Re: GNOME foundation announcement...

[Bart Decrem <bart eazel com>]

Hi Greg,

Sun is having a press luncheon at the Fairmont right after the Gnome press conference to talk about
the Solaris announcement.  We're going to lose momentum if everybody has to move to a different
location.  So I think it's best to just do everything at the Fairmont.  Sun has a room there for the
entire day.

Bart

Greg Corrin wrote:

> All,
>
> Eazel has reserved a room at the San Jose convention center for a press conference and would like
> to contribute it for this event. Room K seats 130 people, and is available to us from 1-1:45pm on
> 8-15-00.  I believe it will be more desirable to the press than the Fairmont, since it is closer
> to the area of keynote presentations and awards.
>
> Additionally, as we are working on the initial draft announcement, I would like to request that
> "quotes" be submitted from all foundation advisory companies and most importantly we need quotes
> from the GNOME community represented by the steering committee.
>
> Please provide to me by email, an "organization approved" quote by Thursday next week (7-27-00)
> at the latest.
>
> thanks,
> Greg|Eazel|650.940.2026
>
> Barbara Heffner wrote:
>
> > Hello all:
> >
> > I tried to send this yesterday afternoon, but I messed up this
> > address.  Apologies.
> >
> > Following and attached is our proposal for the announcement for your
> > review.  We have already incorporated feedback from Russ Castronovo at Sun.
> >
> > Please review this document and provide your feedback for
> > incorporation.  In particular, it would be helpful if we could agree on key
> > messages, so that the press release reflects the messages that everyone has
> > agreed to.  We've provided a starting point for the messages.
> >
> > Also, we'd love to get started on building the master invite list.  If the
> > PR folks on this list could email us the press/analyst
> > names/organizations/email addresses/phone numbers, that would be most
> > helpful.  We have the LinuxWorld press list and will include those
> > folks.  We are happy to distribute this master grid so that everyone can
> > see at any time who is being targeted for invitation to this event.
> >
> > We look forward to receiving your comments by Friday July 21, close of
> > business, so that we can revise the plan for discussion on Monday's call.
> >
> > We are very excited about the opportunity to work with all of you.
> >
> > Best regards,
> > Barb Heffner
> >
> > Gnome Foundation Proposal
> > July 19, 2000
> >
> > LinuxWorld Conference & Expo
> > San Jose Convention Center
> > San Jose
> > August 14-17, 2000
> >
> > OBJECTIVES
> > ·       Advance the free software/open source agenda as a central force in computing.
> > ·       Introduce The GNOME Foundation as the non-profit organization for
> > advancing GNOME as the world?s leading free and easy-to-use desktop
> > environment for the user.
> > ·       Demonstrate momentum/credibility for this foundation with announcements
> > of support by leading vendors.
> > ·       Establish key executives from The GNOME Foundation and the vendor
> > organizations as resources to reporters/analysts.
> >
> > STRATEGY
> > To reinforce GNOME?s position as a leader in the open source movement,
> > positioning GNOME as a unifying industry force across multiple vendors.
> >
> > KEY MESSAGES
> > ·       The GNOME Foundation has been formed to formalize a group of individuals,
> > from varying organizations and companies, who will be responsible for
> > advancing GNOME.
> > ·       The GNOME desktop is the world?s leading free and easy-to-use desktop
> > enviroment for the user; GNOME has been designed to run on all modern
> > strains of Unix-like operating systems.
> > ·       The support of leading vendors, including Sun Microsystems, Eazel,
> > Collab.Net, Helix Code, Red Hat, [others to come] demonstrates that the
> > industry is coalescing behind GNOME as the desktop environment of the future.
> >
> > ANNOUNCEMENT VEHICLE
> > In light of the number of speakers involved, the proposed vehicle for the
> > announcement is a press conference on August 15th at LinuxWorld.
> >
> > The press release should cross the wire that morning.  The more vendors
> > involved and the bigger the names, the better the attendance.  The novelty
> > of competing vendors (e.g. Sun, IBM, HP) aligning to support The Foundation
> > will enhance the draw.  If major vendors do not commit, the interest level
> > will drop accordingly.
> >
> > We are in the process of determining what has been done already in terms of
> > booking a conference facility for the event, either at the Convention
> > Center or at the Fairmont.  We also need to determine, from show
> > management, what events may be competing with this one.
> >
> > Notable Aug. 15 events from the web site include:
> > Keynote, 10-11 a.m., Michael Dell
> > Immediately following, IDG/Torvalds Community Award Presentation
> > 2:30-3:30 p.m. - Linux Geek Bowl, with many Linux gurus
> > 5:30-6:30 p.m. - Exec. Roundtable with CEO of 6 Linux firms
> >
> > We should plan for a session that lasts no more than an hour.  This would
> > include approximately 45 minutes of presentations with a 15 minute Q&A.
> >
> > Miguel de Icaza has been identified as the initial speaker.  Miguel will
