Re: Signing off our target audience (was Re: Example of targetted release notes)

[Claus Schwarm <c schwarm gmx net>]

Hi, Dave!

Your "answers" were quite interesting. Unfortunately, they missed the
point: The whole idea of segmenting and targeting is to find out which
potential clients we *want* to talk to next -- not which people we
happen to have talked to already.

While your answers were quite detailed, it doesn't change the
basic problem of your so-called target groups: Its definition is still
too broad.

For example, your categorization just states the obvious: Almost by
definition, the only people interested in the product "development
platform" *are* ISDs! This is a trivial relation.

As a result, the list of potential TODOs is too long and unclear. This
is the problem of your suggestion (and Quim's). I just tried to make
this clear.


Concerning some other aspects of your mail: 

On Tue, 20 Mar 2007 07:54:12 +0100
Dave Neary <bolsh gnome org> wrote:

> Why is this our goal?

We have the general goal to increase the user base of GNOME. Getting
more distributions to use GNOME by default increases our user base. So
one is a direct conclusion from the other.

However, there's more behind it, IHMO. If you're looking at what the
developer said in the quote from my last mail: 

  "Linux is absolutely hostile to me and my customers, because it
   cannot: [...] provide an identical user experience across all
   distros."

I have found many similar quotes over the last years. So I believe
that the equal fragmentation of the desktop development platform
decreases the chances to be successful in the desktop market. Getting
more distributions to use GNOME by default is a signal to ISD's that
using the GNOME dev. platform is a safe, trustworthy, and reliable
choice.

So I kind of assumed the above goal.

That does not mean you wouldn't be able to go for visibility, market
research and relationship building if you'd like to.

> And you said we had no way of finding out who our ISDs are?

No, I didn't. I said: Your so-called target segments are too broad to
find out which groups or people we *want* to contact first.

> You seem to assume that people won't find our story fascinating and
> want to learn more - it's a very defeatist attitude.

No, you misunderstood this one. This is pro-active: I'm asking
questions to give you the opportunity to improve your answers. Just in
case you meet a potential "customer" who isn't easily fascinated by our
story.

This is a very good exercise. For example, do you really suggest that
potential clients should read some obscure document on the Internet to
learn about the benefits of our product? I don't think so but this what
you've just done. ;-)

> What's a USP?

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unique_selling_proposition

> Why be so ridiculous Claus? It seems like you prefer the immobilism of
> turning around in circles saying "oh, there's nothing we can do, we're
> so disorganised".

No, you got that wrong. The example was meant to illustrate a point. The
point is: Your so-called target "segments" are too broad to be helpful.
We could easily waste our time by following different directions.


> Shouldn't she find out about those via a cover CD on a magazine
> she reads, or an article written by a GNOME volunteer?

Oh, of course, she should. But you seem to have missed two
things: First, proper segments don't prevent anybody from doing these
articles if he wants to. We're still all volunteers. Second, your
so-called targets don't help getting articles such as these written.
Because it's too vague and confusing.

"Somebody should write some sort of article for some magazine!" just
means nobody will do anything, IMHO.

Maybe I'll find time to clean up the segmentation page in the Wiki so
that the basic idea of segmentation and targeting gets
clearer.


Regards,
Claus