24 Apr
2012
24 Apr
'12
10:33 a.m.
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:
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 .
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).
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