Getting people interested in your OS

[nekros]

I wonder, how would you go about promoting your operating system and getting people (and companies) interested in it. Obviously money is a factor, what else? Before anybody can say anything, I always set obscenely high goals in most people's minds.

[AndrewAPrice]

Have a visually impressive website [1], have a visually impressive OS [2], have a large repository of applications [3].

[earlz]

Have a visually impressive website [1], have a visually impressive OS [2], have a large repository of applications [3].

I find it sad that most users are only interesting in how things look.. these are the kind of people that deserve to pay $200 for an OS that is crap(but "looks purty")

[Brynet-Inc]

I find it sad that most users are only interesting in how things look.. these are the kind of people that deserve to pay $200 for an OS that is crap(but "looks purty")

How much did you pay for that PS3 you've been so obsessed with lately?

But really, it is true that technical superiority often fails to attract new users.. you do need to find different methods.

I hear that people enjoy a nice celebrity scandal, do you need Mr.Wood's phone number?

[xvedejas]

Place a link in every post you post.

--> http://valix.co.nr/ <---

It might work.

[Dex]

You should look for a OS project that you think has promoted there operating system well and ask them or copy the way they did it.

This guide is more for making money from your open source project, but it has good pointers to promotion your project too.
http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/income-guide/

[Coty]

If you want people to get interested in your project, ask the people what they want, most people just
want an OS that can do what they need to do without having to worry about viruses or options and questions
they just don't understand. To many people a simple OS they can use to get there stuff done is what they
want. Normally this stuff is. Email, home and family pictures and videos, simple document editors that are
truly simple. not very many buttons lots of color , and not many words, pictures can say that stuff I have
talked to people around me, most would give up sweet looks for something easy and simple. but I think a
part of that simple is using graphics, less words, more pictures.

Yes there are people on the Internet that say they want MORE MORE MORE graphics, screw that, if
you talk to people in real life that are not 1/8 geeks like those people are, you will find they just want
something that works that is simple.

[Lithorien]

In my opinion, it's as easy as one acronym: KISS.

Too many designers forget that principle. People want things that are simple, easy, and just work. Sure, humans are capable of handling complexity with relative grace, but once they've learned a complex system, they become rooted to it. The only thing that'll pry them out is a system that's simple and still does what they want - simplicity leads to less stress, happier use, and more frequent use.

At least, that's how I understand things.

[Dex]

The main thing that is needed to get people to use your OS and tel others about it, is the OS needs to do something thing that is easier or not possible on other OS.
This is where asm OS's, have a disadvantage over OS written in C (NOTE: Most C OS's, port app from other OS's), they encourage lots of small demo type app, that do like.
As making a good app is a year or so job at least.
I was at one time thinking about encouraging codes to make more advanced apps, by making the OS only load one app, like you would when you start a DS game sys.

This would mean the demo app would need to do some cool things, rather that a lots of small demo that do little.