Re: OpenBSD CDs design

[Wes Peters <wes@dobox.com>]

"ISC. Gerardo Santana Gomez Garrido" wrote:
> 
> Wes Peters wrote:
> >
> > It's not the least little bit difficult to sell the idea to those who
> > will listen.  To those who will not listen, no amount of clever packaging
> > is ever going to make a difference;
> 
> Nor even technical merits will make a difference for those who will not
> listen. It's an assumption they will listen to you. And you'll need
> backup (technical merits, cost, technical assistance, *trust*,...)
> 
> > they won't buy the solution until they
> > read in "IT Professional" magazines about other CIOs and assorted stuffed
> > suits buying it and getting promoted for it.
> 
> You are grouping different kinds of "bosses" into one kind. This is not
> a correct assumption. And by the way, if it hasn't been clear enough,
> I'm not claming the CD cover will be a decisive criterion for buying
> OpenBSD. It just will help (or it just won't disturb).

No, I'm still referring to "those who will not listen" (implied "to their
own staff").

> > If you think changing the cover art is effective advocacy, go ahead and do
> > it.
> 
> Oh... thanks ;)
> 
> > If you want to really make a difference, stop worrying about the cover
> > art and start writing some articles.
> 
> I think I can do both. In fact, I'm doing both currently.

An excellent approach.  Where can I buy your product?

> > But no, don't let my 8 years of experience advocating BSD get in the way
> > of your artistic delusions.
> 
> Thank you Mr. Peters. I'll try my best advocating OpenBSD as strong as
> you have been advocating BSD this eight years. And then, I just hope to
> be still humble enough to learn new things from others.

You can't imagine how often discussions of "drop the daemon!" "change the
cover art!" "present a professional image!" have come up since I first
installed NetBSD 0.8 on my 386/40.  You can, however, search the mail
archives if you really want to know.

You can also ask BSDi how sales of the "FreeBSD Desktop Edition" are moving, 
for another datapoint about "serious cover art" being the magic bullet that 
pole-vaults BSD onto the top of the OS sales list.

Some forms of cynicism are well earned.

-- 
            "Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?"

Wes Peters <wes@dobox.com>                                     System Architect
http://www.dobox.com/                                                DoBox Inc.