Le dimanche 31 octobre 2010 à 00:39 -0400, Marc Paré a écrit : > Le 2010-10-30 23:05, Graham Lauder a écrit : > > On Sunday 31 Oct 2010 14:24:08 Anthony Papillion wrote: > >> On 10/30/2010 7:54 PM, Michel Gagnon wrote: > >> <snip> > >> > >>> Which makes me wondering something. I know there is lots of Redmond > >>> money involved in it, but would it be possible to convince the major > >>> manufacturers to install the latest version of LibreOffice alongside the > >>> other software and crapware they include in their new computers? They > >>> typically "give" a working version of Microsoft Works (no time limit, > >>> but a limited software), as well as a trial version of Microsoft office > >>> (a very good software that won't work after 60 days). I am sure that an > >>> installation of LibreOffice (a very good software that will work all the > >>> time) alongside that would help a lot to penetrate the market. > >> > >> Hi Michael, > >> > >> I'm not sure this would be possible right now. Microsoft doesn't only > >> make it easy and "rational" for the OEM's to put MSO on their systems > >> but they actively campaign against having competing software on the > >> system. I've even heard that Microsoft often has it as part of their > >> agreement with OEM's that they will not have pre-install competing > >> software. I don't know how prevalent it is but I was told this by > >> someone in the executive suite of at least one major OEM whom I trust. > >> > >> What I *could* see happening, and where I think OOo missed the boat, is > >> boxed sales. I still believe their is room for us on store shelves. For > >> example, I was at Walmart the other night and checked the software isle > >> out. There was Microsoft Office and that was it. I know there is one > >> other that Walmart carries that I can't remember the name of but it > >> doesn't hardly sell at all because of compatibility issues I've been told. > >> > >> I think LibO should work to get on store shelves. Keep the open source > >> ideal but use the money from boxed sales to fund the foundation and > >> future development. Definitely a HARD path to travel but one I think is > >> totally doable if we work hard enough and do a few other things. > > > > I agree completely with this, however what needs to happen is to make it > > profitable to distributors. This is other leg of the type of business model > > that Ian is talking about. > > > > A distributor wholesales the software with a support package. This > > support > > package is backed up by helpdesk staff who have been through the INGOTs > > programme. The distributor purchases the media from a Foundation approved > > supplier (OpenSLX do this for the OpenSUSE boxed set for Novell), a portion > > of that wholesale price goes to the Foundation. Included in the boxed set > > is > > a manual as well to add value, OOoAuthors "Getting Started Manuals" for > > instance then OOoAuthors could be funded as well. > > > > As soon as you assign a value as well as add value then the retailer can add > > margin and in one swoop you get rid of the biggest barrier to retail sales. > > > > Same thing applies to OEM, they sell a machine with LibO preinstalled with > > media and Manual. On a DVD you lose the download size issue, so clipart > > templates, application manuals and extensions could be made available as > > well, > > packaged with a good installer with various platform versions on board and > > translations to suit local markets. That has value and he can sell to suit. > > Either bare-bones download install, (no support other than the normal and no > > extras) or the DVD with extras at a fair price. > > > > People will ask "So if we're paying for it, what's the difference to MSO", > > the > > answer: > > > > "Free upgrades forever" > > Re: retail sales. > > However, we do have to be careful not to alienate users who will later > find out that the distro is a free download. They would need some kind > of great value for their money .. as you said support package; clipart; > manual etc. This would obviously require creating a worldwide helpdesk > system. I am not quite sure if this would satisfy this user who would > have paid at the retail level even with all of the perks. > > If you consider the amount of dollars that TDF/LibO would have provide > worldwide to print manuals and press DVD's and this as often as the > major update to the distro, it may be worthwhile instead to mount more > creative style campaigns such as paying OEM's to print the TDF/LibO logo > with short offer of the download of the free software; a sticker banner > that users could stick on their brand new box with the LibO site address > and download instructions; something that looks like an on-line dating > service "Call me and we can get together over a nice cup of LibO" etc. > This may be a better way or an additional way of creating user and brand > awareness. > > Marc > >
I have another idea. I see on all French distributors in the "magazine" section magazines specialised with a specific distribution ( Fedora or OpenSuse or ubuntu etc ... ). These provide one CD or DVD with the distro, some additional packages. The content of the magazine is always a basic explanation of the installation, use etc ... Why couldn't we do the same for LibO ? These magazines costs only about 9€ ... Which I don't know what's the equivalent in dollars sorry ! But if they can do it with distros, maybe we can do it with a CD containing the libO suite, and some softwares from our future partners ? This is a way to show some visibility without the "formal" and "usually expensive" Microsoft way to sell his own suite. I think people could really be interested about it. -- E-mail to [email protected] for instructions on how to unsubscribe List archives are available at http://www.libreoffice.org/lists/marketing/ All messages you send to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted
