Defining GNOME Market Segments
- From: "John Williams" <JWilliams business otago ac nz>
- To: "Claus Schwarm" <c schwarm gmx net>
- Cc: marketing-list gnome org
- Subject: Defining GNOME Market Segments
- Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 08:50:12 +1300
But we might combat on the special needs front: University faculties.
There are scientific applications available, see
http://gnome-apps.berlios.de/apps.php?action=browse&cat_id=9
and these will sell GNOME. Science is close to Open Source. Lots of
GNOME users are studying. They need stable software to write their
papers, their thesis, etc. Student journals are usally looking for
content, so it's easy to place promotional articles here. Also,
revolutionary or unsusal ideas historically spread around
universities.
They often have no money. LiveCD's could be spread on the campus. User
groups are easier to organize. Install fests are easier to organize.
People are young, and high qualified and will bring Linux experience
into the companies. In a few years, the eventual "Linux TCO
disadvantage
due to training costs." may be reduced.
Lets make 2005 the GNOME Linux University year! ;-)
I agree wholeheartedly. But I can't help wondering that I agree because
I am an academic!
This reminds me on the "What product attributes matter most to
consumers" question: Security is very important for car tires in
surveys, but it's not the selling argument because everybody _assumes_
every car tire to be very secure.
Ah, that old chestnut. A mix of "necessary but not sufficient
conditions" and "hygiene vs. motivational factors". I have two
observations on this point:
(1) Almost everyone I know who has used OSX has commented on how
beautiful it is. By "it" I assume they mean the desktop and the
integration of the desktop with the apps.
(2) There is the (myth?) that "Unix/Linux is hard to use". That means
"you have to use the command line sometimes, and even read the manual".
Referring, of course, to non-application specific stuff, which I regard
as "the desktop", i.e. the desktop is the GUI of the OS (to users).
What I am saying is that I think there is still differentiation among
desktops, and that desktop/OS and desktop/app integration can be a real
selling point.
The desktop is very important for the OS but it's not the selling
argument because everybody assumes the existance of a desktop that is
easy to use, good looking, etc.
See above.
The only ones interested in the GNOME default desktop are users. They
don't want to learn a new desktop whenever they change companies. They
want the default.
What about the organisation that want to use GNOME as a base to develop
their own brands? They are interested in making GNOME technically
superior, but I assume you mean they are not interested in putting any
effort into promoting GNOME per se? I don't know enough about things to
comment here.
Smaller, local companies might be interested in spending money to get
certain apps developed. They usually don't have the resources to do it
on their own. They have local business contacts. They set up networks,
web servers, etc. and probably have Linux experience.
...
I know this is a very unusual thought: GNOME not only as a desktop and
development platform but also as a market platform, a sort of eBay.
Probably too advanced, right?
Well, just a thought....
A damn fine one, IMHO. I was thinking about, in every "About" box where
it lists the developers, having a link to "Donate to ..." or "Request a
feature" etc.
So we should concentrate on those that will probably no be affected by
these companies: Science, Education, maybe Government in non-western
countries.
I think this is a major issue: Do we target organisations, or general
users? On the general user front, I think the major sticking point is,
as you say, games. Is this the _only_ reason to give up that segment?
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