digg

Join DiggAbout

Discover the best of the web!
Learn more about Digg by taking the tour.

Mac vs. PC: How Would Linux Fit?

reverendted.wordpress.com — What with the popularity of the “Get a Mac” campaign, the inevitable spoofs are numerous. However, Apple’s advertising agency has created a veritable fortress of metaphor with these advertisements. The archetypes seem so accurate that it’s hard to get past the inherent truthiness of the original commercials. Most spoof attempts that I have seen hav

Bury
show profanity settings
expand all
  • schestowitz, on 10/12/2007, -24/+4Heck. Forget a about Linux. Get a Hurd. http://gnucvs.vlsm.org/people/saintignucius.big.jpg
    • canti32, on 10/12/2007, -21/+8/Thread Jack

      The linux character should be pasty, wears glasses, and stereotypically nerdy in his speech and mannerisms. However, he should know the most, and have several friends around him, backing up whatever he says.

      One of the commercials would focus on the ability for users to create their own programs and improve their OS experience without relying on patches or other people to do it.

      Another would focus on the sense of community and open-ness shared among linux users.
    • nx01, on 10/12/2007, -6/+25Warning NSFW (you will at the very least need headphones)!!

      http://tv.truenuff.com/mac/security.php

      http://tv.truenuff.com/mac/upgrading.php
    • fotbr, on 10/12/2007, -19/+9@canti32

      If by sense of community you mean flamefests over who's distribution is better, and the entire community telling beginners to STFU and RTFM instead of being helpful....
    • turpenine, on 10/12/2007, -15/+3Fotbr, I can not agree more +digg infinity. I could never get into linux because the guides just showed how to do one thing and usually where outdated and missing a step or two and nobody was willing to fill me in.
    • randf, on 10/12/2007, -2/+26"Mac vs PC" *and* managed to get the word "Linux" in the title?

      doesn't matter what the article is about, this will be an instant front-pager with that title...let the flames begin
    • over90, on 10/12/2007, -12/+11http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JixbzFjv_cU

      This is what pc vs mac vs linux would look like.
    • naio21, on 10/12/2007, -34/+7"The linux character should be pasty, wears glasses, and stereotypically nerdy in his speech and mannerisms."

      The linux character should look like John Lennon and use a red shirt with the USSR/communism symbol. He would hold Bill Gates' head in one hand and Steve Jobs' in the other while yelling stuff like "DIE CAPITALISTS. CHAOS AND DYSTOPIA FTW!!!1 ALL YOUR SOFTWARE INDUSTRY ARE BELONG TO GPL!"

      Oh wait. That character already exists! Should he be Richard Stallman? Or maybe Jon "Maddog" Hall? Pick one, both are equally *****.
    • vertinox, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1Richard Stallman?
    • Schpariel, on 10/12/2007, -2/+15naio21 == Steve Ballmer
    • naio21, on 10/12/2007, -11/+2"naio21 == Steve Ballmer"

      No way, that bloke is to fugly! And I have hair, kthxbai.
    • skatingrox, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3http://tv.truenuff.com/mac/gaming.php

      There's another one. NSFW (language)
    • KielKilla, on 10/12/2007, -3/+131. MAC / PC = HARDWARE
      2. LINUX = OS
    • resplence, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9When you copy and paste a piece of text to compose a description it is paramount that you at least veri
    • r00tus3r, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1over90 wins the thread!
    • themastersb, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Ummmm....... Did rock4 use "truthiness" with the permission of Stephen Colbert?
    • godd4242, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1@fotbr
      Not quite no.
  • meshman, on 10/12/2007, -12/+5"The archetypal roles portraying Mac and PC ring true to real life experience, which cleverly enforces the dualism Apple is pushing."

