Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 18:16:22 -0700 (PDT) From: Joey Garcia <bear@pacificnet.net> To: phil grainger <freebsd@pronet.net.au> Cc: freebsd-advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: my two-cents worth Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.96.980420175649.489A-100000@pm3h-24.pacificnet.net> In-Reply-To: <3.0.5.32.19980420201543.007e9500@m1.gdr.net.au>
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> Part of the marketing process is making customers aware of the existence > alternative products, which is part of freebsd's problem, I have spoken to > some people who thought freeBSD was a version of linux, however most people > have never heard of it, watching people's eye's glaze over as you tell them > it emulates linux better than linux. Promoting FreeBSD to the level where a > lot of people are aware of it, could be very expensive ... I agree with your point here. Promoting a product costs money. Considering that Free Software is a worldwide thing, the cost of promoting worldwide would be astronomical. You'd have to have Bill Gates wallet in order to handle it. We need to think of low cost methods in order to promote to our target audience - instructors, programmers, ISP's, scientists, educational facilities, power users, etc. Once we figure out how we can do this, then we need to commit them ASAP if we want things to happen. > Many times, when i have tried selling freeBSD to small organizations, they > say that they would prefer to go for a better known operating system. That's because they are unfamiliar witht he product and are afraid that it might not be as good. Some people think that if someone promotes a product then it must be good. I guess it's a trust thing. > So, perhaps the alternative way to get FreeBSD recognized is through > education, promoting freeBSD to university computer science departments, at > my local university computer science department there is a lot of support > for linux, basically because its free, in a theoretical environment, > quality is usually very subjective ... This is one of the best ways of promotion. Send free cd's to educational facilities for evaluation. If instructors like it...then they'll use it and teach it. Lately, I've seen more and more private computer educational facilities that educate people about computers, programming, networking, and other computer/business related topics. Well, what's the best way to save the company money? Free Software!! Right? Well, that's the point we need to get across to those educators. We need to let them know that FreeBSD is as good as, or better, (we know it's better) than NT or any other commercial Unix. > An ASSOCIATION OF FREEBSD CONSULTANTS, this would certainly improve > freeBSD's viability in the corporate world, being able to supply 24hour a > day, 6-7 days a week internet support for freeBSD systems by a group of > certified freeBSD system admins could certainly give freeBSD the edge, in > marketing. All this really requires is some standardization in how exactly > you setup a freebsd box, and how you fix it if it dies. I would assume that alot of Corporations/Businesses are afraid of using Free Software because there's no 1-800 number to call. Well, I feel that if the FreeBSD team, or community, set up some guidelines to what a FREEBSD NETWORK ENGINEER should be capable of, then those people would be able to support FreeBSD in the corporate world. Basically, FreeBSD might be free....but ya gotta pay for the support. ;) (Hey gotta feed the wife can kids somehow right?) Although, in order to be fair and a bit more united, maybe make it a BSD NETWORK ENGINEER, and make sure that the training provides information that can cross over to other BSD based systems. I feel that a BSD NETWORK ENGINEER should be able to handle FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and BSDi. Being versatile might be an added plus to many Businesses. Also, if the Core Team, or FreeBSD Community, does setup these guidlines...them maybe educational facilities can use them in order to teach FreeBSD Unix to there students. That way they can be leet. :) > If anyone in australia is interested in forming an australian freebsd > cosultants assocation, i would be prepared to support it with some personal > effort both financially and in an organisational effort, if you volunteer > the same. > Hey I'm all for it, but I need alot more training (still pretty new) and I'm also in the USA. But, I love your idea. One of the best so far. Joey Garcia To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-advocacy" in the body of the message
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