Re: [OT] Advertising vs Linux Audio

[Gerald Mwangi <gerald.mwangi@xxxxxx>]

Hi Fons
I don't really get your point. This thread is about the linux audio community (represented by linuxaudio.org) advertising IT'S SELF, either on linuxaudio.org or other sites/Journals, isn't it?
I'd like to spend some words on that.

On Mo, 2012-04-23 at 21:05 +0000, Fons Adriaensen wrote:
> On Mon, Apr 23, 2012 at 03:33:56PM -0400, S. Massy wrote:
>  
> > I do not think there is anything wrong with advertising itself, nor is
> > there with combining advertising and Linux or Linux audio. If you and
> > some like-minded peopole wish to develop a site/platform promoting,
> > supporting, and/or showcasing Linux-related projects, businesses, and
> > artists and use advertising to both fund and promote it, I will not
> > complain and may consider using, recommending, and potentially joining
> > it. *However*, I do *not* feel advertising is relevant to nor belongs on
> > linuxaudio.org, its wiki, or its mailing lists. 
>
> There's advertising and advertising. There are some forms I'd
> happily accept in some circumstances (e.g. ads for pro audio
> equipment in a specialised journal) and there are some forms
> I'd never accept - being forced to listen to ads in a restaurant
> for example).
That's certainly true. I would certainly prefer SOME LOWPROFILE advertising in some journals/magazins (like Keys, Recording (in germany) etc).
But it depends all on the form. I hate ads which are just made of buzzwords (buy our fantastic, superior, strong, adavanced, superdooper thing). Even if we cant afford that much space for ads, we have to keep them simple and non-buggering.
In my opinion this direction of advertising, or better said, the design process of the ads could be even beneficial to the community in that it would help bring consensus to the question what Linux Audio is and what distinguishes it from other rather closed audio ecosystems. Even if we dont place the ads in the end! This may not be a relevant aspect now, but still interesting to discuss .



> And I certainly don't want them in a context where I'm searching
> for factual information rather than opinion. There's a good 
> reason why e.g. Wikipedia wants to remain free of ads.
>
> A lot has to do with the integrity of who provides the information
> on a channel that is sponsored by commercial advertising.
>
> When I started reading 'Studio Sound' 40 years or so ago, it
> had very strict editorial policies. At that time they also 
> published real equipment reviews (based on actually measuring
> and testing the items being reviewed) rather the subjective 
> blablah and personal impressions that are presented as a review
> today. I remember that this frequently resulted in conflicts with
> advertisers whom often cancelled their inserts as a result.
>
> Today you'd be hard pressed to find any journal that keeps up
> such standards. Or a commercial TV network that has a critical
> 'consumer interest' program. Advertising has corrupted almost
> everything, and the web has multiplied the effect thousandfold.
> That alone is IMHO reason enough to oppose it.
>
> Ciao,
Now to the other direction of advertising (ads of others (linux friendly vendors) on linuxaudio.org). I understand your point, but I disagree. The example you state is flawed, since there is a fundamental difference between 'Studio Sound' ,which relies on revenue partly generated by ads, and the Linux audio community, which does not rely on anything other than the commitment of its members. The independency of the LAC from external vendors prohibits those vendors from influencing the decision processes in the LAC. And yes, I know that LAC wouldn't be strictly financially independent (costs of host for linux-audio.com, mailinglist etc). But since the vast majority of the developers in the LAC aren't on the paylist of such vendors the above statement still holds. Ads from external vendors can then be regarded just as a plus, but not a must be as for  'Studio Sound'.

Regards,
Gerald

>



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