    Ok then Apple, I'll strike you a deal. Those of us in business, seeing as we're too 'frumpy' to own Macs, will run Windows. Problem solved.
  • theblueprint, on 10/12/2007, -3/+112Using a woman to personify Linux is a great idea, since women and Linux are equally easy to understand :)
    • shinkaide, on 10/12/2007, -7/+20There are no "monthly qualms" with linux, however. :)
    • ihaveplans, on 10/12/2007, -21/+46"Linux needs to be seen as appealing, confident and competent. Even–dare I say it?–sexy."

      No, don't say it. An operating system cannot be sexy. This use of "sexy" to describe objects in no way related to sex is getting out of hand. Linux is not sexy. A toaster is not sexy. A lamp is not sexy. And unless you're that mechanic in England who ***** his cars, automobiles are not sexy.

      What you mean to say is "desirable" or "cool". Try that on for size.
    • Ninjab3ar, on 10/12/2007, -13/+16A female linux character just doesnt fit in.... well, not a girl like the one in the article, at least. If you look at the original commercials, the Mac and PC personify its users, the Mac being "The cool guy", and the PC being "The business professional". IMO, Linux would be the "geek", since it appeals to the "techie" crowd (at least when it comes to being used as an OS for your home, since that is the type of crowd that Apple is trying to appeal to with these commercials). I dont think a female can personify a geek, not because there arent female geeks, but because its easier, and more common to imagine a male geek.
    • Ninjab3ar, on 10/12/2007, -8/+11yikes! double post!
    • ontain, on 10/12/2007, -5/+18but i've never met a women that free.
      you pay one way of another.
    • drlha, on 10/12/2007, -19/+9Thats because the only women you've "met" are hookers and your mom.
    • shakin, on 10/12/2007, -3/+19"An operating system cannot be sexy"

      You never used Ubuntu Warty with the monthly wallpapers, did you?
    • qwame, on 10/12/2007, -7/+6If anything, a woman would better represent Macs because of their concern with being stylish and having eye candy.
    • Shirokun, on 10/12/2007, -10/+17It shouldn't be only a single person. Look, Linux is powered by a strong community and therefor it should be something like:

      I'm a PC
      I'm a MAc
      We're Linux

      And the people representing Linux should wear white or clear colored clothes. White means pure and free.
    • BlackCow, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6@Shirokun
      And the group of people should be from all over the world.
    • skatingrox, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10@Shirokun:

      Clear clothes? No, thanks. (Unless they're female...if they are, go for it!)
    • Shirokun, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Sorry, I meant bright.
    • JrGhoull, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8@ninja

      the whole point of the woman and the way she looks is to show not how linux users are but how linux users want to be protrayed. the guy writting the article i think made a really good move choosing a woman because, as he said, the use of an attractive, intelligent, self confident woman, takes linux into its own category and basically nocks the pc and even mac guy, down to the ground.

      as many if not most (or even all) of you have, i too have thought about how i would do my own linx pc mac commercial. In mine, i would have, in this order, the pc, the average male consumer, the mac, and then off to the side linux. they all introduce themselves, ending with linux. linux would begin introducing himself, and just as he was getting started explaining, he would look off to the side and exclaim "WTF" which the camera would instantly pan out to show the consumer on all 4's getting assnailed by the PC guy and sucking the Mac guys *****. The linux guy, would then walk out in disscust. You would then see just the consumers face. he would have a big grin, and the cum all over his face would be mac white. the 3 some would represent how the consumer gets simaltaniously screwed over by MS and apple. apple making devices (usually in their famous perl coloring) and telling the consumer how cool and hip it is, and ramming it down their throats through constant commercials....and MS screwing people up the ass by practically all but making the average consumer use windows and windows only.
    • Shirokun, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1May I ask why do I get dugg down?
    • Wootery, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4@jrghoull

      And the consumer says "The Aristocrats!".
    • JJVH, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I dunno, I've dated quite a few "unstable releases" in my time. I think a woman would work perfectly.
    • pastaq, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Linux should be James Bond...
    • WikiYourRights, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1I very much like Debian Linux because it is a very secure OS.

      http://www.debian.org/

      If you buy a PC with Debian already installed, it is really easy to use!

