Rockhopper Penguin - Credit: suneko on Flickr (CC BY)
The Linux Foundation has announced an “I’m Linux” video contest. Contestants will submit their best parodies of the Mac/PC commercials, including Linux, and the winner will receive a free trip to Japan.
If you’ve been alive and aware of mass media over the last twelve months, you’ve probably seen television commercials from Apple and Microsoft touting their operating system. From Apple’s ubiquitous “I’m a Mac” to Jerry Seinfeld to Microsoft’s “I’m a PC” retort, operating system commercials have been flooding the airways. Except one OS has been notably absent – Linux.
While the Linux Foundation would love to spend millions promoting Linux on TV, it’s simply not our style (or in our budget). Even more importantly, Linux isn’t a top-down, commercially controlled operating system. It’s a grassroots product of mass collaboration. That’s why we’re sponsoring a community contest to create a Linux video that showcases just what Linux means to those who use it, and hopefully inspires many to try it.
Sadly, PCs and Macs are hardware, while Linux is software. In fact, Linux isn’t even an OS, it’s a kernel. I would like to see a commercial hit TV. The world would be a better place if every Joe Shmoe had at least heard the term Linux (or GNU/Linux).