On Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:58:41 +0200
Stephan Binner
Hello,
without doubt the current MS Windows users are the biggest chunk which we can and want to make switch to openSUSE. But IMO we are are not targetting marke- ting and development efforts to that goal enough. We have some good pieces in place or development like InstLux[1] or Mango[2] and some (rather thin) docu- mentation [3,4] but we can and should do better as others do a better job [5].
So any idea what are we missing, how to reach and help Windows users better (this can be also feature requrests for future distro releases like [6])? :-)
For inspirations maybe also have a look at what Apple and its user community are doing with the "Apple Switcher" campaign, tutorials and help sites.
Bye, Steve
[0] http://www.benkevan.com/blog/switching-from-windows-to-linux-what-you-need-t... [1] http://en.opensuse.org/Instlux [2] http://en.opensuse.org/Mango [3] http://en.opensuse.org/How_to_migrate_from_Windows [4] http://en.opensuse.org/Application_Equivalents [5] https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SwitchingToUbuntu/FromWindows [6] https://features.opensuse.org/?rm=feature_show&id=305308
One of the key factors in getting uptake from Windows users is exposure, or lack there of. This is where the -edu guys and gals can help us and we can help them. Here in the UK at the start of each school term Microsoft do a huge advertising campaign, focused on students _and_ parents. This needs to be responded to. I'm not saying openSUSE has to do it alone, but maybe we could lead the charge? When I say we shouldn't do it alone, I mean soliciting the help of other key Open Source projects i.e. OpenOffice, GNOME, KDE etc. Heck we could even solicit the help of other distros! I also think doing a "RoadShow" style marketing campaign directed at schools and other establishments (Scouts/Youth Centres/etc) would help raise the profile of the Open Source Community and openSUSE. Working with other projects in this way will generate good publicity for openSUSE and show the community at large that we are not reliant on the proprietary pimping of our sponsor, and are a serious player and advocate in the Open Source sphere. Regards, Andy -- Andrew Wafaa, openSUSE Member: GNOME / Marketing. openSUSE: Get It, Discover It, Create It at http://www.opensuse.org awafaa@opensuse.org | http://www.wafaa.eu -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-marketing+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-marketing+help@opensuse.org