      I had a PC setup to dual boot both windows XP and Debian Linux. I put the computer in a small community environment where different people could use it. I noticed people who didn't know jack about computers were doing some wicked customizations with their desktop themes and having no trouble doing it. I was totally amazed!

      Linux isn't really that geeky. It's just a different way of doing something. What do you like better conformity or free expression?

      For software, Linux has full office productivity applications such as:

      Open Office (an open source office suite very similar in function to Microsoft office)
      http://www.openoffice.org/

      Apache (the most popular web server on the Internet, used by eBay and Wikipedia!)
      http://httpd.apache.org/

      source for the statement above:
      http://news.netcraft.com/archives/web_server_survey.html

      PHP (a very powerful and easy to use (and very popular) programming language for the Internet)
      http://www.php.net/

      MySQL (touted as the fastest database server for most any business)
      http://www.mysql.com/

      PostgreSQL (an excellent open source database server)
      http://www.postgresql.org/

      qmail (The second most popular Internet mail transfer agent. look at the headers of your e-mail messages. See how many say "qmail" in there somewhere!)
      http://www.lifewithqmail.org/

      Oh, and let's not leave out the web browser of choice these days...

      Mozilla Firefox
      http://www.mozilla.com/

      These links are for people who just don't realize what Linux has to offer. Any Linux user will most likely be able to tell you all about how great these software packages are!

      These are just a few of the most popular business applications for the Internet. There are literally THOUSANDS of applications available!

      So, what is it that you do with your computer all day that you can't do in Linux?

      The only thing that I do in windows that I can't do in Linux is gaming. Most all commercial games are written specifically for windows. This is mainly because windows is installed on around 95% of computers.

      Of course Linux has games, but not the same calibur as windows games.

      In the networked Microsoft world, you have to pay for the operating system TWICE! You pay once for the original OS that comes with the PC then you pay AGAIN for the same exact OS (Windows XP Pro) if you buy volume licensing! Then you pay for all the software you use (unless you use the sofware in the list above). What a scam!!! And you wonder why Bill Gates is so rich?

      Oh, and when you want to upgrade almost any of your software, you pay again! Not so in the Linux world!

      If for no other reason than the money you will save by NOT having to shell out thousands for a pricey OS and software, if you are in a business environment, it's very hard to not take a serous look at Linux!

    • Wootery, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3@wiki

      That is an advert, albeit one for free software.

      Blocked.

      Not to mention all the *****.

      "web browser of choice". No. That would be IE.
      "programming language for the Internet". What?
    • arbulus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@ihaveplans
      I think our UK friends might disagree with you there.
  • DrScott, on 10/12/2007, -7/+11The only reason Linux is attached to a "geek" personification is because it still requires some common sense and motivation to use effectively. This is why the popularization of stable, user friendly distro's is so important. Personally, I believe that if you can use Linux yourself, you should do what you can to introduce the aforementioned friendly distro to people you know.
    • drlha, on 10/12/2007, -7/+18No, its because it requires geekiness to care enough about what OS you run, and to go to the effort of installing it over a machine that already has a perfectly good OS installed. Until people can go into a store and make the decision: PC, Mac or Linux, Linux will always be for geeks.
    • qmeister, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2No, it's because most people don't know WHAT THE HELL A DISTRO is GEEK!

      (And I'm a geek)
    • ray901, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7@drlha

      Actually you just repeated what drscott was saying:

      He said:
      "The only reason Linux is attached to a "geek" personification is because it still requires some common sense and motivation to use effectively"

      You say:
      "Until people can go into a store and make the decision: PC, Mac or Linux, Linux will always be for geeks."

      So he was right - until people start doing things for themselves and not have others make the decisions for them (until they start exercising their common sense and motivation) Linux will be attached to the geek crowd.
    • Novagenesis, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6I agree drlha, in argument but not in conclusion.

      Nobody nongeeky uses linux because nobody nongeeky cares to install it...Fine...

