Hello Izabel,
I agree with you that the Marketing team should be more active (all
year round & not just during releases). I'm ready to help where I can.
Regarding marketing materials, yes, it's a little discouraging, I
pinged openSUSE on two occasions in the past for DVDs. I was asked to
produce materials locally & will be reimbursed. Well, I do not mind
doing that but sometimes to get those things done here (Mauritius) you
don't have logistics or it may cost a lot.
Recently, I got the chance to be part of Infotech 2013. It's the
yearly technology conference & show in Mauritius. Stands are extremely
expensive. However thanks to the sponsorship of National Computer
Board I was given a stand to showcase open source applications. I
grabbed the opportunity to showcase openSUSE to local fellows & some
business people. See here : http://hacklog.in/infotech-2013-day-4/
We also had Linuxfest 2013 at the University of Mauritius, during
which I made a presentation on openSUSE Project & the Advocate Program
: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_iIO_OcLk8
During both events I had no openSUSE goodies/gears. I just went with
my laptop running openSUSE 13.1 & carried the ISO images. Those
wishing to have a copy brought their pendrives. Infotech 2013 was
visited by thousands of Mauritians & I can't really count how many
attended our stand. While for the Linuxfest we received nearly 200
people for the presentations. Now, you can imagine how having goodies
would have helped showcasing the project differently.
On my end I have been promoting not just the project but the advocate
program as well. Like that you'll notice now several local Linux
enthusiasts stood up to evangelize the project
(http://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Advocates_list). We meet regularly &
discuss about things we can do locally; like helping with bug reports,
write in the blogs etc. We're limited in terms of logistics but we're
a bunch of geekos who believe in the spirit of knowledge sharing. It's
always fun showing the openSUSE box & the myriad things you can do
with, to people.
Cheers!
Ish Sookun
openSUSE Advocate
www.openSUSE.org
- Geek by birth ... Linux by choice.
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On Mon, Dec 9, 2013 at 3:49 AM, Izabel Valverde
Hello all,
I believe most of us are following the -project mailing list so I believe we should move on in Marketing too. Project decision is our concern too!
I've been deeply involved with openSUSE in the last 3 years and FOSS in general at least 15. That is the reason I believe I can present my thoughts.
From my perspective... Any contribution is seasonal and some can at least stay longer than 1-2 years. Using me, Izabel, as example, I started in the Marketing Team and I contributed until the 12.3 Release. I did not contributed to 13.1 cause my help wasn't necessary besides, quoting "Please ping the Artwork Team". On those 3 years I saw some initiatives about Ambassadors Team, Welcome Team, blablabla Team and in all of them most of the same people were discussing what should be the "rules" to start or who would take care of it... The standards were so high that neither the most valuable contributor would achive the points to be considerer a mentor or a Ambassador or... I hope you can understand my points.
Now there is a new "program", hopefuly successful one but has something writen in the wiki that I don't agree: "Are there rules? Hey, we at openSUSE don't do rules ;-) "
It looks so careless! We don't do rules but anytime possible we "start" a program or a group to talk about how to do it. Any new contributor is totally lost on how to start. #Imlosingsomething
We are marketing, we need to care with the message send.
As Marketing Team we are losing A LOT since we don't have materials to send around. Just the free will of our Advocates/Ambassadors/members isn't enough. Yes the DVD's shipment costs were really high but turned into ZERO didn't help. We became first with the $100 support idea, nobody used, poor advertise, so we erase the subsidy, later the Marketing Box, months planning and didn't happen yet. What is next?
We had a great time backing 2-3 years ago, we succeed, lots of new people joining and lots of people leaving. We need to have credibility. It is vital.
Lately I personaly, due to TSP, lost the credibility from some great openSUSEans cause we weren't able to follow our own rules to reimburse the travel costs within 40 days as discussed with SUSE and promised, so, rules? Ok, as TSP we need rules to assure the Program is able to help people to join oSC/Summit or present openSUSE worldwide, but again, with no marketing materials, with no marketing plans, with no marketing strategies, besides oSC and Summit, won't be more than a paid trip.
I've seen many people contributing and I'm thankful for have them around but there is something that I can't understand. We have people around that happened to make us proud more than once but why they are not able to at least be an openSUSE user! Did they love our community that is why they stay? Do they really believe in openSUSE? Just openSUSE opened the doors? Since we are a bunch of nice people is that why they join us? Are we failing having them around since not using openSUSE? #wearedoingsomethingwrong
My points are to show that we have many aspects to care and work on... I really hope that you can see something for us to contribute together.
So, please, stand up who is or wants to be part of openSUSE Marketing Team. If you do already just mention that you are around, if you are a simple follower please consider to join and tell us. If you just want to keep following tell us too cause your view will be necessary to keep us on track. Any contribution is seasonal. If you can be here now tell us.
I hope our Artwork Team/Partners are inside Marketing mailing list, if not please someone call them. Marketing and Artwork need to work together. We rock better together!
I'm writing now cause many things are being said from few perspectives and many decisions will be taken. If we don't stand up now we will be apart from marketing decisions and we will send for the rest of the project the idea that marketing is just necessary for Release times or advertise on twitter, facebook or G+! We must to be more than this, we are more than this.
Where we can re-start. http://en.opensuse.org/Portal:Marketing http://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Marketing_team
Please let's move and present a group initiative. We can do better.
Thank you
Izabel Valverde -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-marketing+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse-marketing+owner@opensuse.org
-- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-marketing+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse-marketing+owner@opensuse.org