*Nixed Blog

I let the last post in THE *NIXEDBLOG marinate in the minds of the readers.  I understand that people out there were confused.  The punchline of the last entry, the main idea, slipped right by you.  In a sense, it was intentional.  When a vehicle goes from 0 to 60 in a matter of seconds, anyone near said vehicle tends to be taken by surprise.  It snuck up on ’em so fast, they didn’t see it coming.  That’s the whole point of the last post.

You see, it is a proven fact that Microsoft did finance political campaigns on both sides  of the aisle in 2000.  When helios asked, “What if?” concerning Linux and Homeland Security, he wasn’t joking.  He was serious.  A wise individual prepares for any scenario and does not allow things to sneak up on them.  Now that I grabbed your attention with the previous entry, allow me to explain a few things that need to be done and soon.

1. The seeds about FOSS need to be planted in the minds of others who may or may not have heard of such a thing.  I did some research, and I’ll give you an example: I conducted a poll on The PrisonPlanet Forum to gauge how interested people would be in using alternatives to Microsoft-based solutions.  As you can see through the link, people are definitely interested.
2. An advertising blitz needs to happen now.  I started it, but I need to continue it whenever I can.  Whether it’s advertising on other sites, or in magazines or newspapers or radio or television, it needs to happen right now!  The next item will disturb some individuals, but it needs to be said:
3. Money needs to be raised, and support of businesses using FOSS would be a wise decision.  Sierra Online and other companies were referred to as The Brotherhood back in the day, and with good reason: The market was not even mature at the time, and by helping each other, they actually prospered better than if each company would have did things on their own.  For example, one computer game group would do a race car game, and another would do an adventure game, thus giving the consumer more variety to choose from.  😀

I understand that some out there may have a problem when money is mentioned.  However, Firefox was shown in the New York Times for one reason: the advertising money was raised for it.  Now how does an ad like this appear in the Washington Post?  Whether you agree with the point of view or not (the publication in question is long dead, and there are those in the political underground who don’t trust Mike Ruppert anyway), it still needs to be understood: money was required to pay for that ad!  It’s a cold hard reality that needs to be understood.

The talent is already coming together via The Tux Project and other sites.  However, money will be required for funding television, radio, and print ads.  Linux needs to be in the minds of mom and dad.  Tux and GNU needs to become household names.  So how?  I’m all ears for now.  Stay tuned though, as I’m thinking of an idea that could potentially work.

Okay, I’m going to give them to everyone without much fanfare.  Here we go.

Left Leaning Host

Okay. I’ll admit that I’m not in the parameters of left or right wing. However, I know that plenty of talk show hosts are. Some may claim to be Libertarian, which is fine with me.  However, appealing to their sense of reason is easy enough.  A lot of those who consider themselves leftist or liberal per se have complained in the past about AT&T and the NSA.  Think wiretapping and whatnot.  Here’s a few talking points:

•  In Fahrenheit 9/11, one of the companies that Michael Moore mentioned (in which a meeting is shown before the invasion of Iraq) the names of several companies.  One of these company names that came up was none other than Microsoft.
• There has been much controversy concerning the NSA and wiretapping the phones of citizens in America.  To add fuel to the fire, point out that the NSA was the very group that Microsoft went to in order to have their latest version of Windows, Vista, “evaluated.”
• Not only did the NSA “evaulate” their system, Infoworld also reported that they helped make their Operating System “more secure.”  What would that mean in the context of today’s world?
• With Linux-based systems and FOSS in general, people can in fact set up sophisticated networks more rapidly due to being able to just go in and do it without paying for licenses and other red tape.

Those are just a few talking points for those hosts who are “left leaning.”

Right Leaning Host

So what do you do if you run into a Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh? Well, take a gander at these points.

•  Money is leaving this country and not coming back due to outsourcing overseas when one pays for a Microsoft product.  Whether it’s technical support in India, or turning their backs on software piracy in China (in addition to giving away copies of Vista at $7 a pop).  The important point: they are attempting to expand and are attempting to force good, hard working Americans to pay for their expansion and any “loss” they have in China.
• With Linux-based systems, and other Free and Open Source Software, a great deal of the support centers are here in America.  They helping to create more jobs in this country in other words.  Wall Street is now using FOSS on their servers for example.
• As a parent, you can share the software with your entire family without having to go out and buy other “licensed” copies, thus saving the entire family money.
• Conservates (real ones anyway) often believe in not wasting tax payer money.  If an open standard for doing documents and sending them via e-mail (OpenOffice.org, and yes, they can convert to PDF really quickly), taxpayers wouldn’t have to be bilked so copies of Microsoft Office and other software could be purchased and used.

Anything in the Political Underground

That’s the easiest of all.  Whether it’s someone sending a news tip to Alex Jones or listening to a show on Coast to Coast AM via the Internet, Linux-based systems give users more flexibility.  I have looked at the Political Underground myself, and have noticed one thing: there is a genuine interest in FOSS.  They want to get rid of Microsoft if at all possible.  Here are some talking points for these hosts:

• If you really want to stick it to the man, then why are you using the tools they want to enslave you with?
• Your documentaries can be watched and copied using these types of systems.
• Listeners using these operating systems can listen to your radio program online.
• Your audience can visit your sites with no problem.
• They can e-mail you too.
• Since the code is open to be seen by all, no tricks can be pulled against anybody security-wise… not even by the NSA!

Those are pretty much the talking points, and in the case of the third category, pieces of them can be applied to the other categories.  Remember: research the host you plan on talking to and any guests that they have on, before doing so.  I’m already covering the Political Underground, because I’ve followed it long enough.  The other two categories are going to need some coverage.

