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Date:      Wed, 14 Apr 1999 19:01:36 +0100
From:      paul@originative.co.uk
To:        jkh@zippy.cdrom.com
Cc:        advocacy@freebsd.org
Subject:   RE: More of my totally ineffective PR efforts in action. :-) 
Message-ID:  <A6D02246E1ABD2119F5200C0F0303D10FEC5@octopus>

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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jordan K. Hubbard [mailto:jkh@zippy.cdrom.com]
> Sent: 14 April 1999 18:39
> To: paul@originative.co.uk
> Cc: advocacy@freebsd.org
> Subject: Re: More of my totally ineffective PR efforts in action. :-) 
> 
> 
> > I don't think we should pigeon-hole ourselves as a server 
> only OS. With the
> > performance of hardware these days the distinction is not 
> very distinct.
> 
> I certainly don't object to the idea of making ourselves a better
> desktop platform, if only because a lot of us still use FreeBSD as our
> principal desktop box, but I still don't think it should be 
> our primary
> focus.  We simply don't have the resources to focus on 
> multiple targets
> and I really, honestly, don't think there's a lot of future in the
> desktop for us anyway, at least certainly not as a major 
> selling point.
> The server is what we do best and we need to focus on our strengths if
> we have any chance of carving out a solid niche for ourselves.

I know that the server market is where we're targetting our main forces but
we shouldn't put forward any negatives when playing "advocate". I agree we
have to target our limited resources and that the server functionality is
the thing to shoot for but it doesn't then follow that we should say
publically that FreeBSD isn't going to cut it as anything else, which is the
impression that is given when you say that we have "conceded that market to
Microsoft".

A lot of people don't see a clear distinction between desktop/server these
days. If you've conceded the desktop to Microsoft then obviously (in their
eyes) Microsoft is better for that platform. If it's better on that platform
then it probably is on the server as well (is how their thinking will go).

We should play to our strengths but not try and double guess our weaknesses
up front in a defeatist manner. We probably outperform most other OS's on
the desktop as well, the struggle is winning the PR battle not the
technological one and we should be more pro FreeBSD in all respects not
self-denigrate it in some circumstances.

Paul.


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