Re: OpenBSD CDs design

["STeve Andre'" <andres@msu.edu>]

But don't you see...  The instant that OpenBSD does this, it loses
some of its independent flair.  It succumbs to marketing image, which
is what most commercial concerns are--image over function.

Independent and irreverent,  playful but serious, OpenBSD marches
to the beat of its own drummer.  This is its greatest strength, I think:
conforming to no external expectations or pressures,  the group has
its own principals and is true to them.

Asking for an I.T. version of the CD to placate the suits will not work.
Changing the skin of OpenBSD does not effect the philosophies or
methods of operation inside, which if you think about it, are the heart
of the problem that the suits have with this kind of software.

Open Source concepts need to be carefully explained in order to have
the suits be comfortable with them.  Think for a moment, that an
amazing number of IT managers have only had experience with MS
products during their careers.  Compare that to the freewheeling nature
of OpenBSD (and all the OS projects), and how different they are.  This
is the real problem, not the superficial design of the artwork.  Present the
use of OpenBSD in such a way as to educate management and they
won't care what the CD looks like.  Foist it on them and you'll encounter
resistance.

This is something that I don't think has been talked of much in advocacy
groups, that of reasonably presenting alternate software to entities in a
non-threatening way.  People that have had good (and bad) examples of
this would help the group by sharing their experiences...

--STeve Andre'


At 02:28 PM 3/4/01 -0500, Chris Hedemark wrote:
>Scott Packard says:
> > I agree with you Gerardo.  I *always* have to sell it to the suits,
> > and so do many, many other people in the U.S.  In fact, I'd venture
> > to guess that Microsoft is the best at selling to the suits.
> > I will go so far as to suggest that OpenBSD should sell another
> > version of the CD called OpenBSD Professional (or Enterprise).
> > Same software.  Different icon and packaging.  Maybe accept P.O.'s
> > for quantity CD purchases.
>
>Or take it to a different step.  Kill the cartoon blowfish.  Replace with a
>high quality professional photograph of a real blowfish.  Even the real
>thing is "cute" (I think they look like E.T. personally) but at the same
>time it is a more professional image that is easier to sell to the I.T.
>bosses.
>
>Chris Hedemark - Hillsborough, NC
>http://yonderway.com