Okay, some disclosure is first in order.  For starters, I am a host on TruthNet Radio.  Justin Breithaupt of mindblowingidea.com and I air every Saturday from 2 to 4 PM Central Standard Time.  That being said, Mike Chambers if the founder and owner of the network I mentioned.  He is also a radio talk show host on the Republic Broadcasting Network, and on that network, he has a show called The Midnight Rider (think Paul Revere).

First of all, kudos goes out to RBN for plugging VLC, which is an excellent media player (it even does DVDs!).   That is a step in the right direction as far as I am concerned.  Now for the call into The Midnight Rider.  How did it go?

At first, pretty well, then the two hosts let some common misconceptions prevent them from at least discussing the possibility of other listeners migrating away from Microsoft.  The comments about the command line or a DLL (NEWS FLASH: THERE ARE NO DLLS IN LINUX… THEY ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FILES, AND 99% OF THE TIME, AN EVERYDAY USER DOES NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEM!) indicates that the two people on the air are five years behind.  Not good.  Here’s the question for those in the political underground:

1. Do you listen to Internet Radio?
2. Do you watch documentaries and video presentations on DVD, Youtube, Google Video, etc…?
3. Do you look for news tips for said radio talk show hosts bringing you a different point of view?
4. Do you hang out at user forums  concerning these points of view?
5. Do you Instant Message?
6. Do you copy said DVD videos and hand them out to people?
7. Do you check your e-mail?
8. Do you write documents and would like to publish in PDF for free?

In a Linux based system, you can.  Will you have to go through the command line?  No.  You will not.  The only time stuff under the hood had to be fiddled with was when a friend of mine wanted to install an obscure printer device and wanted to try video editing (which is accelerating at a rapid pace).  Other than that, Ubuntu 7.04 fulfilled his needs.  I wasn’t talking about the hosts themselves, but the listeners.  I should have clarified.  It is also important to note that I am able to record audio using PCLinuxOS and Audacity.

It was not all bad news however.  To his credit, Mike did say he would have on guests to talk about it in the future.  Mike, if you’re reading this, I will follow up my friend.  Count on it.  😉

All in all, I have learned a few lessons thus far:

• Do more research on any guests that the hosts are going to have on the program, so I don’t leave them out in the dark.  I want to include them as well.  I also need to better tailor what I have to say for them.
•  I got deadlined on Deadline Live, because my timing was off, period.  I need to better choose a talk show host when I know I have more time.  They hadn’t opened their phone lines yet.  Whoops.  Oh well.

As for those concerned about me not throwing this into the Tux Project ring, I should have said this: I won’t do it…. yet!  If you have no clue where to start, and you are way too shy to do the radio blitz thing, perhaps there is a specialty that may come in handy for them.  Teamwork is good, but it doesn’t mean going by organization.  Too much organization results in bureaucracy, which slows everything down to a crawl.  Not rushing is a good thing, but moving at the speed of molasses is detrimental as well, which is why working on multiple ends will be more effective.  That way, the PR team up in Redmond won’t be able to easily counter what is being done now, especially if several hundreds of efforts on multiple ends in multiple ways and styles are being implemented and executed.

So keep an eye on this everyone.  This is useful for everybody.  Lessons can easily be learned, and I do welcome feedback.  If you are a first time commenter, I have to approve your comment, which I will with no problem (unless it’s a spambot… lol), but after that, you have free reign to comment.  Larry Cafiero showed some concern over what I was doing while liking the idea at the same time.  I appreciate him for doing that and it is because of his concern that I am going to reconsider the whole thing on the Tux Project.  I will submit my idea next week.  I’m doing this hands on, because I know I’ll learn more.  For those who don’t know who Larry is, it’s okay.  Just visit opensourcereporter.net, his excellent website on FOSS news.  You won’t be disappointed.

In closing, I will continue on, and I have had one person asking me how to sign up.  You don’t have to sign up for anything.  Just pick up the phone and dial your favorite host.  Just e-mail your stories here: editor@thenixedreport.com.  Drop your stories in my inbox if you want me to post them (I’ll give credit where it is due, but don’t remain anonymous… give me a screen name, a handle, something to name this post to…).

No big deal.  I’ll have to try Midnight Rider tonight.  I’ll try Deadline Live again when I have more time available.  For people who want ways to tailor arguments to any target hosts, here’s some talking points:

•  Those who are in the “Conservative” or “right wing” crowd: A lot of them will prefer stuff in America and more, believe it or not.  Here’s how you can attempt to convince them to talk about Linux.  Every time that you pay for a Microsoft product, that money goes straight out of the country, whether it is tech support in India or giving away copies of Windows Vista in China.  In other words, the corporation is attempting a major loss leader business-wise, and they are trying to make people in this country pay for it.  Once the market share is established, those in the freebie zone per se will be punished.  If it happened here in America with Windows 95, it will happen with Windows Vista in China and other countries.
• The “liberal” or “left wing” crowd: A lot of stories have been available concerning wiretapping and backdoors in computers.  Vista was “evaluated” by NS&A, the same group who apparently did a bunch of wiretapping, which has come under scrutiny.  Put civil liberties and enabling people to become the media.
• The stick it to the man variety: Very easy!  Use a Matrix analogy.  I don’t care.  Here’s the deal.  Ask them, “If you’re gonna stick it to The Man, why are you using their restrictive tools, when you can break through the limits?”

Those are three talking points for a potential generic audience.  It doesn’t matter who the host is, but… make sure you do your research before calling into a show, and research the guest that they may have.  That way, you can tailor the argument to where they can relate to it.  😉