> > kick off the presentations and briefly describe the news being announced -
> > the formation of the foundation and why it?s important.  When we have
> > determined precisely how many speakers we?ll have, we can prepare a time
> > budget for each speaker.  However, with multiple speakers, we can assume
> > that their remarks should last just 5-10 minutes, as we?ll want to allow
> > plenty of time for Q&A.
> >
> > We?ll set up the room with a talk show format, using a podium with a series
> > of chairs for other speakers.
> >
> > Press Kit and Related Deliverables
> > ·       Agenda for event (CHEN)
> > ·       Press release announcing formation of Foundation (Eazel to own; but each
> > vendor liaison will be responsible for content/legal approvals at their
> > respective firms)
> > ·       Media advisory week before show to drive press/analyst attendance (CHEN
> > who/what/when/where format - summarize from press release)
> > ·       Supporting vendor press releases (prepared and supplied by each vendor)
> > ·       List of vendors involved with relevant URLs, contact information (CHEN to
> > coordinate)
> > ·       One page backgrounder on GNOME (to be determined)
> > ·       Q&A for internal use only (to be determined)
> > ·       Presentations - If speakers elect to use slides, they are responsible for
> > developing their own slide presentations.  We?ll have standard AV equipment
> > there, but assume we?ll keep it simple and that presentations will be run
> > off laptops.
> > ·       Screenshots/photos - any graphics, in case requested.
> > ·       References: customers or analysts/open source gurus
> >
> > Spokespeople
> > [Please provide names and titles.]
> >
> > ·       Miguel de Icaza, founder of Helix Code
> > ·       Name, Collab.Net
> > ·       Name, Eazel
> > ·       Name, Red Hat
> > ·       Name, Sun Microsystems
> > ·       Name, IBM
> > ·       Name, H-P
> > ·       [others]
> >
> > PRESS/ANALYST INVITES
> > CHEN will serve as the central point for inviting reporters and
> > analysts.  We?ll ask for all parties to submit their press/analyst invite
> > lists so that we can consolidate the lists.
> >
> > We may also want to consider briefing 3-5 analysts in advance of the event.
> >
> > In summary, CHEN will:
> > Develop email invitation
> > Consolidate press/analyst list
> > Send emails and follow-up emails/follow-up calls
> > Send advisory
> > Provide regular status updates on event attendance
> > Confirm with all attendees week before show
> >
> > TIMELINE
> >
> > **Week of June 17
> > Conducted kick off conference call
> > CHEN submits proposal to Sun for OK
> > CHEN submits proposal to announcement team
> > CHEN fine tunes proposal based on feedback/contributions
> > CHEN determines status of conference event location
> > CHEN checks with show management on other scheduled events
> > CHEN requests press list from show management
> > CHEN requests invite lists from all parties to build consolidated list for
> > invites (will share this list with all parties)
> > Gnome team finalizes corporate participants
> >
> > **Week of June 24
> > Next conference call slated for July 24, 1 p.m PT - Discuss open issues
> > Eazel prepares draft press release; other vendors provide input
> > CHEN builds consolidated press/analyst invite list, monitoring for updates
> > to show registration list
> > CHEN starts to email/call/register reporters
> > CHEN coordinates with hotel or convention center on AV, food, logistics
> > CHEN drafts list of participating companies and contacts
> >
> > **Week of July 31
> > CHEN continues to pursue/register reporters
> > Eazel revises press release
> > CHEN develops media advisory/submits for review/finalizes
> > CHEN schedules one-on-ones, if desired
> > CHEN sets up advance briefings with small group of analyts, if desired
> >
> > **Week of August 7
> > CHEN continues to pursue/register reportersEazel finalizes press release
> > early in week
> > CHEN issues media advisory on Aug. 7
> > Conference call rehearsal with all spokespersons on August 9
> >
> > **Week of August 14
> > Rehearsal Monday evening
> > Speakers can revised as needed
> > Make any final press calls to confirm attendance
> > Attend/monitor event
> >
> > OPEN ISSUES
> > ·       One-on-ones - On our next call, we should discuss whether we?d like to
> > offer a short list of reporters one-on-one time after the main event.
> > ·       We need to project number of attendees.
> > ·       We need to discuss the agenda.
> > ·       Webcast of event?
> > ·       Ownership of Q&A?
> > ·       Prebrief select group of analysts?
> > ·       If Sun/HP/IBM are all involved, pitch to one daily in advance?  Status of
> > their involvement?
> >
> > # # #
> >
> >   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >                                             Name: Gnome Project Prop July 19.doc
> >    Gnome Project Prop July 19.doc           Type: Microsoft Word Document (application/msword)
> >                                         Encoding: base64
> >                                  Download Status: Not downloaded with message
> >
> >   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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>
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