The contest challenged members of the Linux community to dream up a video advertisement evangelizing the free and open-source software using the theme, Were Linux, a play on Apples recent Im a Mac ads, and the Im a PC ads Microsoft put out in response.
Over 90 videos were submitted between December and March. The public then voted on their favorites, and a winner was chosen from the finalists by a panel of judges.
Tweeto was announced as the contests winner Wednesday at the Linux Collaboration Summit, taking place here this week. According to Linux Foundation VP of Marketing and Developer Programs Amanda McPherson, who headed up the contest, Tweetos video rose above the pack by hitting the right tone.
Most of the ads focused on the free-as-in-beer part of Linux, she told Wired.com, referring to the dual concept of freedom within the free and open-source software movement. Linux is distributed at no cost (free, as in beer) but it also allows the user to adapt and modify the software however they see fit (free, as in freedom).
Most entries concentrated on Linuxs economic advantages, which McPherson said makes sense considering the current financial crisis and the fact that Microsofts latest ads attack Macs because of their perceived higher price.
But [Tweetos video] talks about the higher level purpose, what freedom means to the user, she said. As we move to more open transparent models in government, culture and commerce, its obvious our world is ready for this message.
That really resonated with the public and with the judges.
The panel of seven judges was made up of some free software heavies, including VA Linux founder Larry Augustin, OpenSUSE community manager Joe Zonker Brockmeier and tech publisher Tim OReilly. In addition to bragging rights for winning the contest, Tweeto also gets a free trip to Tokyo this October to participate in the Japan Linux Symposium.
Heres the winner, What Does it Mean to be Free? by Amitay Tweeto: You can view Tweetos winning entry on the website of the Linux Foundation, the non-profit group which put together the contest. Its also embedded below.
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