Re: The "What is GNOME?" Answer

[Steve Hall <digitect mindspring com>]

From: Glynn Foster, Wed, 10 Mar 2004 16:11:28 +1300
> 
> Hey,
> 
> > GNOME is a lot of things. And I understand the desire to have a
> > concise definition or marketing phrase for standard press
> > releases.
> > 
> > But why not take advantage of the web's flexible nature and let
> > the front page highlight *all* the things GNOME is...
> > 
> >   GNOME is: Usable!
> >   GNOME is: Free!
> >   GNOME is: Flexible!
> >   GNOME is: Global!
> >   GNOME is: Community!
> >   GNOME is: Easy!
> >   GNOME is: Everywhere!
> >   GNOME is: Linux!
> >   GNOME is: BSD!
> >   GNOME is:__You!__ 
> > 
> > Imagine a super expensive advertising campaign for your
> > international product of choice. Do they blow a lot of time
> > defining the product? Of course not, it's about lifestyle. So is
> > GNOME.
> 
> Hrm, this got me thinking totally about a pretty cool splash - ok,
> at least I think it's cool -
> 
> 	http://www.gnome.org/~gman/splash.png

That is cool!

Now if we defined the boundaries for graphics/look/lifestyle with some
basic parameters like:

  Font:     Bitstream Sans (gotta be GNOME, gotta be distributable)
  Color:    *The* palette
  Style:    Overlapping colors with merged multi-bit alpha
  Message:  GNOME is... (yes)

then we run with it. The project has so wide a scope, we're never
going to be able to define it. ("Environment" is a good word.) 

So let it be. Crazy. The bazaar. Vibrant. Changing. Flexible.
Hmm--What-Are-They-Up-To-Today? 

Make sure a few branding parameters are always followed and let the
rest flow.


> > The biggest frustration I've had with the web site is that it is
> > *NOT FLEXIBLE*. It is monolithic. It's beaurocratic. It's a
> > friggin' act of congress to change a couple of words. Or a css
> > reference.
> > 
> > The web site needs love. It needs leadership. It needs to change.
> 
> Yeah, I feel it's at a stage again where we need some direction and
> someone who's willing to put the next 6 months of solid work into
> it. Sure, it's nice to see the new look, but really needs some
> pretty heavy arse kicking to get the rest of the build stuff and
> content into shape.

It's never going to be "in shape". GNOME is living, changing. We're
not going to reach a goal. 

I vote the web site gets the same (successful, innovative) development
philosophy the rest of the project has: time-based releases. 

We need to stop trying to build the Cathedral. I've been on this list
for years, and it ain't gonna happen.

Little changes. Incremental changes. Re-writes. Breakage. New art. Old
art. Entire sections swept under the rug. Anybody care? Let'em bring
it back. Whole new areas created by enthusiastic whipper-snappers.
Silliness. Darkness.

All moderated by simple style guidelines but allowed to breath.

We've got to stop putting brakes on to protect future (vaporous)
possibilities.


The Cheerleading Rant continues.


-- 
Steve Hall  [ digitect mindspring com ]