Slashdot Mirror
Toy Penguins and Male Egos Drove Linux Acceptance
An anonymous reader writes "Germany's local and city councils have been pioneering the migration from Windows to Linux. Now, one of the IT staff behind one move has revealed how they persuaded workers to accept the changes. Stuffed toy penguins and Linux t-shirts helped to create an open-source love-in at the council offices, and they got a senior chairwoman to demonstrate the new system to the troops. Male ego stopped anyone claiming that Linux was difficult to use, once they'd seen that the 'weaker sex' could master it :)"
Glad to see Germany's just as progressive as it was back in the day. /sarcasm
and it called MARKETING!!!
Not that it's a great sales tactic: "You don't need that wimpy ease-of-use"
Gotta keep the spin "Easy enough for *her*, so you can certainly handle it."
so we need to send out troops of booth girls with Knoppix in hand to shame the microsofties into submission. they can stop by my office first.
Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.
Where have I seen this before? :)
This is hardly new... all it has ever taken to get a guy to do something is say something like "oh, if it's too heavy for you I can ask someone else"
'cept for those of us who learned the game and call the bluff with "sure, go right ahead"
"Faith: Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel." - A.B.
You mean you converted a group of people to Linux without shouting things like "RTFM!!!"???
Maybe we should rethink our strategies...
Good quote, too many chars. Seriously, the slashdot 120 char limit sucks!
This sounds suspiciously like how the world of commercial software works :o
A woman who uses Linux? I'm in love.
To rework a famous old saying, no-one ever went broke overestimating the impact of appealing to the male ego.
That's brilliant marketing to use a female rep to demo a product to a bunch of men.
A lot of companies would do well to follow that example, I think.
You are in error. No-one is screaming. Thank you for your cooperation.
http://www.nccomp.com/images/linux-girl.jpg
pic
...that these penguins were stuffed with narcotics.
And people wonder where sexism in technology comes from.
Using it to your advantage is not the same thing as working to eliminate it.
I should probably submit this anonymously*, but what the heck.
I don't know if it is in our genes, or if it's a product of our environment, but male ego resulting from male dominance even affects me a ton.
I was running on a treadmill earlier this week, and there was a girl who was running on one next to me at the same time, at roughly the same speed. There was _no_ way I was going to let myself stop before she did--because she was a girl. And I recognized this as I was running.
Seems kind of silly, I know, but that's what was in my head.
*I've heard that posting anonymously at slashdot isn't really, so what's the difference?
according to ct-magazine they are using SuSE-Linux. german article: http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/34859
These booth girls... if i'm new to Linux, will they 'mount' my 'hard drive'? ;)
I'd be sure to try switching to Linux then!
If BSD weren't dying it'd be presented by this chick
Oddly enough, I recently saw this in Doctorow's "East Coast Tribe", but this was something I learned when I first worked in an IT department.
It doesn't matter if your systems are uber-fast. It doesn't matter if they have a low error rate. It doesn't matter if they are made to be user friendly.
If the users of those systems perceive they are slow, inefficient, hard to use, great, best machines ever - whatever they percieve, that is the reality.
So a good IT staff does two things:
1. Work on their C. I. A. pieces.
2. Work to help the users percieve their systems as being C. I. A. good.
Let's face it - this is why Microsoft is on 90-odd% of all desktop systems out there: people percieve their systems as working, as easy to use, and that everything else is inferior whether that is true or not.
Once you convince them that a Linux or Mac desktop works just as well - if not faster and more securely - on their desk as a Windows box, and that they can use the same kinds of applications, you're set.
I've had IT guys whom I respect greatly tell me they'd love to switch to "OS X", but don't want to because they fear the "learning curve". It's not a "noobie" issue at all - perception clouds everything.
And Brauner made the right calls. To those who had problems, he showed them how it was easy. To those who thought he was being mean, he displayed himself as a "fun guy" with shirts and toys. To those who thought the system was "hard" he showed a secretary doing her job with ease - the person that all my programming teachers taught me to program interface for, since "if a secretary can run it, anybody can".
Excellent work on his part for recognizing that the human element is as important as the technical one at times.
52 Weeks, 52 Religions with John Hummel
That's it, I'll switch to hurd.
I can just see the marketing people on the other side *cough* those convicted monopolists, remember them ? the guys who claim the GPL should be stamped out ? *cough* making hay with this.. ?
"Ooh, we don't manipulate you", they'll coo. "We just give you a product that you know and is easy to use". And heck, if that doesn't work, they'll just add a whopping discount on top of it to seal the bargain.
Maybe I'm just egotistic myself, but if I heard that I had been manipulated into something I wasn't sure about, and if I heard about it later on (with a "ha ha ha. owned!" comment, to boot), I'd be quite wary of the next thing that particular guy tried to foist on me.
