Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 05:51:19 -0700 (PDT) From: "Bryan K. Ogawa" <bkogawa@primenet.com> To: hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Easy ways to publicize FreeBSD (was: Re: Where is the FreeBSD Mozilla CVS server?) Message-ID: <199804101251.FAA05497@foo.primenet.com> References: <8922056520013240000> <6494.892197906@time.cdrom.com>
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In localhost.freebsd.hackers you write: >To put it another way, we should be demanding a seat at the tablek >rather than attempting to piss on the table because someone didn't >give us a seat. :-) > Jordan This is a great quote! Here are some specific things I think "average folks" can do to improve FreeBSD's publicity: We can advertise what you can do with FreeBSD by reaching out to application developers. This can be done in a couple of ways: - If you use an application under FreeBSD, drop the developer a note and let him or her know! It's great to be appreciated and increases visibility. If possible, let him/her know a bit about your setup. - If you make a port for an application, offer to contribute the changes back to the original developer. In addition, let the developer know where to find the port (a specific URL), and suggest that if he/she maintains a page with binary distributions that a link to the port be made. Explain that for many FreeBSD users a port is even more convenient than a package. - If you have built a binary package of an application (or if you know the location of a binary package, like one that's part of a release) then let the original developer know about the location of the package. Do this even if you have a port location; more options are better. - Ask them to post any future annoucements concerning their application to comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.announce and freebsd-announce. This leads into my second suggestion: Actively ask those who provide FreeBSD products, services, and activities to post announcements to comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.announce or freebsd-announce . I have been reading comp.os.linux.announce for the past few months (to get a better handle on what's out there), and frankly, the number of announcements there is staggering compared to the FreeBSD equivalents. Many of these announcements are relevant to FreeBSD as well as Linux. A number even mention FreeBSD explicitly, but were not posted to the FreeBSD equivalents. I am planning to send email to all of the ones that are specifically FreeBSD relevant asking if I can forward on their announcement to the FreeBSD lists and newsgroup, but this is something that others could do just as well as me. It would be nice if these requests came from someone with a freebsd.org address and if they were coordinated so that people don't get 10 or 20 requests. I figure that in most cases people won't mind, and hopefully next time they'll cross-post their announcement to the FreeBSD lists and newsgroup, as well. A third suggestion: Have a mailing list for people who are interested in supporting FreeBSD, but either don't know where to begin or don't feel qualified. I think that a mailing list will help by making it clear that FreeBSD is interested in contribution from everyone, not just the next great kernel hacker, and by giving those with a desire to help something to do (even if it's just subscribing to a mailing list). With volunteers, anything that you do to get them in the door and active should increase participation, particularly something that's low-commitment. This is particularly true if the list is "friendly"--encourage folks joining it to introduce themselves and talk a little bit about their skills. -- bryan k ogawa <bkogawa@primenet.com> http://www.primenet.com/~bkogawa/ To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message
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