23 Aug
2009
23 Aug
'09
3:53 p.m.
Greeting All,
This is my first posting, and I haven't been following the group very
long. I actually discovered it during some research I was doing in
order to promote Linux adoption to a major producer of professional
audio equipment. This post is about how I might do this most
effectively. It could get a bit long, and I'm not 100% certain that
Linuxaudio.org is the right place for it; it might be more business than
a .org site can stomach. If this doesn't sound interesting, read no
further, and try to show some mercy in your flames.
So, I've recently been in contact with the founder & chairman of a major
audio equipment company. This company makes high-end
keyboard/synthesizer/mix/record/playback equipment that's used in
studios and concerts by many big names in the industry.
Their devices currently run Windows, and I have an opportunity to pitch
the adoption of Linux to them. I got a nice introduction from a key
member of the AES, and then I wrote a 3-page report on the
opportunities, challenges, and strategies of Linux adoption. This was
well-received and now I've been invited for a phone conference next week.
My report was an attempt to create an informative and
as-unbiased-as-possible analysis of:
- the advantages & disadvantages of Linux adoption
- a strategy for the most effective way to get there
- a list of resources and references, of which linuxaudio.org is key
I might be willing to make the report available if anyone is interested,
but I have to remove any references to the company I'm working with. I
don't want to undermine their confidence, especially when I'm trying
calm their nerves about stepping out of the world of proprietary
software into that of free/open/libra, and realize their competitive
advantages in other ways.
Goals
My key priority is to promote Linux for audio equipment and to sew the
seeds of a strong, professional relationship with some key players in
the audio electronics industry. However, I'm also an independent
contractor, and if I can generate some paying work out of this, I will.
I expect that they'll need a few paid part-timers to grease the wheels;
do an initial port, setup & seed the forums, wikis, bug trackers, etc.,
and deal with any other important issues that volunteers don't step up to.
We're slowly getting to the point of my post. I have some open
questions for the group:
- is there really a business case Linux adoption? ...or should this
be viewed as a domain for hobbyists?
- are there any ways or indicators of determining the size of the
market they might reach if they adopt Linux?
- any tips or suggestions about working with the community?
Feel free to respond either on- or off-list. linuxaudio(at)bryanthansen.net
Bryant Hansen
Embedded Systems Engineer
Bryant is an engineer with nearly a decade of experience working in the
audio industry (at BridgeCo and Digital Harmony/Pavo). His most recent
professional experience is with embedded audio devices running Linux.
He holds a certification from the Linux Professional Institute and has
memberships with the IEEE and the Free Software Foundation.