As mentioned before we are thinking about how to gain more marketshare, a bigger community, more local support ... whatever you want to call it. Thats a good point, we also need a name for it! :-) It would be similar to the fedora ambassador or Ubuntu LoCo but most of us think that a unique name for it would help a lot. So please put some fuel into your brains and tell us what your favorite is! In this draft we are using the term spokesperson to have at least one ... (and yes, this not describes all the tasks ...).
The openSUSE Project is largely managed by Novell employees, but that's not the long-term vision for the project. As the openSUSE Project matures, we want to be more inclusive and find ways for openSUSE community members to take up equal responsibility for the growth and promotion of openSUSE.
We already have openSUSE supporters who are doing an awesome job of building a community locally. We want to find ways to assist those members, and make the most of their experience to expand to new local communities.
The spokesperson concept will improve the situation and create an environment in which the creation of local openSUSE spokespersons and teams is easier, to support openSUSE and Linux in local areas and channel feedback to the openSUSE project.
Here is a list, this is a rough draft and feedback is highly appreciated/wanted.
*Who can be a spokesperson - everybody who signed the guiding principles and is an openSUSE member Q: is this necessary? - everybody who is willing to put time and effort to support the project and Linux/FOSS in general - everbody who likes to communicate with other people
*What are the tasks of a spokesperson? - in general these community members should spread the word about openSUSE in their area, like: - promote openSUSE - dispatch openSUSE DVDs/CDs - contact to local LUGs - attend events (tradeshows, university, community etc.), give presentations - help updating the event calendar on news.o.o - contact for local community (in person, chat, mailinglists etc.) and get feedback to the project - mentor other interested people - create/maintain local wiki page for their region on en.opensuse.org - write reports from events, meetings etc on news or lizards.o.o - create/maintain a localized wiki, minimum set of basic pages (approx. 15) - maintain a localized mailinglist/forum on opensuse.org - create - if necessary or requested - a local group of spokespersons/assistants (this should address the case if more people per region want to help) - attract contributors to the project
This sounds like a lot of work. Sure, it's work but it's managable in a reasonable time, especially if you doing it for some time, and you don't have to do it alone. We support the idea of having more than one spokesperson for a territory. See the list rather as a "would be nice" instead of "have to" list. Q: How to organize this? Is it "everbody can join", do we need a "master" spokesperson for the territory, how will it be decided? Of course we support: "do and you are it", but we probably can't support 50 people for Germany for example. Q: is there something "below" or "above" a spokespersons? Do we need a (quite flat) hierarchy like country spokesperson - local spokesperson - assistant - helper? If yes there should be a definition of these terms. Q: do we need a spokesperson council which makes decision if problems can't be resolved otherwise? Is the board responsible for that?
*What does Novell provide? (since there is no decision on the budget so far, please don't nail us on that ... use them as ideas ...) - welcome box (t-shirts, caps, Promo DVDs), to be resend with each new release - special business cards (template or real) - special t-shirt - a special guide/howto to make it easier and better organized - event box (portable booth, signage, banner, flyer, poster etc.) - give-aways, spiffs - certain budget for travel - create a spokesperson day parallel or a day prior to the openSUSE conference - single point of contact to drive the program and manage travel, DVD shipment, events etc. - exclusive mailinglist for spokespersons to allign our efforts (albeit it's public anyway to get feedback)
*Benefits for spokesperson - becomes opensuse member after certain period of time and proven support and receives a @opensuse.org email address Q: or do they have to be members in the first place? - reputation, fame, pride - gets once a year a present or - invitation to the openSUSE conference
(draft by michl, Zonker & /me) -- with kind regards,
Martin Lasarsch, Core Services SUSE LINUX Products GmbH, Maxfeldstr. 5 90409 Nürnberg GF: Markus Rex, HRB 16746 (AG Nürnberg) martin.lasarsch@suse.de - http://www.opensuse.org
All excellent questions. I'd be interested in seeing how we formulate the hierarchy (for lack of a better word) of "spokesperson" per region. For example, I could see 6 representatives for the United States (because of its size) with one main representative coordinating the efforts of all others. Similarly, perhaps that main representative becomes assistant to a main continental or hemispheric representative/coordinator. United Nations of openSUSE! :-)
One question, whom do you see being responsible for designating such titles on people? Novell/SUSE or the upcoming new Community Board? It is a community position, but obviously budgeting, if any, is handled by Novell.
This is a great idea. I'm glad to see this happening. I don't really have any good suggestions right now, but as soon as I can think of sum I'll post them. My only vote is that as far as naming goes lets keep it different from ubuntu and fedora. Maybe something like Lizard... Think about it, 'who is your local lizard?' :) This does seem like a good thing for the new board to address in my mind. The point of this is to grew the community. Maybe the top candidates are ones that are members and are already involved in their local area as a first round of local community managers? Stephen Shaw (Another proud 2008 candidate for openSUSE board :) ) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-marketing+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-marketing+help@opensuse.org