2010/10/15 Gamaliel Lamboy Rodríguez <[email protected]>: > Therefore, the branding for > them cannot possibly insert Linux or other technical details; it is more of a > simplified picture of what Free Software is and how we insert ourselves into > that. This is seen in our Core Values, where the main focus is showing people > that we are a Community, not a corporation, and that we care about our users. > On the other side we have the intermediate-to-advanced Linux users, which CAN > and/or DO choose a Linux OS and FOSS Technologies. To these users we can > introduce a branding that includes our special characteristics in the Linux > world and the advantages of using our development branch, etc. But Graham's > point still stands, that we need to define these target markets more fully so > we can better assess the Mageia reputation in each of them.
My opinion is from my POV: I'm a home user, FLOSS enthusiast, curious, I love computers, love to read, love to learn, love to help in forums, but in the end, I'm just a regular-guy-not-developer. I work in nothing related with computers, just an administrative employee. I'm a dad, I'm a husband. Said this, I start. What I see when I navigate Internet is this: http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/ http://www.apple.com/macosx/refinements/ http://www.apple.com/macosx/what-is-macosx/ http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/discover http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/features These are examples of the way other big companies "sell" their products. They keep it simple. They describe it with simplicity, non-technical language. Obviously, they are targeting people that know very little about computers, OS, software. Images are almost always showing mom+dad+kids (or teens) all together, around the notebook, laughing, enjoying. Or teenagers with their backpacks, and skates, cool clothes, doing things like chat, listening music, watching a video, facebook, etc. My point is that these big companies, exhibit their products with a "common people" language, showing images of common people, doing ordinary things. Why? because common people is the people who need to be convinced. Common people have doubts, maybe they are a little scare about if the hit a key and a program is erased. People like all of you and me, know what we want and what we need (talking about the OS and software and hardware). I know that I can mount a small server with an ordinary Win XP, if I put in it the right software. The same XP that Microsoft "sell" to ordinary people with nice images of the family watching Toy Story in the notebook. I (and all of you) don't need that a company mounting images of a geek mounting a server with Gentoo. Because we are not ordinary users. We need something, we go to Google, we go to forums, we read a lot, we pick the software we need, we set it up, and we mount whatever satisfy our need. We're self sufficient. We are "special". We won't use Mageia because the marketing team convince us. We are here to build it from the very base. Ordinary people must be convinced by us (or by our marketing team) that Mageia is easy. That Mageia will not bite them. That they will watch their movies, talk with their IM friends, listen music, create their documents, without open a console and type "dark" commands that they can't understand. We must make "common people" feel comfortable in Mageia. They must feel joy using their computers with Mageia. To use Mageia must be easy and pleasurable work/play/hand around with Mageia. Of course, the console will be there for "power users". Packages to mount a servers will also be there too. But you don't need to create a big marketing campaign for power users, because they know what is available, and how to install it and configure. And if they don't, they will read and learn. Because that's our nature. As regular people's nature is "I don't care how it works, I just want it working right and quick". So, I'm sorry but I agree with the people who want to target this "ordinary people". Because I don't think that making Mageia easier and friendly hurt or damage advanced users. Linux will be always powerful, with the right packages. And any advanced user can make "urpmi my-advanced-packages" whenever he/she needs. We need to attract more non-linux users. Because if all Linux distros have 1% of the market, and we attract just users from other distros, you only change the way that 1% is distributed. My respect to marketing team. Regards. Gustavo Giampaoli (aka tavillo1980)
