* Jos Poortvliet
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 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-project+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-project+help@opensuse.org