Date: Thu, 6 Jan 2000 12:11:34 +0200 From: Neil Blakey-Milner <nbm@mithrandr.moria.org> To: Delmir Fernandes <delmir@enteract.com> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org, drew@multinet-media.com, notme@lvdi.net, bsd@inbox.org Subject: Re: /**** Open Source - FreeBSD Arguments ***/ Message-ID: <20000106121134.A68710@mithrandr.moria.org> In-Reply-To: <005001bf5827$3f906620$0200a8c0@enteract.com> References: <005001bf5827$3f906620$0200a8c0@enteract.com>
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On Thu 2000-01-06 (03:18), Delmir Fernandes wrote: > This is a reply to all of those that tried to answer mine earlier > questions or arguments. > > But first I would like to know were and how you got the message to > begin with! You sent it to the FreeBSD questions mailing list, manned by quite a few hundred people. > The main intention of the questions was to compare and point out that > despite FreeBSD is better built and it does not hold the same prestige > and fame that others operating systems do. It does. FreeBSD is very prestigious. The vast majority of the local Linux Users Group who found out I got my commit privilege (long story to explain what that is) were astounded and impressed, and thought I must be rather impressive to be involved in such a well put together and architectured operathing system. (a rough paraphrase) > Operating systems are to computers the same thing that spoken > languages are to us human. Have you ever seen someone paying just to > speak a language? I think your metaphor is flawed. At best, User Interfaces are to computers as spoken language is to computers, and even then you'll have a problem. > Another strange example would be this one: Try to image that when you > bought a car the hood was locked and that maintenance was enforced by > law to be done only by authorized dealers. Holy-Molly!!! Much better. You're right, it's terrible. I don't get your point, though, since on one hand you're attacking FreeBSD for not 'targetting the masses', and now you're saying that Windows is not the way to go. > What I tried to say was if FreeBSD marketed itself better, it would be > more popular and by being more popular would bring in more resources > to it. Got it? I agree. What are you doing to market FreeBSD better? I spend a lot of time with the local Linux Users Groups marketting FreeBSD, with good results (not just at the group, I mean, but with them). The 'masses' for us aren't the technophobes yet. We're still missing the middling adopters - we have the bleeding edge and early adopters for the most part. The way to target the middling adopters is mostly at the grass-roots level, through word-of-mouth and a general impression amongst advanced computer users that FreeBSD is a stable performer with high credibility. FreeBSD isn't for everyone (yet). 'Everyone' includes people who can't understand Windows, and find it complicated. It also includes people who find Windows wonderful, and can't imagine why they should try something else. Those aren't the 'target market', and advertising on TV and in non-computer magazines would hit them, and be wasted. > Huhm... You don't think FreeBSD is being left behind!? While jokes > about Microsoft spreading to other sectors of industry are no longer > jokes and while no mere mortal know the meaning of the word FreeBSD... 'Mere mortals' are the people described above - afraid of computers, and only knowing anything about computers through the media. They shouldn't try to use FreeBSD. FreeBSD can technically provide for them at the moment, but they just wouldn't understand why they would want to use it when it provides things that just complicate their lives. > >> From mine point of view FreeBSD is in the place where it is because > >> it's creators want so! > > > > You're right...but I think most BSD users will tell you they want it > > that way, too. > > Are being sarcastic? You've got to be. Ok. At this stage, I've realized something. You obviously don't know how things are going with FreeBSD. We're getting more users, more articles, more credibility, more recognition. We're getting them at an acceptable rate such that except for the more zealous advocates, we consider ourselves growing well, and in an acceptable way. I think that basically sums it up. Neil -- Neil Blakey-Milner nbm@rucus.ru.ac.za To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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