Re: Pulling this together...

[Claus Schwarm <c schwarm gmx net>]

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 09:48:33 -0700
Sriram Ramkrishna <sri aracnet com> wrote:

> I'm trying to figure out how a simple set of questions on audience
> turned into this. :-)

After reading my own post, again, I must admit I got carried away
from your question. Sorry. :(

> This stuff will take time.  I'm in no hurry to get them all
> accomplished. It took us 7 years or more to get GNOME to the point
> where it's nearly as good as NT.  So marketing is going be the same.
>
> I'm not going to answer most of what you've stated because I think
> solutions will reveal themselves as we move forward.  My opinion on
> projects is simply this:
>
>   if you got an idea that you think would work and you have the time
>   and motivation to start a project like the Science CD and are
>   willing to convince to work on it then nobody is going to stop you. 
>   Do it!
>
> Marketing projects need to be de-centralized because we work in a
> decentralized community.  So I'm not going to sweat about GNOME
> Science CD becuase if someone has sufficient motivation it will
> happen. Look no further than GNOME Journal for an example.
>
> What I am concerned about it is:
>
> * We know who we are marketing to
> * We have freely available resources that people have easy access to
> * We have good foundation to help those who want to start marketing
> projects.
>
> I'm approaching GNOME Marketing like it's a microcosm of GNOME
> Development.  Because thats the only way it's going to work.  Projects
> are headed by people who want to do them.
>
> A loose overall strategy is required but other than that it's really
> up to volunteers to come up with things they want to do and we'll
> figure out what works and what doesn't.

According to my experience, normal people have more important things to
consider (well, from their personal perspective) than which software
they run. Their attention is very constrained. Most of them don't read
texts longer than a paragraph. Nearly none of them is able to understand
such abstract things like 'Free Software'.

If GNOME marketing is going to be based on a plan like "Some people
adress target groups X twice a year with action A, while others adress
group Y three times a year with action B", both groups won't be heard. 

Once more, sorry for misunderstanding your original mail. Maybe I'm
afraid of splitting marketing efforts: If things are organized without a
note here on the list, this is already happening.


To answer your question:
* The prime audience should be university students, aged 17 to 28.

Our first objective:
* Communicate to the rest of the community why this audience should be
   adressed, which potential projects they may participate in if they
   like, what they can do to help, and why this is important.


Claus