By now the cat's out of the bag, the last Linux adoption barrier is marketing. Note: even if the article doesn't say it outright, I took their Linux references to mean desktop Linux, but whatever. I've pontificated about the state of affairs regarding marketing open source software community several times, as have others. However, in spite of this and other forms of dialogue and exchange, the innovation process has consistently stalled. And this fact seems, to me, counterintuitive if only for the simple reason that the same zeitgeist which has and continues to power the success of Linux and every other open source effort should affect marketing techniques. Yet, the self-sufficient grassroots foundation that made commercial-quality, community-developed software a reality has been anything but a buttress for marketing and advocacy.
What has occurred is an increase involvement of commercial business infrastructure which has brought with it significant marketing resources. And while this is good, I think the beauty of open source is that when you take good software created with an open development model, a great deal can be done without access to a marketing budget. Even if open source software doesn't sell itself, the fact that it's freely available, affords opportunities for introducing creatively constructed marketing that bends traditional rules. I'm no marketing guru, but then again I don't think you have to be in order to understand behavioral tendencies. When nothing is being hawked for a price, people tend to let their guards down and are more open to experimentation. Ever notice how many folks try taste samples in grocery stores? Would those numbers be similar if the samples were being sold? Of course not, people are more prone to take a risk when no direct costs are involved up front. The parallel to open source should be evident.
So where are the viral marketing campaigns put out by open source communities? Sure, P.R. connections are great, but when you're recruiting users it's not compulsory. The possibilities may not be endless but they are far more diverse than is reflected by contemporary efforts to explore them. We're literally swimming in platforms and tools (Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) whose purpose it is to better connect us to those outside of our oftentimes insular virtual communities. Why not take advantage? Maybe I'm over thinking or being too analytical, but I think the area of marketing provides open source communities everywhere a standing offer to round individual capabilities as full fledged platforms. So if anyone has any thoughts on the subject I'm open to hearing what they might be.
Linux is out there, but there doesn't seem to be as much interests when compared to other Grassroots Marketing efforts such as the those employed for Firefox. But then again, it's much easier to download and install a new web browser than a new OS.
Posted by: Grassroots Marketing | March 13, 2008 at 12:33 PM