Which brings me to the question.. does OSS really need marketshare like this ? It's just me, probably, but I'd prefer people make an informed choice rather than go "hey, why don't we use this because we don't want to be outdone/look foolish". If you can convince people to install it that easily, they'll just as easily be swayed by the next marketing gimmick, and which side (OSS or the other guys) have more marketing muscle ?
New linux slogan!
"Easy enough for a woman, made for a man."
=8-]
- shazow
when I'm out running along a well used path in my town, there is no fucking way I can live with a woman running infront of me. At times this put me close to a heart-attack. But I have all the more fun because this kind of stuff. Same thing, when I try to overtake someone who is barely slower than me. heh.
Man, this is oart of the fun of life! As long as you realize, that your life does not depend on being cooler/stronger/faster/whatever I consider it good-natured fun. After all, where would be in technology without some good ol' testosterone-driven competition?
plus, women have some fun --uhm, let's call them characteristics to laugh about
Anyone watch that "The Apprentice" show. Two groups of 8 people, men on one side, women on the other. The first four tasks, the women stumbled around like lost puppies for 3 of them and yet won every time. The catch, they gave out thier phone number, while selling Lemonade for 10 bucks a cup. The guys couldn't sell jack.
It's not surprizing that having a woman demo Linux, people are interested in learning.
Post: Sigged, for your pleasure.
Good to know that Linux wins on technical merit and avoids the kind of gimmicks used by other big name software vendors
Gotta keep the spin "Easy enough for *her*, so you can certainly handle it."
Yeah, well despite all the lipservice for equality, there's still plenty of cavemen who think only a man can do such-and-such. A remarkable comment on futuristic magazine ads, back in the 50's, projected the lady of the house still doing all the work, just with more high-tech, work-saving tools. Watch day-time TV and the message that men and women have the same roles from back then is still there.
Good leverage. Works with racism as a motivator, too. "Hey, that (insert ethnicity here) can do pretty good with a (insert tool here), guess I better be able to do as well or my arguments of everyone being inferior to (insert own ethnic group here) falls flat."
Americans tend to have a lot of levers, thanks to lingering puritanical attitudes (watch the super bowl half time show? ;-) Careful how you try to apply them at work, though. The spin that "she can do it, so anyone should be" could land your butt on the sidewalk.
PHB's OTOH could probably care less. Hit them with the true TCO and they're half in the pocket. Problem I've run into is most have this dinosaur attitude that Microsoft makes everything easier. If only...
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
How about this approach... "Use the damned software!". Really, I dont know why people seem to think they should have complete freedom on a computer at work. The company owns the machine, and the company chooses the software... so long as the company involved the proper employees in evaluating which is the best software(s) to use... thats it, end of story. Employees really shouldnt have a choice one way or another.
Ever heard the phrase "you attract more flies with honey than vinegar?" Honestly, I'd rather work for someone who is respectful of my concerns and seeks to answer them (even in a devious way), than someone who just scoffs at them and says "Shut up and get back to work." Even the military, the only employer who can throw you in jail or have you shot for not doing what you're told, tends to be relatively light handed in how it encourages its members to use new systems.
God invented whiskey so the Irish would not rule the world.
For a long time, I've been a huge proponent of ease-of-use. While I respected Linux from a technical perspective, I've long been dissapointed in it from an ease-of-use perspective.
That all changed the last time I tried Linux. Knoppix, to be exact. It was jaw-droppingly impressive to me: the hardware recognition; the ease-of-use; the clean interface (KDE, in this case, though I suspect GNOME is just as nice); everything was polished and smooth.
And then it hit me, there are only two things stopping Linux from making deep inroads into the desktop market these days:
1. Drivers, drivers, drivers. Not enough hardware makers are bothering with drivers for Linux. Kudos to all the Linux folks writing drivers, but Linux is always at least a step or two behind. However, this problem may be solved if the project that allows Windows drivers to work under Linux is successful.
2. Inertia. Everyone uses Windows, therefore...everyone keeps using Windows.
My hope is that the low cost of Linux will keep driving people into its loving arms.
So...how does this post apply to the topic at hand? Simple: anyone who has given modern distributions of Linux a chance already knows what I know: Linux is just as easy to use as Windows these days (or close enough that it doesn't matter), and the only thing holding Linux back now are the two items I listed above. Anyone who claims modern distributions of Linux are too hard to use probably shouldn't be using computers at all.
-Teckla
... so no penis enlargement ads... Therefore, when I'm using Linux, I know my penis is not in need of enlargement. Reason enough for adoption for me...
Most people are sheep. They follow the rules of society without thought and most of them wouldn't even realise they are following set rules.
Men and women have their roles to play, and any deviation is seen as weird and undesirable.
Wear a pink shirt and tell other males you don't like beer and football if want to see this in action.
$40 billion would go a long way buying t-shirts and stuffed animals to woo users.
Does Tux need a Tuxette? What does a penguin in a bikini look like?
i would describe this in the same manor i would describe there being few waitors.
women trust women. and men like to look at breast.
