I think that having a "Testimonials" section will also help. Real comments
from real users. How did it save time? How did it make things easier to
maintain? When did it pay off?
Yes, damn it. We need that.
I'll write a letter copying users@ for this.
I have a good start: Look at http://cocoon.apache.org/link/livesites.html. Warner Brothers Switzerland is using Cocoon. WB is huge! Having a testimonial from WB saying why they use Cocoon and why it's good enough for them would be an awesome bit of publicity.
Plus, there's enough people in the community here with small companies that use Cocoon (Outerthought, S&N, etc), that it would be trivial for Steven or Matthew or Carsten or anyone else with a company to write up why they're using Cocoon.
And not just, "We like it because XML rocks" ... perhaps something like, "Cocoon makes us more productive," or "Developing applications with Cocoon saved us X amount of money and time." or even "Cocoon is so flexible we don't have to worry about being left behind when new technologies come around." Hard facts and evidence why Cocoon is good is better than trying to explain the finer points of SoC or IoC, especially when you're trying to sell Cocoon to the pointy-haired boss.
Here is an excellent example of what would be good to see:
http://nagoya.apache.org/wiki/apachewiki.cgi?AvalonTestimonials
--
"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Benjamin Franklin