Comment 536 for bug 1

I agree with you, treetaxi. This is the ultimate cause that blocks fixing the bug. Missing games and other vendor support are only symptoms of this. Hardware and software vendors will mostly ignore us desktop-wise until Linux is a driving force there, i.e. a good sales target.

Because everybody thinks there is no money in desktop Linux, and Shuttleworth hasn't started a massive worldwide ad campaign yet, we are left with our grassroots work. We know it can work because grassroots activism made Firefox insanely popular. We must make *buntu known enough to the public that you can read about it all over the web (not only on tech sites), and finally in the mainstream news.

I recommend setting up some professionally made viral videos and placing them on youtube. That would be a good start to draw a significant amount of general attention to *buntu. As a KDE zealot, I also emphasize that we stress there are several editions of Ubuntu, or make separate videos for the different Buntus :-)

We could, no, should, also start a campaign demanding that hardware vendors should mention Linux in the system requirements on the box when there is clearly Linux support for that hardware. The vendor just has to shove in a live CD or consult a HCL for that, so it's not much effort needed on his side.

We must do everything to increase the Linux user base, because it will mean more people working on the rough edges that are left and irritate new users, more software packagers and bug fixers, more commercial software/games, more people that don't get an irritated look when we start talking Linux and more pressure on MS to adhere to open standards. We can only win, we know that, but progress is AWFULLY slow when we limit ourselves to mouth-to-mouth propaganda and reinstalling a few PCs here and there. We need some sort of central voice and viral marketing. That's where it all starts.