----- Original Message ----- From: "Ian Lynch" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 6:38 PM Subject: Re: [Marketing] article: "LinuxWorld 2005 Thursday"
> This also applies to lobbying government and similar audiences. > I often get told by FOSS advocates that E-mailing government officials > and politicians is a waste of time. I don't think so. I have had a lot > of success and many positive replies including a question asked in the > House of Commons and an investigation of MS by the Office of Fair > trading. Writing is effective if you write the the right things in the > right way for the intended audience. Once again, I find myself agreeing with Ian. When the whole "software patents" issue was looming large in the European Parliament a little while ago, our local Linux Users Group asked members to write to their MEPs (Member of the European Parliament). Rather than writing a "petition", or everyone sending the same letter, we simply asked everyone to "write a letter" in their own words about how the proposals would affect them. I got a long, detailed, response back from "my MEP", outlining his position, explaining that it broadly matched mine, and letting me know how he intended to vote. By comparison, "petitions" seem to be a waste of time, unless your true intention is to get a slot on the local radio station telling everyone that you "presented" it. Mark --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