      Modern linux distributions are as easy to USE, once installed, as windows. I won't argue this. Nobody has ever given a good argument otherwise without mentioning "what you're used to" (which has nothing to do with the issue of what is overall "easier") or "those stupid text prompts" (not goin there). The point is, when I find a computer illiterate person that is enough of a "sucker" to let me guinea pig them with Linux, they never need nearly the help they previously needed in windows. They have more access to games and software, and unless they're dealing with outside companies that demand use of the most modern Microsoft Proprietary formats (which I experience less and less. I've been seeing a lot more .pdf files going around my workplace than .doc)

      Not one person said "can I have that other thing back?"
    • Fritzel, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4@drlha

      Just out of curiousity drlha, what OS do you run?
    • ubuwalker31, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3The non-geeks who use linux have had it installed for them by geeks who are close to them...such as my mother and cousin and ex-girlfriend. Install linux for a non-geek friend or loved one today!
    • benplaut, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Well, yes.. I guess geeks do have common sense...
    • Flamekebab, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9I find it ironic that to keep Windows running smoothly you need to be fairly geeky.
      To keep Linux running smoothly you don't need to do anything.

      Setting up Windows is more hassle than many linux distros, maintaining the antivirus, adware updates and so on are considerably more hassle.
      I find that most users know so little about how to maintain Windows that it constantly ends up a mess.

      You know the only problem I've had with our linux desktops in my office?
      "Our mouse is broken, do we have a spare or shall we buy a new one?" (and I mean the hardware was worn out)

      The amount of problems Windows seems to cause is a nightmare.
    • lilrabbit129, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1"I find it ironic that to keep Windows running smoothly you need to be fairly geeky.
      To keep Linux running smoothly you don't need to do anything."


      Yes thats true, but to get to that point, linux has to be installed by someone who knows what they're doing. With windows, the machine came with it installed. "Normal" people don't go around reformatting every 6 months like geeks do. I've seen a few PCs have windows on them for 3-4 years without reformatting.
    • drlha, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Fritzel: Just out of curiousity drlha, what OS do you run?

      All 3 main ones, and some others. I have Windows, Mac OS X and a PC with Ubuntu installed. At work I also use Solaris and VxWorks. I never said I wasn't a geek too.
    • arbulus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The only thing that perturbs me is the glorification of Gentoo as some sort of geek holy grail, and that those who can successfully install it and use it on a daily basis effectively are some how gods and worthy of our worship. I'm all for diversity in the distros, and each person will find one that they are more comfortable with and that works more effectively on their systems and hardware. But that doesn't mean that one is necessisarily better than another. I didn't prefer Fedora; Yellow Dog crashed on my comp; Ubuntu suits my needs just fine; but that doesn't mean any of these is better or less than the other. With all the fighting that goes on between the PC, Mac and Linux crowds, the last thing we need is infighting.
  • umbriago, on 10/12/2007, -8/+5Well, you could have the PC man, and the Mac dude, and Linux could be played by a three-year-old. Someone who's cute, and fun to play around with, but who still has a lot of growing up to do yet.
    • frostieDude, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5>>Well, you could have the PC man, and the Mac dude, and Linux could be played by a three-year-old.
      >>Someone who's cute, and fun to play around with, but who still has a lot of growing up to do yet.

      IBM already did that ad for Linux. They had a kid in a white room being taught lots of "important things" by scientists and they said the kid was Linux.
  • Ricapar, on 10/12/2007, -6/+6Linux would probably be like these:
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=Rjpn3L3bSJQ
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=t-L-0s-7-Z0
  • foxmajik, on 10/12/2007, -7/+4Dugg for truthiness!

    Take that America!
  • fanboydcs, on 10/12/2007, -16/+24I am a Linux user, The machine I am typing this from is a Gentoo box, but I believe that OSX is a better os...for everyone, but not me.

    If anyone asks me what os they should buy or use it would be OSX.

    If anyone asks what hardware is best, I would say apple.

    but when it comes to what I use at home, I prefer linux.

