Re: [Fsfe-uk] affs strategy [long]

[Simon Waters]

Richard Smedley wrote:
> 
> We need to think about who we should be approaching and
> how. And we need to think about those two things in the
> light of having clear aims and objectives.

One area I use to come up against was certification issues for
MOD work.

I don't know if this is an issue any longer, presumably in the
case of GNU/Linux, IBM may pay for certification if it is in
their interests. Do we have anyone involved in these issues
professionally?

However as converts those areas aren't much good for publicity
as most of them can't talk much about what they do, although
they can and do contribute in other ways.

> To a certain extent we cannot control our image

I disagree, until we are established in the public perception,
we have almost total flexibility in how we present ourselves. 

Already you are perceived as a 'GNU group' of 'FSF group', by
dint of the name, and resources used to form the group. I don't
think this is a problem, not least due to GNU relatively low
profile, but it is how perceptions are made early on.

Spin doctors and PR consultants are made not born ;)

Do we need to consider which of us makes the best spokesperson
for media events? Who looks best on camera - not prettiest but
that helps - but who is least phased by difficult questions, who
portrays the message most clearly. Part of GNU/FSF success is
RMS is a good public speaker from what little I've heard, he
certainly has a quick wit, and you can hear the conviction.

Similarly style of websites, domain names, e-mail signatures,
clothes worn, even punctuality all make a statement about the
group when you represent it. They can convey the impression of
size, authority, whatever you want for as long as you think
about it first.

Alas I fear I'm not that presenter - having done my training at
the Met Office college, and being told by a professional
forecasters that he learnt stuff from my forecasts, but he still
gave me 3/20 for presentation :(. I can wear a suit and shiny
shoes, and shake hands ;)

> Red Hat, to name one distributor, are quite active in
> (for example) the UK education market. Trying to sell
> server solutions at a county-wide level to LEAs.
> Do they want to do this on their own, or would they
> be interested in joinig an alliance to promote Free
> Software for education (and everything else).
> 
> IBM and Sun are intensely busy pushing "Linux" and
> "Open Source", for their own ends, admittedly, but
> they may be interested in alliances, too.

I think we can assume most companies will be happy to work with
you if you are promoting their products, as long as your public
profile is marginally better than Saddam Hussein's.

I got the feeling RedHat people have really bought into the
ideas as well as the technology, but I think it safe to assume
their profile is bigger than their bank balance.
 
> [our community]
> The community of Free Software users and developers in the
> UK is fragmented. We need to act as resource centre and
> voice (where accepted) for that community in order to
> build it up.
> 
> Do we also intend to host/support developers' meetings?
> Launch a directory?

I agree we should do stuff here..... I found even getting into
the fringes of Free Software development quite tough. It would
have been really useful to have someone available to say do
this, speak to him...... 

The LUGs seem to form the basis of an ad-hoc network of people,
but many of these are quite literally "GNU/Linux Users" rather
than developers.

I think the barriers here are more interpersonal than technical.
If I had a problem with autoconf I can ask in a newsgroup, and
get an answer. But I'm still left assessing how good the answer
is, will it port across platforms... Yes another forum exists
for that, and then the GNU hackers lists, but all these have to
be discovered. 

People need a relationship (mentoring?), so that they know they
can ask a quick question by ICQ or e-mail, and not be "bugging
someone", or at least at the level where the "bugged" person can
say rtfm without offending. Certainly somewhere where someone
has the time to say, yes welcome to Free Software, we develop
under this licence because... we can help set up and market your
Free Software.... etc etc.

I think people may be interested in training courses in this
area, but cost will be an issue. They are also probably
interested in meeting each other.

> [Internet]
> Should we have an affs-announce list for those that want
> to hear news, but avoid long tedious emails like this
> one ;^)

Probably....