ubuntu-advertising team mailing list archive

[alan c <aeclist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have uploaded a few items to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/IdeaWall

Only one has -direct- Ubuntu content - the Ubuntu information leaflet. 
The editable files of all are available no problem but I uploaded pdf 
for reference.

The Ubuntu information leaflet is in active and current use at local 
(UK) events on an information table I run under a FLOSS banner 
(http://infopointproject.org/wordpress/materials/infopoint-guide/). It 
is relevant when people have already heard about Ubuntu and want to 
know more. The Some details are relevant  to my own personal area 
locally and include my email address, which I always specially draw 
attention to when handing it out, and I also verbally invite contact. 
Over about three years I have handed out a LOT of these and am always 
surprised when I find that in that time only a few people have ever 
actually used the email. It is intended to be printed A4 double sided 
and folded twice. It is almost exclusively used for attenders at 
events like computer fairs.

An article I wrote for an older persons organisation:  Ethical and 
Community based Computer Programs. This was published in the 
organisation's UK national magazine and apart from one mealy mouthed 
response from a person who said he liked to pay for his stuff, I 
received a few dozen direct email responses with questions, which I 
followed up individually. It did show that an advertising article will 
generate interest, but also that local hand holding is vital. My 
objective for the item was to broaden awareness of an alternative 
system for PCs.

The colour leaflet is aimed at 'street level' handouts, public 
libraries etc, and is intended to arouse some interest and inform 
about FLOSS at a very basic level.  Our public libraries in UK are run 
by local government and will reject any leaflets which are apparently 
commercial, or political. Windows is their de facto standard, and 
local library management has no professional (or personal) knowledge 
of anything else, it is deferred back into the bureaucratic hierarchy. 
Free software has an obvious element of a political agenda, so this 
partly explains the absence in the leaflet of freedom dogma or 
explanation. Also, it is traditional that when something is free 
(gratis) there is -always- expected to be a commercial catch (I know, 
I know), and commercial advertising is not allowed........
I note that the colour leaflet does contain a few typos.
The narrow focus on Openness rather than freedom and social benefit 
also has the deliberate objective of keeping the initial message very 
simple. I have used nearly 1000 of these in just over a twelve month 
period. I use a sicker on the contact area giving the URL of:
www.theopendisc.com/education
www.theopendisc.com
www.opensource.org
Local Volunteer:
(my email)

It does mention Ubuntu, but only just. Most Windows users need to go 
through several stages of FLOSS discovery. Initially - to be aware it 
even exists, then to know it is Libre. Only after that will they be 
able to appreciate that Windows itself may be replaced by some strange 
community based system which is taking over the world....

I hope the uploads can be useful fro ideas or whatever?
--
alan cocks
Ubuntu user