Tux 500 project

I made a donation to this interesting cause for promoting Linux.

From the website:

"Marketing Linux has always been a tricky proposition. As a community, we have relied on corporations who have a stake in the Linux operating system to market Linux to the world at large. Today, we have an opportunity to change that, and make Linux marketing as much a community effort as Linux development. That effort begins with the Tux 500 project.

Our goal is simple: we want to collect community donations to enter a Linux sponsored car in the 2007 Indianapolis 500. We need your help! If less than 1% of the Linux community donates $1, this will happen... will you do your part?

Our ultimate goal is to raise $350,000 or more in order to have Linux as the primary sponsorship on a car in the Indianapolis 500, on May 27th, 2007. Primary sponsorship means that we have a Linux logo prominently displayed on the side of the car, and we acquire the program's naming rights, i.e. "XYZ Motorsports Team Linux". This name appears in all media connected with the event, including USA Today's Memorial Day race weekend edition, the Indy 500 Official Program and the official race box score that becomes a permanent record of the race. We have identified a race team that we will sponsor, and have identified possible levels of sponsorship.

* $25K - $50K USD : Minor Associate Sponsorship; logo appears on the car
* $50K - $100K USD : Associate Sponsorship; larger logo appears on the car
* $125K - $300K USD : Major Associate Sponsorship; large logo appears on the car's engine cover
* $350K - $600K USD : Primary Sponsorship; logo appears on the car's sidepod, and the race team name contains "Team Linux"

Additionally, our plan is to make prizes available to people who donate to the program. The prizes we can offer will be contingent on how much we can raise. If we are able to raise enough for Primary Sponsorship, we will award the following prizes.

* The top contributor will be a member of the Pit Crew on Race Day
* Two random contributors will get a ride in a two-seater Indy Car
* The second highest contributor will get a Linux server or notebook
* The third highest contributor will get a video iPod

Also, with Primary Sponsorship, we intend to print a graphic with the names of top donors on the car, and make Team Linux merchandise available."

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