    I don't need to run any commercial applications, but everyone else I know does. I feel that I need the flexibility that linux offers, I just get around faster in linux than I do in OSX.

    I really think that OSX does everything right yet I still use linux because I like to break stuff and tinker.

    I believe that OSX is the best OS for linux users that need to use commercial software, or that are limited on the lack of commercial support for linux...
    • drlha, on 10/12/2007, -15/+6I.e. because you're a geek.
    • halik, on 10/12/2007, -19/+8As soon as you hit the real world, you'll learn to value your time and productivty and make the switch.

      I don't have time to screw around with config files every time I plug something in ... and I definitely don't have time patching my kernel, because my fw drive somehow doesn't work. My computer is a tool to get stuff done, not to spend hours trying to get it to work.
    • fanboydcs, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10halik, exactly, yet in the real world, I am a unix admin, and I still enjoy tinkering.

      I do view my linux machine as a tool for what I like to get done.

      And why was my post modded down? I am a geek, if I wanted a machine that "just worked" I wouldn't have posted that...
    • SeBBBe, on 10/12/2007, -4/+13Macs do work better, but on the PC side, Linux is truly the easiest OS. It's far more plug and play than Windows and there's close to zero messing around if you dont want to. And it's not weird that Macs always work, because they have a very limited set of possible configurations. PCs, on the other hand, have almost an infinite amount of hardware combinations.
    • frostieDude, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5This is a good point. If someone has to ASK you what kind of computer to get, then obviously the right answer ISN'T Linux. (Unless it is your boss who says "what kind of servers should we deploy?") But a regular guy saying what kind of computer should I get to use at home - you point him towards Apple. That way he can pay a little extra for a Mac and Apple can make it easy for him because you (or I) sure as hell don't want to be doing free tech support for him.
    • Flamekebab, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3If someone asks me which laptop to get, I tend to say "a macbook is probably best".
      Linux is great, but currently I feel that Apple's notebooks are the best on the market for most users.

      However, if they already have a laptop I'm quite willing to help them setup linux and give them a few pointers.
      The integration between hardware and software required for a good laptop experience is more than for the desktop. Until you can easily get hold of preinstalled linux laptops, I reckon I'll keep recommending macbooks.
    • SeBBBe, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3I'm a great fan of Apple, but I'm gonna have to disagree with you. A laptop with integrated graphics and 512 mb ram for $1100 just aint worth it, period. I cant recommend it to anyone. I really hope they'll boost the graphics and kick up the RAM to 1 gb standard and then it'll be a fantastic notebook.

      Otherwise, though, I would recommend non-gaming users to get Macs wherever possible. Myself I'm a happy owner of a fast PC laptop where I dual boot between XP and Vista (gaming) and Ubuntu (surfing, image editing, etc).
    • fanboydcs, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4SeBBBe,

      I hardly think $1099 for a macbook is alot of money, most people that are buying laptops are not buying it to play games.

      I would much rather have a macbook with intergrated graphics than a dell that is probably much thicker that has no magsafe, ugly latches, no firewire, no DVI out, no 802.11n, no slim form factor, no camera... to me those extra little features make it worth every penny. Not to mention it runs OSX!

      Students even get a better deal considering apple gives them a nice discount and a free $100 printer..

  • quantumHobbit, on 10/12/2007, -5/+8Why not Linux as a schizoid who shouts "I am Legion". Seriously there are too many different flavors of Linux to fit one stereotype. You have the guy who too cheap to buy Windows, Lindows and its progeny; someones dad who doesn't realize that he's using Ubuntu and thinks its great; the science major writing code on a Red Hat workstation(me); and finally the Debian freak who takes everything apart to see how it works.
    • zybch, on 10/12/2007, -13/+2You just don't get it do you. The vids all basically say that ANY distro of linux totally sucks ass.
    • WikiYourRights, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0..oops
  • kolop1, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4zzzzzz
  • d0odx, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12Instead of the girl it should really be Tux. (Although i would kick Tux out of my bed First.)
  • llvllatrix, on 10/12/2007, -1/+19Get the IBM Linux kid to ride the PC and Mac around. The end of the add would say "Linux: Runs on Anything".
    • nofxjunkee, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1But OS X runs on ppc/x86/x86-84, Windows runs on x86/x86-64, and Linux runs on everything under the sun.

