* Jos Poortvliet <jospoortvliet(a)gmail.com> [2010-09-28 00:25]:
Target users
==========
The target users of the openSUSE distribution are people who
need to get work done and want something stable and usable for
their every day needs. They are users who are interested in
technology, willing to learn to adapt their computer
environment if needed, capable of reading documentation and/or
asking questions on forums. But also people who don't want to
if they don't have to - good defaults save them time. In short,
the technology-adept computer user or IT professional who is
productivity-focused. This includes power users, developers,
system administrators but also the typical office workers or
students handy with computers. A convenient definition would be
someone who has read a computer magazine or technology website
once or twice and works with computers a lot. The default
Just a nitpick here, while I know it is difficult to define
a technology savvy target audience I find the above criteria,
that is reading magazines/technology websites, not terribly
useful. I know persons who use Linux and have a fair amount of
knowledge but mainly consider it (just as their computer) as a
tool which bests fits them and helps them to get work done, so
these people are not terribly interested in computer magazines
but otherwise fit the above description.
openSUSE does not target casual computer users. For
them we
have simplified Netbook editions and in a company they would
run a SLED desktop configured by an administrator who uses
openSUSE.
Our user wants control over his or her computing experience -
but at the same time doesn't want to WASTE time - things should
work out of the box while offering flexibility and
configurability for when it is needed. And this user is
empowered to help his or her favorite distribution - it is easy
to contribute back to openSUSE and we make sure our users know
this.
What openSUSE offers
==================
* We offer a powerful, stable core and let our community
contribute other packages and tools through the Build
Service: freedom and choice.
* We maintain our software for 18 months and allow a easy
upgrade path
* We don't jump ship whenever something shiny comes along -
users depend on our product so we only move when something
is proven better
* But through our Build Service we offer the latest and
greatest even for older releases in case our users needs it
* So we are actually the ONLY DISTRIBUTION having both
stability and a fresh taste!
* a desktop system that works out of the box with good
defaults but offers the needed flexibility and
configurability
So do we now officially promote openSUSE as a desktop-only OS?
* Easy ways to change the defaults while
administration the
system and during the installation
* A great infrastructure to build upon including
technologies like the build service, Kiwi and technology
build upon those like SUSE Studio. Thanks to our build
service, developers can easily provide users with their
software, no matter what Linux distribution they use. And
our users can easily contribute back to openSUSE.
* A product clearly NOT the result of NIH - we collaborate
and cooperate with others, providing the best technology
from around the Free Software ecosystem
* The option for commercial support from Novell by using SLES
I don think that belongs in here, in particular because SLES is a
different, non-compatible product (i.e. not just an openSUSE
version with commercial support).
In short, our philosophy is stable over shiny and
powerful over
dumb combined with innovative and flexible technology and an
open mind for collaboration.
All in all I think this new strategy approach is a great
improvement incorporating the results and lessons of the earlier
discussions.
--
Guido Berhoerster
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