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The 'Linux Inside' Stigma

Posted by Soulskill on from the someday-they'll-even-come-up-with-a-linux-phone dept.

New submitter dtschmitz highlights the success of the Google Chromebook to underscore what, in his view, is a serious Linux brand image problem. "It's remarkable how Google doesn't mention the word Linux anywhere in their marketing of the Google Chromebook. I mean, it's running the Linux Kernel, so shouldn't it be Google Linux instead of ChromeOS? Why did Google carefully avoid references to Linux? It's all a very carefully crafted, well executed plan of elegant branding and image making. ... The profile of this user is that of someone who really doesn't care anything about the technical underpinnings of a device. They are not sophisticated technophiles by any means. They have a set number of things which they wish to do--recreational surfing, banking, email, an occasional letter, not complicated. ... Google didn't mention Linux because they know it will scare buyers away. That's unfortunate, but true. And we need to come to terms with that fact and work towards improving the 'Linux Inside' brand image.

5 of 366 comments (clear)

  1. Easy to answer. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Because "linux" is toxic to 90% of the population out there.

    "Windows" is the status quo, "mac" is sexy, and "linux" is that ugly fat guy in IT who smells bad and makes you change your passwords every other day.

    Google is right to avoid "linux" like the plague.

  2. Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    And we need to come to terms with that fact and work towards improving the 'Linux Inside' brand image.

    Why? Linux has been cruising along for a long time getting better and better, running in more and more places, first conquering servers, enveloping embedded devices, devouring the mobile phone market place, spreading into tablets, etc. It's at the core of VMware, Android, ChromeOS, and devices both on earth and in space.

    So, again, why? So teenagers will use it? Choosy Moms will choose it over Jiff?

    The brand image of Linux right now is: get shit done. well. Oh, and also do whatever you want with it.

    What people like OP need to come to terms with is the fact that Linux is successful in spite of marketing.

  3. Intentional footshots? by SIGBUS · · Score: 4, Interesting

    That's at least part of the story. Note how the rare attempts at selling prebuilt Linux PCs, such as the early netbooks, have tended to have oddball custom Linux distros (Linpus? WTF?) instead of, let's say, Debian, Ubuntu, or even a RHEL clone. My cynical side says that this was done on purpose as a way of discrediting Linux in the eyes of the general population.

    A more recent thing that doesn't help matters is the new X11 vs. Wayland vs. Mir kerfluffle. Considering how often I use X11 forwarding over SSH, I'm not looking forward to Wayland or Mir.

    Both good and bad: the multitude of desktop environments. As unhappy as I am with GNOME 3 and Unity, at least there are others I can fall back on. Still, I think that Ubuntu's default of sending local search results to Amazon by default is toxic.

    --
    Oh, no! You have walked into the slavering fangs of a lurking grue!
  4. Re:nope. it starts with accuracy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I don't necessarily agree. Examples of marketing terms used to promote computers/smartphones that I'm sure 98% of consumers have no idea what they are:
    LTE
    Intel Core i7
    LCD
    megapixel
    WiFi b/g/n
    5MHz spectrum

    Linux does have a branding problem and it does need something on top of it to make it a true consumer product (I don't think anyone can argue anything else non-dogmatic standpoint) . I would not be surprised if Ubuntu start shying away from the Linux brand as well in order to increase public awareness.

  5. Re:nope. it starts with accuracy by greenfruitsalad · · Score: 5, Interesting

    unfortunately, i have to agree here for 2 simple reasons:

    1. thanks to half-baked crap like Linpus Linux that was only put on Acer REVOs so that people can install their own pirated version of Windows afterwards, I personally know at least 3 people who got burned by it and would never even consider buying anything with Tux on it. (The version that was on Acer Aspire One netbook was kind of all-rightish though.)

    2. thanks to Acer and Asus (and later also Dell/Lenovo), only the shittiest of shitty hardware was ever sold with GNU/Linux on it and that is how people remember GNU/Linux computers. The squeaky plasticky computers that lasted 42.5 minutes on a single charge, had unresponsive touchpad the size of a coin and took 50 seconds to open a Word document.

    Thank you Acer/Asus. If you two were people, I'd run you over with a car.