      The Windows guy can ride on the Mac (gross), the Mac guy can ride on the PC (though it's illegal, and still gross), and yes the Linux chick can ride everyone, the dirty slut! ;-)
  • Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -8/+2Linux is personified by a crusty old CS professor trying to be hip. I mean, UNIX is far older than most of its users and it hasn't changed that much, either.
  • JohnChapin, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7Linux is in the ads... it just happens that the entire commercial happens on a white set which metaphorically represents Tux's belly. Meaning that Linux is everywhere running the systems on which these two little guys stand and depend on to communicate. You never hear the bird speak because, well, it isn't human. It probably wouldn't be interested in the arguments of the two guys anyway... It would just rather have a giant herring fed to it.
    • chivesandbonbon, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0Not a bad idea. The camera pans out to show tux in his entirety and that the white in the background was indeed his tummy. PC and MaC are in Tux's belly. Maybe tux burps, and then some smart tag line like, Linux...we run the universe or some other catchy funny phrase.
  • cdmarcus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I wonder how they'll be able to show that Linux can be installed on both PCs and Macs...
    • thetictacaddict, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Linux could jam her hands into the mac/pc guys chests and they would turn into copies of her!
    • thaeger, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Ah! Now that is a great question...stay tuned for Friday's release!
  • Ub3rg33k, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Sorry, not accurate. I've never imagined sleeping with Linux, so this throws the video right out the window.
  • blingfinger, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6I think the Tux should step into the scene and then go off into a forum to figure out what his lines are before he says anything.
  • spritom, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Maybe play Linux off of the strengths...

    ...like Leonidas from 300..hehe

    http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0416449/eo.jpg.html
  • MateyO, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1It fits in my basement, and at the CoLo

    Linux is my fileserver, firewall, and remote webserver.

    If it's interactive, I'm in front of a Mac, if it's from a distance, It's running Debian or Ubuntu
  • Yaroslav, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5A crazy penguin with shotgun would fit better.
  • noamsml, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Interesting. I never imagined how much thought went into such a thing.

    By the way: Novell marketing Linux? Are they *ever* going to decide whether Linux is good or bad?
    • Yaroslav, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5Relax, Novell is going to die anyway.
    • thaeger, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1@noamsml
      Um...did you miss the part where Novell bought Ximian and SUSE?
  • nicociri, on 10/12/2007, -11/+6Linux should be a hippie, like "flower power" 60s hippie. something like "Free love, free sex, free willy and free OSes Maaan!!!!"

    In fact, Linux ORTODOX FANS (that is, not the regular Linux user) are much like Woodstock's hippies: they think they are part of something BIG, but they don't know exactly WHAT. They think they will change the world, but they don't know HOW. Just pass the pot man and PEACE!....
    • Novagenesis, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3The orthodox linux fans GROW the "pot" (open-source commercial-quality software).
      Pass it, wouldja?
    • andycr512, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6"In fact, Linux ORTODOX FANS (that is, not the regular Linux user) are much like Woodstock's hippies:"

      Err, no?

      "they think they are part of something BIG, but they don't know exactly WHAT."

      I am part of something big, just as any GNU/Linux user is, and I know exactly what it is - the GNU/Linux community.

      "They think they will change the world, but they don't know HOW."

      We already have - if we didn't know how, then how would we have already?

      "Just pass the pot man and PEACE!...."

      What does drugs have to do with computers?
  • willgonz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Novell??? Last I checked Novell wasn't doing so hot. No thanks
  • chrisostermann, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1OS X is in Unix, Linux was a project built on x86 hardware to run just like a free Unix. Mac = pretty linux?
    • textureglitch, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3You obviously haven't tried Beryl on Linux
  • benitojuarez, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2How very corporate marketing of them.

