Re: Info needed for online research project

[Adrian von Bidder]

On Sunday 15 July 2007 18.08:01 Balu V wrote:

> But its not a problem though! I would still like to know more about
> Debian, because after graduation, I want to work mainly in the open
> source industry.

Reading your questions below, it seems to me that you do not yet know what 
Free Software / Open Source is about.  Answering your specific questions:

> About publicity, I'm curious as to how you guys let 
> people know that so and so Debian products are available,

Debian has a mailing list (debian-announce) that is ultimately the official 
source where new releases of the Debian GNU/Linux system are announced.

> and are much 
> better than corporate stuff?

Debian (the project, as organised under the vague umbrella of SPI and lead 
by the Debian Project Leader) does not have a policy of comparing Debian 
with other products or projects.  You will find any number of comparisons 
(by various criteria and of wildly different quality), but they are written 
by third parties.

> Where do you mainly get the funding from for 
> the publicity?

The Debian project gets funding mostly from donations, but as far as I know 
no project money is being spent on publicity.  The closest you could come 
is that some money may be spent occasionally to faciliate setting up booths 
at exhibitions and getting people and stuff there, but mostly exhibitions 
offer booths for free to Free Software project.  (Others may correct me 
here, though.)

> And which media (or medium) are the main source (internet, 
> tv etc.) of advertizing Debian products?

The Debian project does not advertise.  There is the main website, but its 
main purpose is not advertising Debian, but offering useful information.

> Also, I'm curious as to how open source survives even after most of its
> products being free of cost?

This question demonstrates, to me, that you seem to not yet understand how 
Free Software works.  I suggest that you read up about it some more, for 
example:
 * http://www.gnu.org/gnu/manifesto.html
 * http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/
 * any good Book on the history of Unix
 * http://opensource.org/ (in particular http://opensource.org/docs/osd)
 * some of the links in this google query may be helpful:
   

Debian specific:
 * http://www.debian.org/intro/free
 * http://www.debian.org/social_contract

It's very important to know that all of these links (and this is especially 
true for the first two, although they are sometimes called "foundataion 
documents" of the Free Software/Open Source movement) are just opinions or 
perceptions of their authors.

But better than all reading: go to the nearest Linux / open-source event 
taking place near you, and talk to people.

I hope this sheds some light on your questions

greetings
Adrian

-- 
Could this mail be a fake? (Answer: No! - http://fortytwo.ch/gpg/intro)


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Re: Info needed for online research project

[Balu V]

Hi Alexander!

Thanks for the reply! I'm glad I recieved a reply, but because I had a
project deadline at hand, I was forced to change my organization.

But its not a problem though! I would still like to know more about Debian,
because after graduation, I want to work mainly in the open source industry.
About publicity, I'm curious as to how you guys let people know that so and
so Debian products are available, and are much better than corporate stuff?
Where do you mainly get the funding from for the publicity? And which media
(or medium) are the main source (internet, tv etc.) of advertizing Debian
products?

Also, I'm curious as to how open source survives even after most of its
products being free of cost?

No hurries!

Regards,
- Balu


On 7/11/07, Alexander Schmehl <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:


Hi Balu!


* Balu V <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [070627 15:47]:

> I'm a student of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, under their
> distance learning program. As part of my studies, I've been given an
> assignment to do an online research about the organization structure of
a
> business/organization to identify its functional areas and to find out
about
> the information systems used to support the functional areas.
>
> As an open source person myself, I've chosen the Debian Project as my
> organization. Most of the info I need are on the Debian website,
however,
> I'd need the business processes used in 2 functional areas (publicity
and
> custom distribution) and the information systems in use to support the
> process. All information given will be duly acknowledged in my
assignment.
> I'd request you to furnish me the required information to help me
complete
> my assignment for my studies.

Many thanks for choosing our project as the organization for your
studies.  I'm sorry, that it took so long for me to answer your mail --
I was quite busy during the last weeks due to personal issues.  Well...
actually I'm still busy, so this mail is more or less to let you know,
that your mail arrived and has not been forgoten.

Regarding the functional areas you mentioned, I recommend to contact
Andreas Tille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> for questions regarding custom debian
distributions.

As already mentioned, I'm quite busy but willing to help you regarding
"publicity" -- perhaps it would be better, if you tell me what you would
like to know exactly?  Publicity is a wide field, and by asking him some
more specific questions, you save me some work and will get your answers
sooner :)


Yours sincerely,
Alexander Schmehl,
Debian Developer and Spokesperson

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Re: Info needed for online research project

[Alexander Schmehl]

Hi Balu!


* Balu V <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [070627 15:47]:

> I'm a student of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, under their
> distance learning program. As part of my studies, I've been given an
> assignment to do an online research about the organization structure of a
> business/organization to identify its functional areas and to find out about
> the information systems used to support the functional areas.
> 
> As an open source person myself, I've chosen the Debian Project as my
> organization. Most of the info I need are on the Debian website, however,
> I'd need the business processes used in 2 functional areas (publicity and
> custom distribution) and the information systems in use to support the
> process. All information given will be duly acknowledged in my assignment.
> I'd request you to furnish me the required information to help me complete
> my assignment for my studies.

Many thanks for choosing our project as the organization for your
studies.  I'm sorry, that it took so long for me to answer your mail --
I was quite busy during the last weeks due to personal issues.  Well...
actually I'm still busy, so this mail is more or less to let you know,
that your mail arrived and has not been forgoten.

Regarding the functional areas you mentioned, I recommend to contact
Andreas Tille <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> for questions regarding custom debian
distributions.

As already mentioned, I'm quite busy but willing to help you regarding
"publicity" -- perhaps it would be better, if you tell me what you would
like to know exactly?  Publicity is a wide field, and by asking him some
more specific questions, you save me some work and will get your answers
sooner :)


Yours sincerely,
  Alexander Schmehl,
  Debian Developer and Spokesperson


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Info needed for online research project

[Balu V]

Hi,

I'm a student of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, under their
distance learning program. As part of my studies, I've been given an
assignment to do an online research about the organization structure of a
business/organization to identify its functional areas and to find out about
the information systems used to support the functional areas.

As an open source person myself, I've chosen the Debian Project as my
organization. Most of the info I need are on the Debian website, however,
I'd need the business processes used in 2 functional areas (publicity and
custom distribution) and the information systems in use to support the
process. All information given will be duly acknowledged in my assignment.
I'd request you to furnish me the required information to help me complete
my assignment for my studies.

Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
- Balu