Fedora

Bug #1 (liberation)
Comment #735

Comment 735 for bug 1

Revision history for this message

Simon Lugi (simon-lugi) wrote on 2008-07-12:

#735

Thanks Robin. I wasn't planning to return to this forum but curiosity got the better of me.
Just soas people know where I am coming from, I have already stated I pretty useless at computers and that is probably because I am not a detail person. I am big picture person and as a result my strengths are in areas such as economics, business strategies etc.

The point I was trying to make was that, while the Linux community have achieved great things in localised areas in the big picture of the global market its tiny. It will be a mammoth task to dislodge Windows from their current dominant position. If it were easy Mac would have done so already. A task of this nature needs clear vision, direction and above all leadership so that the resources (people, finances, hardware software etc) all pull in the same direction.

There are numerous obstacle to overcome but perhaps the biggest one is a thing called perception. Windows is so embedded in the psyche of such a huge part of the market that its going to take some very clever and probably expensive marketing to break this down. When I talk of marketing I refer to the whole package which I alluded to earlier when I referred to the 4 P's.
The Price has to be right
The Product has to be right. ie it has to be able to do the things its competition can do, it has to be visually appealing, it has to be packaged properly, the whole works.
The People supporting, selling, developing etc have to be both available and suitably skilled to meet the markets expectations.
Place generally refers to the distribution network which is a subject that would require a whole book to explain.

I could ramble on but I think the real question that everyone is seeking an answer to is what should we do next. I believe that the starting point is to get a group of very smart people together (that counts me out) to form a core leadership team. This groups first task will be to conduct a study and gain a thorough understanding of the current market environment (ie. know your enemy) and develop a plan or strategy that will focus the Linux communities energies into a single common cause.
Simon

Thanks Robin. I wasn't planning to return to this forum but curiosity got the better of me. 
Just soas people know where I am coming from, I have already stated I pretty useless at computers and that is probably because I am not a detail person. I am big picture person and as a result my strengths are in areas such as economics, business strategies etc.

There are numerous obstacle to overcome but perhaps the biggest one is a thing called perception. Windows is so embedded in the psyche of such a huge part of the market that its going to take some very clever and probably expensive marketing to break this down. When I talk of marketing I refer to the whole package which I alluded to earlier when I referred to the 4 P's. 
The Price has to be right
The Product has to be right. ie it has to be able to do the things its competition can do, it has to be visually appealing, it has to be packaged properly, the whole works.
The People supporting, selling, developing etc have to be both available and suitably skilled to meet the markets expectations.
Place generally refers to the distribution network which is a subject that would require a whole book to explain.

I could ramble on but I think the real question that everyone is seeking an answer to is what should we do next. I believe that  the starting point is to get a group of very smart people together (that counts me out) to form a core leadership team. This groups first task will be to conduct a study and gain a thorough understanding of the current market environment (ie. know your enemy) and develop a plan or strategy that will  focus the Linux communities energies into a single common cause.
Simon