Deciphering all the typos in that post was an interesting experience...
Regardless, the main point - that a corporation is a dictatorship - is factually correct. However, if you treat your employees as if they have no valuable opinions on the tools they will be using to do their jobs, then you will lose buy in, and have a revolt.
The employees aren't exactly going to be turning up at their manager's door with pitch-forks and flaming torches, but they are going to be grumbling, moaning, bitching, whining, and likely looking for another job. Successful companies retain staff by ensuring they feel valued.
Basically, treating your employees like shit gets you nothing but shit employees. Acting in a dictatorial manner simply because you can simply creates more problems than it solves. It is vital in large scale change projects to ensure that people at least feel like they've been consulted, even if you end up ignoring everything they've said.
The productivity lost in replacing numbers of employees would be far more costly than simply throwing some toy penguins and a blonde bimbo into the equation.
I am, of course, assuming that once the buy in was created by the "weaker sex" and toy penguin strategy there is sufficient training and backup in place - without which the entire project is doomed to failure anyway.
Women...
harder to understand than klingon,
harder to handle than SAP,
harder to resist than an open telnet port...
Ain't women what we all do this for ?
Spelling mistakes: My is english spoken not tongue of mother.
The problem with migration from windows to linux is really a question of what you are used to. People gripped a lot when microsoft made its migration from windows 3.11 to windows 95. They could not find their programs, screensaveers, etc.etc. The gnome or kde desktops with koffice work just fine. They may not contain all the bells and whistles of microsoft products but they are fully functional. They may have trouble with printers or external devices but I have to show one lady how to print to a different printer on her machine on a weekly basis. Users will get used to anything. After all they got used to haveing to restart twice a day. Personally for me a move to linux would reduce the number of virus ladden emails I can't convince them not to open. It would also reduce the spyware I have to clean off weekly.
She has won.
She was disappearing from the public radar.
She was loosing her celebrity status.
On Tuesday following the half time show she was:
on the cover of 8 different magazines at B&N
on the cover of a number of local papers
in the headlines on more magazines and papers
on every news cast
in various articles inside the various media formats
AND,
her name continues to be brought up in obscure places like slashdot.
comment directly in my journal
The difference with MS is that while using SuSE, due to the nature of Open Source they are not tied to and reliant on a single vendor. This is just the latest town to so convert, albeit with interesting staff-persuasion tactics!
The number of people using hurd just doubled!
My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.
- Write free software
- Promote using techie bimbo and assortment of stuffed toys (was: ???)
- Profit!
A great day indeed.A similar strategy was used in WW2 to get pilots to accept the B29 bomber, which was considered difficult to fly.
The male pilots decided that it was flyable when a crew of female pilots were trained to fly it.
Welcome to New York City! I am one of six straight men in an office of 400 (Facilities staff not taken into account). It truly is refreshing working with so many women.
However, two points worth taking into account:
*Most of the rest are killers looking for someone far above your earning potential.
So come on over! You'll have a great time dating around here.
==---------==
Together, we will drive the rats from the tundra.
It's EMBARRASSING.
Just a few minutes ago, Aunt Tilley taught me how to compile my 1st kernel, & when I asked her a question, she refused to answer. I can't remember what she said exactly, but was something to do with man pages, howtos & Google.
testing out my trending skills
In the early 90's I worked at a company that had a technical writer who was responsible for editing our Intro to UNIX course. One day he was waltzing down the hall singing:
"Going to grep my pipe and chown my sticky bits, yea..."
Is responsible for the adoptation of Linux. Bear with me here. The idea of women being the 'weaker sex' is a product of the 1000+ year old war on pagan goddess worship waged by the Catholic Church. Women in ancient times were revered as sacred vessels of fertility. Constantine, later rulers and the Catholic Popes did their best to destroy the idea of goddess worship and make the women a secondary being, which was a major factor in shaping our society today.
So when men are amazed at women's ability to use Linux, their amazement can be attributed to the work of the early Roman Catholic Church, which continues today.
IFO was sold on Linux not by a woman, but by a penguin. I don't know how where the Church comes in there. The nuns in the catholic school I went to as a kid looked a lot like penguins. But I was never attracted to them. Really.
TallGreen CMS hosting
The problem *really* is, most "marketing" is centered around lying or pushing around half-truths, so people hear only what they want to hear about a given new product.
If "marketing" really equated with "teaching people about the product", advertisements would point out all the pluses AND minuses.
Linux lacking "marketing" is probably partially because open source developers don't stand to benefit in the long run if everyone goes around heralding their unfinished work as the ultimate solution to a problem. Folks find out it's not, and then they're soured to the whole project. Developers, unlike businesses, are just concerned with building the best product they can build. Marketing is about generating *sales* and bringing in the maximum amount of *profit*. These aren't an integral part of the Linux requirements for existance.