Open Source Advocacy The Right Way

[vmlinuz] writes "With a rapid succession of people moving towards Open Source, advocacy and evangelism is increasingly important in helping organizations to move over. The O'Reilly Network has begun publishing a series of articles about Open Source by Jono Bacon that teaches how to approach advocacy sensibly and more productively." From the article: "Although Aristotle developed his message many, many years ago, the concept of optimizing how we talk to people has developed further throughout history. From Aristotle to Heraclitus to Friedrich Nietzsche to Helen Keller to George Bernard Shaw, many people have advocated new thinking in times of rabid opposition."

Comments

You mean...

[Anonymous Coward]

Being a geek that hasn't showered in a week, constantly rambling about "Evil Micro$oft" isn't a good way to advocate OSS?

What about yelling First Post????

Re:You mean...

[carpe_noctem]

You realize that when you mock OSS advocates as "rabid", "nouveau-hippies", and "nut-cases" whilst critizicing them for their fanaticism against Microsoft, it's.... hrms, what's the word I'm looking for again?

Oh yeah, IRONIC.

Re:You mean...

[snorklewacker]

Hey everyone, Alanis reads slashdot!

Linux Evangelism

[Stanistani]

*Leans over podium*
Brethern, it is the time of the Apocalypse!
Stand up and be saved!
*Thumps loudly on "Linux in a Nutshell"*
Who is ready to receive saaaaalvation?!

Re:Linux Evangelism

[ackthpt]

Who is ready to receive saaaaalvation?!

Let me be the first radical fundamentalist to ask whether you are some heathen using an IDE or one of the vi chosen?

Please separate yourselves into camps of worthy and unclean. ;-)

Re:Linux Evangelism

[Husgaard]

*Thumps loudly on "Linux in a Nutshell"*

Only heretics would use a non-free book in ceremony!

Re:Linux Evangelism

[Pionar]

yes, for C-x C-s is the only true way to be saved!

Re:Linux Evangelism

[ratsnapple tea]

Not long ago, a tape emerged from the ruins of the Free Software movement that appeared to be a recording of its final moments. Because of gaps in it, however, and some unclear references, its authenticity is not airtight, although it is generally presumed credible.

Stallman: Now we have choice. ... Hackers, it's just something to put you to rest ... you'll be free, hackers, you'll be free ...

Sobbing in background

Stallman: Free at last. Free as in freedom.

Music and crying

Stallman: ... please, keep your emotions down, keep your emotions down ... hackers, it will not hurt if you will be, if you'll be quiet, if you'll be quiet.

Crying in background, humming, music

Stallman: It's never been done before, you say? It's been done by every tribe in history, every tribe facing annihilation. All the BSDs are doing it now. They refuse to bring any more distros into the world. They kill every fork because they don't want to live in this kind of a world. So be patient, be patient ... death is ... I tell you I don't care how many screams you hear, I don't care how many anguished cries ... death is a million times preferable to ten more days of life in thrall to proprietary software. If you knew what was ahead of you, if you knew what was ahead of you, you'd be glad to be stepping over tonight. Death, death, death is common to people ... and the Atari fans, they take death in their stride. Let's, let's be dignified.

Wails and crying

Stallman: If you'll quit telling them they're dying, if you Microsoft apologists will stop some of this FUD ... People, people, people, I call on you to stop this nonsense. I call on you to quit exciting these hackers when all they're doing is going to a quiet rest. I call on you to stop this now. If you have any respect at all... Are we proud, free and open at the source, or what are we? Now stop this nonsense, don't carry this on any more, you're exciting your friends.

Crowd: Right, right.

Stallman: All over and it's good. No, no sorrow that it's all over. I'm glad it's over... Hurry, hurry my children, hurry. All I say, let's not fall in the hands of the enemy. Hurry, my children. Hurry ... there are senior developers out here that I'm concerned about. Quickly, quickly, quickly, quickly, quickly ... My dear HURD team, good knowing you ... no more pain now ... no more pain I said, child, no more pain. Steve Ballmer is laying in Redmond dead at this moment ...

Cheers, shouting and clapping

Unidentified Man: All I'd like to say is that my parents, who I tried to convert to Linux, are filled with so much hate --

Stallman: You mean GNU/Linux. (in background) O.K., stop this, stop this, stop this, children, stop this crying, all of you.

Unidentified Man: -- hate and treachery. I think you people out here should think about how your relatives are suffering under the yoke of proprietary solutions and be glad about, that the children are being to rest. And all I can say is that I thank Father for making me strong to stand with it all and make me ready for it. Thank you ...

Stallman: All that's, let me -- All they're doing is taking a drink, that takes, to go to sleep ... That's what death is, sleep ... I know, but I'm tired of it all.

Unidentified Woman: ... loving thing we could have ever done, the most loving thing all of us could have done and it's been a pleasure walking with all of you in this revolutionary struggle. No other way I would rather go than to give my life for Free Software

Martha!

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe Martha, now that she's back in da hood can doll up Open Source code, you know do something with coding style, DOCUMENTATION (you all know you suck at it and really need some professional help) and some little blue birds and butterflies around those O'Reilly covers, maybe some frilling on the edge of the readme.txt with parens, you know.

Nietzsche on Open Source

[BlueThunderArmy]

I preach to you the Superlinux! Windows is something that must be surpassed. Thus spake Zarathustra.

Miracles speak for themselves

[leereyno]

Places hand on crashed system running Windows.....

"You shall be Heeeaaaled!!!!"

"Praise Linus!!!!"

GASP!

[Dorsai65]

You mean that calmly and rationally pointing out the benefits of something accomplishes more that foaming-at-the-mouth, in-your-face, mine-is-the-One-True-Way evangelism?

Nah, can't be. If things really worked that way, just think of all the time thats been wasted...

The best way is to really 'show' them

[Anonymous Coward]

..the advantages of using open source software. Because I don't have to pay Windows licensing fees, I have to spend less time working, and can spend more time with my girlfriend, and more time lifting weights. People always ask me why my relationship is so successful, or how I had time to tone my body, and I just say "I use Open Source Software."

Windows Exorcisms take time and patience

[SCO STINKS]

You start the procedure by using a LiveCD. Once successfull you load Linux into a dual boot configuration with Windoze. Now you have traction, time for you exercise the demon.

Re:For fuck's sake, LEARN TO WRITE.

[Anonymous Coward]

U missed the fact that he also used "thusly", a magnificently execrable neologism.

Oh, and you can get your meds cheaper in Canada.

Surely there's something wrong here!

[Mr. Cancelled]

As every Slashdot reader knows, the best way to advocate Linux is to belittle those who ask questions (preferably with over used abreviations like "RTFM", and "ROTFLMAO"), all the while making lame 'Winblows' jokes. Oh! And let's not forget that you must also belittle every developers efforts as trying to turn Linux into an MS clone.

Yet I didn't see these methods listed anywhere in the article. Perhaps the author should surf Slashdot, or OSNews a bit more before his next article.

Re:Here's my take on it

[BaldGhoti]

As someone who's currently wrapping the Evolution C API in Ruby...

I thought evangelists didn't believe in Evolution.