| wIndependence Day 2002 -- Contest Description, Rules, Prizes |
by DesktopLinux.com staff (June 20, 2002)
 DesktopLinux.com has proclaimed July 4th, 2002 to be the first annual wIndependence Day. Coinciding with the US Independence Day holiday, wIndependence Day celebrates the burgeoning use of Linux on business, government, educational institution, and personal end-user computer desktops as an alternative to dependence on Microsoft's Windows operating system and associated products. Thousands of dollars worth of prizes for the celebration's essay contest are being donated by CodeWeavers, ELX, Lindows.com, Lycoris, MandrakeSoft, NeTraverse, Opera, ShaolinMicro, Sun Microsystems, SuSE, theKompany, and Ximian, providers of the leading desktop-oriented Linux distributions and productivity tools.
To turbocharge this year's wIndependence Day celebration, DesktopLinux.com is inviting readers to send in their 500-1000 word accounts of how they have 'kicked the Windows habit' or implemented Linux as a Windows-alternative in their company or organization. Twenty-five of the best essays submitted by midnight July 3rd will be selected for publication at DesktopLinux.com beginning on July 4th, and their authors will be awarded prizes from among the following: - CodeWeavers: CD version of CrossOver Office; CD version of Crossover Plugin
- ELX: ELX Platinum version; ELX tee shirt
- Lindows.com: a Microtel LindowsOS-powered computer system
- Lycoris: Desktop/LX Update 2 Beta CD hot off the press; Lycoris tee shirt
- Mandrake: Standard Edition Boxed edition; Powerpack Boxed edition; ProSuite Boxed edition; Mandrake tee shirt
- NeTraverse: Win4Lin (license)
- Opera: Opera for Linux (license)
- ShaolinMicro: Aptus 2.0 (license)
- Sun Microsystems: StarOffice 6.0 boxed set
- SuSE: SuSE linux Professional with Pro-Office
- theKompany: Kivio mp, a powerful flowchart and diagram tool
- Ximian: Ximian Desktop Professional Edition; Red Carpet Express account
These prizes are described in more detail below.
What to submit
Declare your wIndependence by sharing your story of independence from Windows! Tell the story, in 500 to 1000 words, of your move (or plan to move), or of your organization's move (or plan to move) to Linux on the desktop. Here are some ideas to help get you started -- but please don't let us limit you . . . - Why switch to Linux?
- Relate the story of your transition to Linux.
- What hurdles did you have to overcome? What were some problems? Solutions? Pleasant surprises?
- Suggest a handy step-by-step guide for others wanting to make the move.
- Detail the benefits of making the switch.
- What are some of the cool things you do with your Desktop Linux system?
- How much more do you love Tux than the Blue Screen of Death? ;-)
Where to submit
Email your essay wIndependence@desktoplinux.com
How the entries will be judged
Essays will be scored based on the following five qualities: - Creativity
- Entertainment value (including humor)
- Persuasiveness
- Informativeness
- Articulateness
Note: only essays relating to using Linux on the desktop qualify for this contest.
Please note
(a.k.a. 'the fine print')
To qualify for this contest, your essay must be received no later than 11:59 pm PDT July 3, 2002. Participation is not restricted by geographic location (i.e. anyone, anywhere may enter), except for any limitations which are imposed by US law (whatever they may be). Selection of winning essays will be at the sole discretion of DesktopLinux.com and its parent company, DeviceForge, LLC. By entering this contest, you automatically grant DeviceForge LLC permission to publish your essay at DesktopLinux.com or its affiliate websites. Submitted essay must be the original work of the submitter, and must not been previously published.
The prizes
The following prizes will be distributed randomly among the 25 winners . . . - Codeweavers
Prize: CrossOver Office and CrossOver Plugin CrossOver Office allows you to install your favorite Windows productivity applications in Linux, without needing a Microsoft Operating System license. CrossOver includes an easy to use, single click interface, which makes installing a Windows application simple and fast. CrossOver Plugin lets you use many Windows plugins directly from your Linux browser and supports programs such as QuickTime, ShockWave, Windows Media Player 6.4, and more . . .
- ELX
Prize: ELX Power Desktop 1.0, Platinum Edition and logo t-shirt includes ELX Power Desktop 1.0 - PLATINUM Edition includes installation CDs, application CD, ELX Quick install guide, ELX Reference manual, and ELX's signature SupportMax. Check out the ELX difference here.
- Lindows.com
Prize: Microtel / LindowsOS computer system Lindows.com uses the latest technology to create affordable, stable, user-friendly products. At the core of Lindows.com is a new operating system called LindowsOS, a modern, affordable, easy-to-use operating system with Click-N-Run, a feature that allows users to download high-quality software with one-click of their mouse.
- Lycoris
Prize: Desktop/LX Update 2 Beta CD, 'hot off the press'; Lycoris tee shirt The latest release boasts the exciting new Control Center and other enhancements. Lycoris Desktop/LX is an operating system designed with your ease of use in mind. Desktop/LX loads preconfigured for Internet access, office productivity, multimedia, entertainment, and more.
- Mandrake
Prize: Standard Edition Boxed edition; Powerpack Boxed edition; ProSuite Boxed edition; Mandrake tee shirt Mandrake Linux is a friendly Linux Operating System which specializes in ease-of-use for both servers and the home/office. It is freely available in many languages throughout the world.
- NeTraverse
Prize: Win4Lin (license) Win4Lin enables Linux users to run popular Windows programs at native speeds without additional hardware or the need to dual boot, dramatically improving productivity and reducing hardware and OS license upgrade cost.
- Opera
Prize: Opera for Linux Opera today ranks number three among the most widely used Internet browsers in the world. Opera is user-friendly, secure, and quite exceptionally fast! Read about Opera's great features and functions, and learn how to access and use them. Opera has received international acclaim from end-users and industry press.
- ShaolinMicro
Prize: Aptus 2.0 ShaoLin Aptus with its Intelligent Union Architecture-based technology is designed to help streamline the deployment and management of Linux workstation network, and to make their productivity more efficient.
- Sun Microsystems
Prize: StarOffice 6.0 boxed set StarOffice software is an affordable alternative in office productivity suites that runs on multiple operating systems, including Solaris Operating Environment, Microsoft Windows, and Linux. The office suite has a simple, easy-to-use interface and contains full-featured applications including word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, graphics and database capabilities.
- SuSE
Prize: SuSE Linux Professional with Pro-Office With its wealth of features, its proverbial stability, and its efficient defense mechanisms against unauthorized access, SuSE Linux offers the most comprehensive, stable, and secure operating system that has ever been developed for private users.
- theKompany.com
Prize: Kivio mp Kivio mp is a powerful, scriptable flowchart program for Linux and Windows. Use it to automatically create charts of programming code or network topology, or create your own charts and diagrams from scratch. You can also use the Kivio Stencil Builder to create your own stencil sets. Kivio mp does it all!
- Ximian
Prize: Ximian Desktop Professional Edition and Ximian Red Carpet Express account Ximian Desktop provides an elegant, easy-to-use graphical interface for Linux plus complete, powerful business solutions that help you get started quickly and stay productive. Ximian Red Carpet Express provides users with priority high-bandwidth access to Ximian applications and leading third-party software for faster installations and updates.
(Click here for further information)
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