Re: introductions (was Re: )

[John Williams <john williams lists gmail com>]

On 02/09/2010 04:49 PM, Nelson Marques wrote:

 I would like to ask one thing to this list, would it be possible for
people to introduce themselfs and say what is their role around on the
list?

Hello all.

My name is John Williams.  I am not a developer or documenter.  I am a user.  I also study and teach Marketing at a university.  Studying for about 20 years, teaching for about 15.

My view of marketing is probably different to that of most people on this list.  To me "Marketing" is a business philosophy, while evidently to most other people this word means "sales and promotion".  That is one set of activities that the business philosophy guides, but not the only set.

The "philosophy" is roughly this: learn about what your customers (actual and potential) want, and then give it to them --- if it's a good idea.

Reason's why it might not be a good idea are include: 

- it's illegal or morally wrong (some customers clearly want cocaine, child pornography or tobacco, for example).

- it doesn't fit your corporate purpose and/or resources (e.g. GNOME isn't going to start delivering quality health care to its users)

- it won't make a buck (in the case of for-profit organisations)

None of these apply to us.  So, "marketing GNOME", to me, does not mean "pushing our product on to the market"; rather it means "finding out what would make our users happier and more productive, and crafting our product to deliver that".

In other words: listen to users.  And give them what they want/need.  If it's not crack.

Thus endeth the rant.