>They are really pushing the linux message, and are >more free software (in beer and freedom) than the >pre-Novell SuSE was
This is totally true and has won me over to SUSE, but....... they are really failing in terms of figuring out who the constituency for their pro-Free campaign is. Is it hardcore geeks? No, they have Debian, etc. Is to corporate leaders? No, they just want stuff that works.
My sense is that, with Ximian and SUSE, Novell has the chance to organize the previously unorganized cadre of Free / Open Source supporters amongst designers, usability people, technology strategists, management consultants -- people who advise on and play with tech but don't see themselves as command line people. If organized, these folks could be a huge new wave of Free / Open evangelists... and supporters for Novell.
The sad thing is that the marketing strategy coming out of Novell seems to be ignoring this segment altogether... and trashing the potential of the hipper Ximian / SUSE brands to reach them. The Ximian site is gone altogether now. The SUSE site is mostly just sales and support. And the Novell site is all startched shirts and no real info... certainly no community.
I think Novell has a real chance here, but just playing to the conservative side of the corporate market is not enough. It needs to use its 'free' (GPLing) approach and extend it into the realm of community building.
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>They are really pushing the linux message, and are
.... ... they are really failing in terms of figuring out who the constituency for their pro-Free campaign is. Is it hardcore geeks? No, they have Debian, etc. Is to corporate leaders? No, they just want stuff that works.
... and supporters for Novell.
... and trashing the potential of the hipper Ximian / SUSE brands to reach them. The Ximian site is gone altogether now. The SUSE site is mostly just sales and support. And the Novell site is all startched shirts and no real info ... certainly no community.
>more free software (in beer and freedom) than the
>pre-Novell SuSE was
This is totally true and has won me over to SUSE, but
My sense is that, with Ximian and SUSE, Novell has the chance to organize the previously unorganized cadre of Free / Open Source supporters amongst designers, usability people, technology strategists, management consultants -- people who advise on and play with tech but don't see themselves as command line people. If organized, these folks could be a huge new wave of Free / Open evangelists
The sad thing is that the marketing strategy coming out of Novell seems to be ignoring this segment altogether
I think Novell has a real chance here, but just playing to the conservative side of the corporate market is not enough. It needs to use its 'free' (GPLing) approach and extend it into the realm of community building.
- MS