    "we need people to embrace us what should we do?"

    "use boobs!"

    "BRILLIANT!"
    • thaeger, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Benito:
      You have it wrong. We deliberately chose an actress who was not excessively buxom or otherwise sexually suggestive because we did not want something so facetious. Please read the blog post.
      --Ted
    • CircleFusion, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9@thaeger

      I like the use of the woman, because she will (or could) cause both of the other two to seem more pathetic if the scripting is done correctly.

      I liked the following lines

      "How long have you been standing there?"
      "A long time"

      Those lines were acted smoothly, and it sets up a lot of other points. It made the point that Linux was growing under the radar, and that PC and Mac are a little bit scared that Linux seemed to come out of nowhere.

      The earlier dialog of the video took a little long to get across and could be tightened up. By the time Linux gets there, there isn't time to say much. Before Linux appears, it just looks like another typical Mac/PC spoof. The 30,000,000 user thing was interesting, but there should at least be one other thing to say about Linux.

      There are a thousand points to make that could position Linux as a smarter alternative to Mac and Windows, at least in a commercial like this. I could see a lot of "beat that!" moments while pointing out Linux's flexibility, freedom, price, and recent rapid development...the things that PC and Mac can't tout to the same degree as Linux.

      Later on, in another commercial, you could have another Linux appear that looks like a really professional IT guy...a geek, but a really smart and successful one, not the type that sits in their parent's basement. This would introduce the "multiple flavors" of Linux...something like..

      PC - Wait, you're both Linux?
      Linux 1 - Yep.
      Linux 2 - There are different versions of Linux that apply to many different uses. Many people use Linux on the desktop, while most of the websites on the internet are also powered by Linux. It's pretty powerful stuff.
      Mac - Amazing

      (a miniaturized guy walks on at the bottom of the screen)

      Mac - Don't tell me...you're Linux too?
      Linux 3 - Yep. I fit into all sorts of smaller computer devices. I'm probably running on your cellphone as we speak.

      (PC's cell phone starts to ring. He ignores it.)

      Mac - I think that's your phone. Are you gonna get it?
      PC - uh... it'll go to voicemail

    • Skeuomorph, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1thaeger: "We deliberately chose an actress who was not excessively buxom or otherwise sexually suggestive because we did not want something so facetious."

      Really? The remark "you grew up fast" recasts the preceding remarks through its seemingly sexually suggestive tone: if she's "Linux", and there are 30 million Linux "users", then quite a lot of people are "using her"(!), although last the male characters knew, she was too young. Seems unlikely this is accidental.

      But this could probably be fixed by replacing the word "users" with something like "fans" that doesn't have that suggestive connotation. Think about "Paris Hilton users" versus "Paris Hilton fans".
    • CircleFusion, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2It's difficult. These are supposed to be computer platforms. So it would make more sense to say users rather than fans.

      What will really be a sticky situation (pun) is if she says things like "Yep...and I can be used for free. I only charge a relatively low fee if for enterprise support."

      Mac - What did she say?
      PC - I think she said she's a cheap prostitute.

      So you do have to watch the wording if you make one of them a female.
    • benitojuarez, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Thaeger, you should have used a more accurate representation of a female nix user since the ads are all about platform stereotypes.

      http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j211/yiningsu/IMG_161592.jpg

      im being generous here.
  • ChristianD, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1This is easy; Linux should be a teanager (ala new kid on the block), who is clearly a Rebel (Red shirt, black Penguine - what he's rebelling against is irrelevent, because the man is everywhere). He should pass of everything his Rich Uncle Mac says as trying to hard to seem cool even though he's a little to old to keep trying to speek the lingo and he should just refer to the PC guy as uncle money bags because he can do whatever bone head task he wants becuase he can buy your ass. He should laugh at them both, just the way most teenagers laugh at their parents for suposedly knowing what's cool and inticing is (i.e. what the average consumer is going to get from them regardless of what they ask for), despite having very little incite into what's going on in the world of young teenagers and professionals (IE commercial computing market). As a result he should simplify it down to Uncle Mac has proven he can solve all your problems with a box of Crayons and Uncl PC, well, he's mean with a box of metric tools. As for me, the Linux guy, just think of me as your everyday swiss army knife. Peace out, and don't let the man hold you down!
  • astrosmash, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1Linux personified? A headless torso.

