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["Ricardo Izquierdo" <odracir_redwolf AT linuxmail.org>]

----- Original Message -----
From: Eric Schabell <eschabell AT sourcemage.org>
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 13:33:16 +0200
To: sm-discuss AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [SM-Discuss] Marketing SMGL: Competitors and differences? 
Helpneeded

> On Mon, Apr 26, 2004 at 01:34:05AM +0200, Jaanus Heeringson wrote:
> > So I'm at it again, burning the midnight oil.
> > 
> > I have recently read a lot of different articles about Linux in general 
> > to try and get a grip on the "feel" out there, and this is some things i 
> > found out:
> > 
> I have been around since before SMGL existed, so will try to say a few
> things inbetween here and you can take them for what you think they are
> worth:
> 
> > 3. A lot of the intermediate users are very tired of choise. They simply 
> > don't want to research at every corner to install the appropriate stuff 
> > (which MTA, DNS etc) and are asking for a "preferred setup". This maby 
> > don't concern us yet, but it might in the future.
> > 
> A basic right we have always tried to keep in Source Mage is that it is
> about choice. Whenever we were confronted with a point in development
> (spell creation, sorcery defaults) we tried to make the choice be set by
> the admin installing our distro. Of course we have some profile spells,
> but they are minimal and I hope they stay that way.
> 
> > My gut feeling is that in order to get some attention we will have to 
> > compete with Gentoo to get it, and since they actually are a for profit 
> > company, it will be quite a task. In my opinion we need to find a couple 
> > of point on how we differentiate us from Gentoo in a good way.
> > 
> We have never been interested in topping Gentoo (at least I never saw
> that as a mission statement while I was PL)... I would rather aim our
> distro as far away from their targets, ideas and behavioural pattern as
> possible. 
> 
> This does not mean we can't do this marketing push, but I hope that
> there will be much thought given to what we really are about (shame to
> lose our identity if you ask me). I realize that this is what you are
> now attempting to do, I just see the focus being a bit too much with
> Gentoo and not enough on what we are about.

Well I think is time to resume some things, starting with the question:
Why Debian is so popular? and not only among developers, I have promoted
SMGL among my debian friends without success (all of them are users,
not developers), maybe I'm doing something wrong. But as you said, Eric. 
SMGL isn't trying to move Debian or Gentoo from their places, but also, I
think is time to start making our own place among both distrios. Debian, 
because we have a similar philosophy, and Gentoo because we are a 
source-based distro. But, from my point of view, more reliable, with more 
choices for the user and admin, and with more powerful managment tool. And
Sorcery could be our selling flag... But is only my opinion, as always the PL,
Gurus and rest of the developers have the last word...
> I don't mean any sort of flame about your work, it is definatly a start.
> You made me think and respond so that is good! ;-) I may also be alone
> or in the minority with my opinions, but I toss them out there for
> discussion and as input into your process. 
> 
> Carry on and I watch here from the sidelines with eager eyes,
> 
> erics
> -- 
> Eric D. Schabell M.Sc. - Developer - http://www.sourcemage.org
> irc: irc.freenode.net (#sourcemage), nick -> erics

>
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