...

"When Microsoft Vista ships it will catch up to us in a number of

areas, but we'll enjoy six months where Novell's Linux desktop is in the lead,"

Well, I think Novell just needs to start cracking the cogs of it's marketing machine. Take out some Ad's on the telly. Do the Mozilla/ImpeachBush.org/open-source thing and take out full-pagers in (for example) the New Zealand Herald (Or Helsingin Sanomat, Iltalehti or YLE for that matter - not that linux isn't already well known here).

I'm sure that Saatchi & Saatchi or Admark or even a company that uses OSS to develop its advertising would be able to come up with a half decent marketing campaign to cover the 6 months between SLED and Windows Vista's release. I remember at the Novell Conference in September 2004 at the Hilton in Auckland had a pretty good little movie that ran for a few minutes (if you were there, I'm talking about the one where they had the cartoon thing based on LOTR) - something like that targeting the main reasons to BUY Linux or buy a machine with Linux on it might work quite well...

Even though Microsoft hasn't really pushed out any new consumer products (save the XBOX 360 and maybe a couple of other things) in the past 4, nearly 5 years, I still see their ads all over the world on TV, billboards, street-sign ads etc in Finland, Sweden, Estonia, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Singapore, Japan, Netherlands, France/Monaco, Italy and where ever the hell else I have been lately.

Microsoft's ads are always about "We help you do what it is you want to do... productivity in the office, we help your kids learn blah blah blah"... maybe if Novell can do a "We do all that too, with an interface that makes sense, and far less problems with Viruses and Spyware! Plus out search tools are better... this is prettier, that is better, you can still do everything you do on your MS OS and for a cheaper price!"

At least here Linux is used in all the banking kiosks which are located next to most ATMs that are not outside, Public Libraries, Private/University Libraries, Info Kiosks, certain Government departments, CyberCafes (Ok, well they are coffee places like Starbucks, but they have free Internet or WiFi access if you buy a coffee)... and so on.

The fact that Linux is fairly widely used in comparison has kind of provided an answer to the interface question, though: Most people don't give a toss what interface they are using, so long as it works.

For example, Kirjasto Kymanen (the library next to the central railway station), The "Queue Up" computers are all Linux (not sure which distro) running KDE 3.3, with Firefox, aMSN, OpenOffice 1.x and a couple of other little apps. People just go on there to check email, do banking etc, and don't seem to have any trouble adapting from Windows to Linux to Mac to whatever. There are some Windows NT and XP machines available, as well as some Macs, but you have to reserve them specifically.

Anyway, getting back to my original point: yes, Linux is technically superior. Yes, Mac OS is easier to use. But it's Microsoft thats been marketing it's arse off for the past 20 years getting hundreds of millions of consumers to buy their crap. Perhaps a few side deals with the top 5 OEMs helped but thats not what I am getting at.

So, Novell, start marketing now (build up some hype a-la MS), get a "Think Secret"-style fan club/insider info source site and then do a fantastic release a-la Apple... perhaps do it differently, you know... Take out the Aotea Centre or something and do a big product release. Even better if you can get it on TV3 or the news or something. Have like... "NovCon 2006" or "Novell Consumer Fair" of some sort; you know; get your shit together.

Maybe some free CDs or additional software... Even better if live-installation is included for those that buy the new NLED or something - all without erasing documents and so on (OK maybe some of this is not so feasible at something the size of what I am imagining) OR... Trade in your Microsoft Software (Windows/Office, non-pirate copies of course) for a FREE copy of NLED!

Or how about getting someone like [insert random tv-personality here, I will choose Kerry Woodham because I know her from when I was a kid - or even John Campbell] to like, install and show off how pretty the new interface is... on like Good Morning New Zealand or Campbell Live or whatever shows are on these days... that covers your bored housewife demographic, depending on the time of day its shown.

Partner with like, Dick Smith, Harvey Norman or someone like that to get it installed on new machines, or some other nation-wide chain that services computers (I don't know if DSE does this...) to get this up and running on some more machines.

It can be done, it will more than likely cost some money, but I'm sure it would be worth it. Perhaps some Mom-and-pop style Computer Stores (SmartPC, Millennium Technology, PB Tech, any others I have missed) might like to partner with Novell too... tangible benefits? We all know Microsoft offers incentives, now, don't we!

I'll end it here, I am sure you all get my drift :)

--

Regards

Mathew Carley

**UUSI** Nopeita tietokonepalveluita ja ohjausta @ www.fingeekit.com (Avaamme pian!)

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