    Or how about: the Mac guy without any skin. Just guts inside of a skeleton.
  • undoIT, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Good idea, but I wish the video looked more professional. For Linux to really take off there needs to be driver support at the manufacturer level for starters. If people could purchase a computer with Linux pre-installed or "Linux Read", not have to worry about getting everything working, and knock 100 bucks or so off of the price as opposed to Windows, people would choose it. Then there would need to be an advertising campaign on TV (any wealthy and genorous sponsors out there?) demonstrating all of the cool FREE software you can use with Linux.

    That would bring Linux to the masses. Unfortunately, in order for PC manufacturers to support Linux there needs to be enough consumer demand to make it a lucrative option. Contact your manufacturer and let them know you want Linux.
  • Ahnteis, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1FTA: To force the viewer’s decision, Apple uses the extremely dry-witted John Hodgman play the part of the PC as a bland-looking, frumpy businessman. They contrast Hodgman with a relaxed, young hipster-type in the role of the Mac. On seeing the commercial, it’s clear which guy you would rather be like.

    I'd rather be the bland, but funny businessman.
  • implowry, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I think they got it wrong by using a woman. I think linux would be better personified by a group of people. One that includes geeks, accountants, students, retired folks, blue and white collar workers and people from different countries etc.

    As an alternative, maybe the group of people could represent different distributions.
  • phill, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1We're Linux.

    Linux should be not a single person, but legions of people.

    Or, Linux is Borg.
  • Megatog615, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It would fit. On both, with room to spare.
  • b05q, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2i'm writing this from an ubuntu box. love my linux. love my OSS in general. . . .

    but let's be honest. linux is not a girl (if anything apple ought to be a girl - style-obssessed, spends lots of money on image, elegant). linux is the tron guy wearing a t-shirt with a girl on it. probably an anime girl.

    and it probably has food stains on it. the t-shirt, not the girl.
  • sgtkwol, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I've been saying that the Linux community should sue Apple for defamation of character. Because PC does not equal windows. Haha a group of people, like the verizon wireless commercial.
  • macoafi, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I agree about the Verizon group of people, but I don't get all of the "linux and girls don't go together" comments. Why don't we go together. My 17 year old sister uses Linux. I use Linux. My mom uses Linux. Her female cousin uses Linux.
  • goffy59, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1How can apple be accurate? Ive used Microsoft software since dos 1.0 without problems. I remember having a piece of ***** power mac that was the worst thing on earth. You say they got better.... so did windows... its called windows xp SP2. Anyhow I think ***** like this is very inaccurate. I can play games, run "pro" applications, and without all the crashes/instability.
  • VitalRecords, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I still like this one the best:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJtS-FywqQ4

    "I'll block your entire subnet you stupid lamers"
  • cowabuse, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2It will be sad to see after both Mac and Windows spending so much money on advertising, Linux is going to be the standard in homes and businesses. It's just a matter of time.
  • godd4242, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Wanna know how Linux in general will get ahead?
    Corporate sponsorship, as in some company likes the idea of FOSS and adopts it.
    Or secondly,
    Linux gets a rich sponsor who runs this ad (well not this one exactly, maybe a little more witty ;_;) during the superbowl.

    Now if only I had 30 million dollars, I'd be that sponsor :3
  • brainxs, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0yeah, it is quite a nice idea to compare with linux!
  •  

    Login or register to add a comment

    Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.


© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain.
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.