User: Coutal

Linux, Marketing and Mandrake

On: MacMillan Sells Most Linux, gets No Respect

Macmillan is a hard-working company selling a decent product.
there are quite a few companies who do that, even in the computer industry, notorious for ridiculous EULA's and skyrocketing prices
(note these cost nothing to manufacture once designed)
does that call in for special respect? that's for you to decide.
as for the "geek" issue, i believe it's part of redhat's marketing strategy. and obviously, it seems to be working very well, as redhat gets a decent exposure.
this might be a good thing, to drive macmillan to try and 'work with the geeks' aswell, producting and supporting more software.

on the other hand, is linux all about geeks? macmillan is trying to sell a product.
we will have to wait and see, which of "silent" marketing like macmillan's or "loud" market like redhat's work better.

i personally believe linux can and should make it without "geek" stamped to it. so does macmillan. but they don't earn my respect, since they earn my money instead :) i believe that's a fair deal for all they care, isn't it?