> On Tue, Mar 6, 2012 at 12:57 AM, Graham Lauder <g.a.lau...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> On Tue, Mar 6, 2012 at 12:31 AM, cklsynt <ckls...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> > I just thought I should bring this to your attention.
> >> > http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Office-Suite-Microsoft-Word-Powerpoint-Acce
> >> > ss-
> >> > Excel-Compatible-Free-Post-/140624633605?pt=AU_software&hash=item20bd
> >> > e19f 05
> >>
> >> This one is not using the OOo logo, just showing a screen shot and
> >> nominative use (IMHO) of "Open Office". Some odd claims, like saying
> >> Draw is "comparable to Microsoft Visio".
> >>
> >> At the end of their description they say:
> >>
> >> "eBay Staff: We are an authorized community distributor of this
> >> software. We are authorized to distribute this software by the
> >> Intellectual Property Owner. This software is licensed under the GNU
> >> General Public License and Lesser General Public License (GPL & LGPL).
> >> No copyrights have been violated and our listing is in compliance with
> >> eBay rules and policies."
> >>
> >> Not sure what "authorized community distributor" means.
> >
> > http://www.openoffice.org/distribution/#community
>
> Interesting. How important is that distribution network? I suspect
> that a decade ago, when bandwidth was less available, being able to
> get OOo on a CD was very important. But what about today?
>
> -Rob
Bandwidth is still problematic in a large portion of the world so I would
think that there is still a call for it. It does require a little work
however. Alex used to build the iso and installer for the DVD that came with
installs for every platform as well as all the langpacks. Many Community
distributors focussed on a single language with win32 only installs mixed with
other FOSS. In India the government plays a large role in distributing CDs in
specific local languages (5 million for the Tamil distribution if memory
serves. Two Indian MarCons were present at that launch they may have more
accurate numbers)
The Community distributor programme was simply a way to get people to sign off
on a few non-challenging rules, in return we would list them on the Marketing
project site and they were able to use artwork provided by the Art project for
the CDs and Covers.
A lot of unsophisticated web users are still wary of downloading anything off
the internet. They have been told by all the NetSafe types that all downloads
are full of trojans, viruses, worms and various virulent indecypherable
acronyms. Hence the valuable service that the EBay sellers and local bricks
and Mortar Community Distributors perform.
Good distribution is about maintaining as many channels as is possible.
Online download is only one. Hard copy EBay is another.
It was my opinion that we never went far enough. I wanted to have listed on
the marketing site a reasonable recommended retail price. $5 on ebay is
ridiculous when the Seller's time and effort is taken into account. I have
talked to groups of High Street retailers who installed OOo on Computers for
free and proved to them that they should in fact be charging around $60 per
install when you take into account: Download, install, first level support
and media.
First response was: "Yea that's a bit unfair though because only 1 in 20 will
come back asking for support."
To which I answer: "Yes, but that one person will likely consume most of the
support allowance for rest of the twenty."
Sometimes the response has been: "Yea but we'd rather do without those ones."
To which I respond: "The ones that keep coming back are the ones that pay your
rent and wage bill and from my point of view I want that loud noisy pushy
customer to loudly tell the world 'I got OpenOffice on my computer and the
support I got was brilliant and it only cost me $60 and they tell me I get
free upgrades for life!' best advertising going."
We have two large difficulties in the market, one: We don't get to people's
consciousness early enough, this is why the OOo4Kids project is so important
and why we need distribution channels into schools.
and two we don't have the community support networks that the opposition does
(by this I mean the guy next door, the cousin the niece, the son, the guy down
at the local computer shop) distribution channels enhance this community
support network.
As an extension for this I had a pipe dream, not sure how feasible it would
be, but I think it would be brilliant if it were possible, like SUSE Studio,
to be able to build a customised instance of AOO online. Upload templates to
the install, select languages, extensions, font sets, customise look and feel
defaults such as icon sets, upload ones own graphical elements such as
splashscreens and then build it for whatever platform you choose. A bit like
the distros do now but instead it would be for the users or distributors to be
able to "roll their own".
A possibility, who knows but it would strengthen the community networks.
