mandrake CDs once and at the time, I intended to try it, but never bothered to install it. Since they're adding adware, I may just skip them entirely in the future.

I know you can just "look away" and reconfigure your browser, but we're already bombarded with advertising every time we turn around. I look at my monitor, and it has the maker's logo on it, there are 2 empty soda cans and a bottle on my desk with the maker's logo on it, ditto for the printer on my desk, the diet notebook on my desk, and nearly everything else in my office. You can hardly walk down the street (or go to the gym) without being accosted by logos on T-shirts, shoes, and people's asses. Why people pay to be a billboard for a company selling cheap, sweat shop-made goods at an outrageous markup is beyond me, but I guess being somebody else's bitch is a fashion statement these days. Sure, you give me a contract like Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan, and I'll get the swoosh tattooed on my forehead, but I'm not gonna pay money to wear a shirt with YOUR logo on it. The only logo shirts that I wear, I either got for free, or I bought to support a free software project or a non-profit cause.

No, I have enough advertising in my life without TV, without AdWare, and without Mandrake. If it's all the same to you, I'll stick with FreeBSD.

Re:WTF!!

[MoneyT]

The doesn't mean people still can't bitch or wont bitch. After all, look at the people who bitch about the ads in AIM, all they have to do is go download DeadAIM or a similar product. Look at the people that bitch about pop-ups and pop-under ads, all they have to do is get a popup blocker.

It's the priniciple of the matter that has people pissed.