Defining GNOME Market Segments

["John Williams" <JWilliams business otago ac nz>]

> But we might combat on the special needs front: University faculties.
> There are scientific applications available, see
> 
> http://gnome-apps.berlios.de/apps.php?action=browse&cat_id=9
> 
> and these will sell GNOME. Science is close to Open Source. Lots of
> GNOME users are studying. They need stable software to write their
> papers, their thesis, etc. Student journals are usally looking for
> content, so it's easy to place promotional articles here. Also,
> revolutionary or unsusal ideas historically spread around 
> universities.
> They often have no money. LiveCD's could be spread on the campus. User
> groups are easier to organize. Install fests are easier to organize.
> People are young, and high qualified and will bring Linux experience
> into the companies. In a few years, the eventual "Linux TCO 
> disadvantage
> due to training costs." may be reduced.
> 
> Lets make 2005 the GNOME Linux University year!  ;-)
I agree wholeheartedly.  But I can't help wondering that I agree because
I am an academic!

 

> This reminds me on the "What product attributes matter most to
> consumers" question: Security is very important for car tires in
> surveys, but it's not the selling argument because everybody _assumes_
> every car tire to be very secure.

Ah, that old chestnut.  A mix of "necessary but not sufficient
conditions" and "hygiene vs. motivational factors".  I have two
observations on this point:

(1) Almost everyone I know who has used OSX has commented on how
beautiful it is.  By "it" I assume they mean the desktop and the
integration of the desktop with the apps.

(2) There is the (myth?) that "Unix/Linux is hard to use".  That means
"you have to use the command line sometimes, and even read the manual".
Referring, of course, to non-application specific stuff, which I regard
as "the desktop", i.e. the desktop is the GUI of the OS (to users).

What I am saying is that I think there is still differentiation among
desktops, and that desktop/OS and desktop/app integration can be a real
selling point.

> The desktop is very important for the OS but it's not the selling
> argument because everybody assumes the existance of a desktop that is
> easy to use, good looking, etc.
See above.
 
 
> The only ones interested in the GNOME default desktop are users. They
> don't want to learn a new desktop whenever they change companies. They
> want the default.
What about the organisation that want to use GNOME as a base to develop
their own brands?  They are interested in making GNOME technically
superior, but I assume you mean they are not interested in putting any
effort into promoting GNOME per se?  I don't know enough about things to
comment here.

 
> Smaller, local companies might be interested in spending money to get
> certain apps developed. They usually don't have the resources to do it
> on their own. They have local business contacts. They set up networks,
> web servers, etc. and probably have Linux experience.
...
> I know this is a very unusual thought: GNOME not only as a desktop and
> development platform but also as a market platform, a sort of eBay.
> Probably too advanced, right?
> 
> Well, just a thought....
A damn fine one, IMHO.  I was thinking about, in every "About" box where
it lists the developers, having a link to "Donate to ..." or "Request a
feature" etc.

> So we should concentrate on those that will probably no be affected by
> these companies: Science, Education, maybe Government in non-western
> countries.

I think this is a major issue: Do we target organisations, or general
users?  On the general user front, I think the major sticking point is,
as you say, games.  Is this the _only_ reason to give up that segment?