[Mageia-discuss] Mageia logo proposals and selection

Sat Oct 16 06:16:50 CEST 2010

2010/10/15 Gamaliel Lamboy Rodríguez <gamalamboy at gmail.com>:
+> Therefore, the branding for
+> them cannot possibly insert Linux or other technical details; it is more of a
+> simplified picture of what Free Software is and how we insert ourselves into
+> that. This is seen in our Core Values, where the main focus is showing people
+> that we are a Community, not a corporation, and that we care about our users.
+> On the other side we have the intermediate-to-advanced Linux users, which CAN
+> and/or DO choose a Linux OS and FOSS Technologies. To these users we can
+> introduce a branding that includes our special characteristics in the Linux
+> world and the advantages of using our development branch, etc. But Graham's
+> point still stands, that we need to define these target markets more fully so
+> we can better assess the Mageia reputation in each of them.
+
+
+My opinion is from my POV: I'm a home user, FLOSS enthusiast, curious,
+I love computers, love to read, love to learn, love to help in forums,
+but in the end, I'm just a regular-guy-not-developer. I work in
+nothing related with computers, just an administrative employee. I'm a
+dad, I'm a husband.
+
+Said this, I start.
+
+What I see when I navigate Internet is this:
+
+http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/
+
+http://www.apple.com/macosx/refinements/
+
+http://www.apple.com/macosx/what-is-macosx/
+
+http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/discover
+
+http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/features
+
+These are examples of the way other big companies "sell" their
+products. They keep it simple. They describe it with simplicity,
+non-technical language. Obviously, they are targeting people that know
+very little about computers, OS, software.
+
+Images are almost always showing mom+dad+kids (or teens) all together,
+around the notebook, laughing, enjoying. Or teenagers with their
+backpacks, and skates, cool clothes, doing things like chat, listening
+music, watching a video, facebook, etc.
+
+My point is that these big companies, exhibit their products with a
+"common people" language, showing images of common people, doing
+ordinary things.
+
+Why? because common people is the people who need to be convinced.
+Common people have doubts, maybe they are a little scare about if the
+hit a key and a program is erased.
+
+People like all of you and me, know what we want and what we need
+(talking about the OS and software and hardware).
+
+I know that I can mount a small server with an ordinary Win XP, if I
+put in it the right software. The same XP that Microsoft "sell" to
+ordinary people with nice images of the family watching Toy Story in
+the notebook.
+
+I (and all of you) don't need that a company mounting images of a geek
+mounting a server with Gentoo. Because we are not ordinary users. We
+need something, we go to Google, we go to forums, we read a lot, we
+pick the software we need, we set it up, and we mount whatever satisfy
+our need. We're self sufficient. We are "special".
+
+We won't use Mageia because the marketing team convince us. We are
+here to build it from the very base.
+
+Ordinary people must be convinced by us (or by our marketing team)
+that Mageia is easy. That Mageia will not bite them. That they will
+watch their movies, talk with their IM friends, listen music, create
+their documents, without open a console and type "dark" commands that
+they can't understand.
+
+We must make "common people" feel comfortable in Mageia. They must
+feel joy using their computers with Mageia. To use Mageia must be easy
+and pleasurable work/play/hand around with Mageia.
+
+Of course, the console will be there for "power users". Packages to
+mount a servers will also be there too. But you don't need to create a
+big marketing campaign for power users, because they know what is
+available, and how to install it and configure. And if they don't,
+they will read and learn. Because that's our nature. As regular
+people's nature is "I don't care how it works, I just want it working
+right and quick".
+
+So, I'm sorry but I agree with the people who want to target this
+"ordinary people". Because I don't think that making Mageia easier and
+friendly hurt or damage advanced users. Linux will be always powerful,
+with the right packages. And any advanced user can make "urpmi
+my-advanced-packages" whenever he/she needs.
+
+We need to attract more non-linux users. Because if all Linux distros
+have 1% of the market, and we attract just users from other distros,
+you only change the way that 1% is distributed.
+
+My respect to marketing team.
+
+Regards.
+
+
+Gustavo Giampaoli (aka tavillo1980)
+