Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 00:00:34 -0500 (CDT) From: Frank Pawlak <fpawlak@execpc.com> To: jdn@acp.qiv.com Cc: fpawlak@execpc.com, toor@dyson.iquest.net, brett@lariat.org, mike@smith.net.au, dshanes@personalogic.com, hackers@FreeBSD.ORG, freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re[4]: Fw: Your Article "Freeware: The Heart & Soul of the Internet" Message-ID: <199804100500.AAA00323@darkstar.connect.com> In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.3.96.980409221918.1386A-100000@acp.qiv.com>
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Jay Nelson <jdn@acp.qiv.com> wrote: > On Thu, 9 Apr 1998, Frank Pawlak wrote: > > >Jay Nelson <jdn@acp.qiv.com> wrote: > >> On Thu, 9 Apr 1998, John S. Dyson wrote: > >> > >> [snip] > >> > >> >The problem with FreeBSD, is that people working on FreeBSD are > >> generally > >> >older, and find evangelism to be painful. Also, people using > FreeBSD > >> >are busy using it, as opposed to worshipping it. > >> > > >> >How do we (really) deal with this? > >> > >> I suggest we don't evangelize, per se > >> > > > >Oh but we must!! > > I'm not convinced we must. The evangelical furor is normally > associated with the more inexperienced "true believers" than mission > critical. How do you wish to define evangelization? If you want to spread the word you need a mouth piece. Either way you cut it you evangelize to some degree. > > >> I agree that most of use are > >> older -- and it appears that most of use deal with real clients in > the > >> real world. The cost of an OS is the scheme of the commercial world > is > >> not a deciding factor. Support and reliability is a major factor. > > > >You hit on a key fact here and that is support. Please don't take > what > >I am going to say as a criticism. Because FreeBSD users are older > and > >thus more experienced I think it is often taken for granted that > every > >user is at the same level of expertise, which is simply not the case. > >Further there is an attitude and in some ways correctly so that RTFM > is > >the order of the day. There is a lot of truth to the addage that > give a > >man a fish and you will have to feed hin forever, but teach him to > fish > >and he will be able to feed himself. However, I have noticed some > >seemingly stupid guestions that go unanswered or ignored completely. > I > >have asked several of these myself even after RTFM.... and just > didn't > >get it so to speak. I am guilty of the terse answer RTFM mind set, > and > >I had a lady administer a public flogging to me on this mailing list > >this past week because of it. > > I don't think it is taken for granted that all users are experienced > as much as lack of time or experience of those on the list. For > example, I see a number of questions go by about sound cards. I don't > use sound cards, so I have nothing to contribute. I was thinking in terms of some very elementry install questions. Yes most of these -- how do I install FreeBSD -- don't deserve on answer. However, as the user community grows, especially in corporate, support becomes critical. In the corporate world they are always looking for who is going to take the bullet when the wheels come off. Why do you suppose IBM was so domininant in Mainframes when it was well known that Burroughs had better technology. IBM was there to take the heat when things went to hell, and Burroughs would shine around at their leasure. > > > >It is understandable that the population of the newsgroup and mailing > >lists are busy, but to reach the newbe and a larger user community > more > >patience with the user whose UNIX knowledge is at the orangutan level > >will be required. I have worked in the computer user industry for > many > >years, and the one thing that I realized early on is the UNIX scares > the > >hell out of most people. It has a reputation for be criptic, etc. > What > >I would propose would be some volunteers to take these questions and > >patiently answer them to maintain user retention, and don't let them > >slip off to Linux becuse of the mis-apprehension that it is better > >supported. And that belief is out there partialy because of the > volumes > >of books on the shelves devoted to Linux, most of which are nothing > more > >than a statement of environmental waste in all the trees destroyed to > >provide the paper for them. > > I can't really disagree -- but the recognition that counts comes from > corporate -- not the user. Corporate doesn't read the Linux books and > doesn't really care how cryptic and OS may be. I don't think Unix will > ever make inroads on the desktop, largely because of the perceptions > you mention until there is a clear corporate reason to do so. Oh yea, what about the developer that needs the power, they are going to get what they want (need). That is a pretty good user group to have in camp in my not so humble opinion ;-) > > As far as the newbie goes, I don't have a good suggestion. A multiuser > system is inherently more complex than a single user executive. It > requires more of a user who wants to enjoy the benefits. Many don't > want to invest the effort. > > >Overall I believe that the support offered for FreeBSD is of a higher > >quality that that of the Linux newsgroups. There is a lot of > bulljive > >passed for expertise on their NGs. So we have a strong base to build > >upon. We have a pedagree UNIX -- oops -- with a rich heritage not a > >clone. Some marketing and market presence will get the word out. No > >reason for FreeBSD to take the back seat to any OS. We have a great > >story to tell. > > The consideration comes down to whom we wish to appeal (and even why > we want to appeal.) I think an appeal to corporate via press releases > and trade rags is the best approach. A necessary approach in any case! Frank > > -- Jay > > >----------------snip > >> > >> What I suggest is this: > >> > >> First -- Jordan -- since you're the main man in this, put the > pencil > >> to the paper and figure out what it would cost to mount a program > of > >> professional news releases -- including customer profiles. Look at > the > >> number of CD-ROMS sold and divide cost by CDs and add to CD cost. > Look > >> at the newsletter and consider subscription. Most of us can afford > >> some extra bucks and would be happy to spend it for the > credibility. > >> Think in terms of two to three times per month for the news > releases. > >> > >> Second: poll the rest of us for contributions. Many of us are using > >> FreeBSD in production environments. (Yeah, I'll volunteer -- even > >> though I can't write worth a plug nickle.) > > > >I'll go along with this. I can't code but would be willing to do my > >part. > > > > > > > >To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > >with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message > > > > -- Jay To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message
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