Re: Another online survey

[Jeff Waugh <jdub perkypants org>]

<quote who="Steve George">

> My view would be that the way to get distributions to add or change their
> default desktop is to get end-users giving them feedback that they want
> GNOME.

Yeah, and I'd add ISVs (and not necessarily proprietary ones).

> An alternative strategy would be to try and make inclusion less important.
> The old ximian packaging was extremely successful at bypassing the
> distribution entirely.  Consequently, having an end-user binary
> installation of the latest and greatest would enable you to remove the
> distribution blockage.
>  
> I think that the third way would be best because it has positive messages,
> makes GNOME more of a product (which is easier to market) and improves
> end-user touchpoints.

It's a losing battle though - the most successful desktop distros are the
ones doing really impressive top-to-bottom integration. A "bolt-on" GNOME
like we had with Helix/Ximian Desktop won't be able to compete anymore.

What we *can* do is make "GNOME" a feature. I can tell you that deep GNOME
integration will be an important aspect of Ubuntu's ISV strategy - in this
case, Ubuntu will be pushing a GNOME line that GNOME hasn't even started
pushing yet. :-)

Now *that's* how to make our distributors work for us. :-)

- Jeff

-- 
GUADEC 2005: May 29th-31st                           http://2005.guadec.org/
 
    Snow Crash was a terrible book: Superheroes wear their underpants on
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