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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Re: KDE Mindshare (or the lack thereof)
From:       Michael Reiher <michael.reiher () gmx ! de>
Date:       1999-03-05 14:22:52
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uwe@uwix.alt.na wrote:
> 
> On Thu, 4 Mar 1999, Kurt Granroth wrote:
> 
> > GNOME has dominant mindshare for Open Source desktop environments among
> > everybody but those who are currently using KDE.  Most non-geeks that
> > are just hearing about Linux for the first time now think that GNOME is
> > the *only* innovative DE.  Many have never even *heard* of KDE.. much
> > less consider it.
> 
> This is somehow America-centric. In Europe 'Unix Desktop' means KDE.
> Here in Southern Africa the whole Linux community (including the
> Linux professionals) are very much RH. Nonetheless, KDE is their
> desktop of choice. The whole time I have been the KDE representative
> for Africa I got one (1!) African email bashing KDE and favouring
> GNOME.
Yea, right! Germany or Europe is not the problem. The Problem is the
RedHat dominated US American market. And as often proven America has a
BIG influence on the information technology all over the world. So itīs
worth dicussing it even though America-centric. We have to get a foot
into the door, there!
> 
> And still, Kurt has a point here. Mindshare is important, and
> mindshare in America is especially important. As I understand
> it Robert Williams just gave an interview about KDE which will be
> on InfoWorld on Monday. PC World asked him for another one. So,
> maybe things are getting rolling? At least a bit.
> 
> It has been a shame that we couldn't manage to get out the
> press-release about KDE 1.1! That must never happen again.
> For the next release we must fix that in advance.

Very good Point! What about taking the 1.1.1 Release to promote KDE,
especially in the US? But we have to make a plan before of what
information we want to bring out to and to what audience.

[cut]
> Instead I would suggest to make our list of representatives who are
> willing to give interviews, talks,... more prominent on our web pages.
> A somewhat bigger link on our front page ('Need an interview?') to the
> page with the representatives would be better. And, of course, we need
> more people doing things like that in the States.
> 
> >       KDE needs SlashDot.  What would be best is to somehow get a KDE-friendly
> >       editor, there (there are quite a few GNOME friendly ones).  These
> >       editors decide what gets posted and if they don't like KDE, KDE doesn't
> >       pop up.
> 
> I won't argue here about us needing /. (though I don't think so). Point
> is, we won't get more coverage on /. /. is completely biased towards GNOME
> by means of ideology as well as money.
Iīm also not sure if we really need /. . What we really need is coverage
in US American magazines. And there besides longer articles little
scraps in the news corners, to bring us in mind again and again.
Wouldnīt it be possible to translate (and update if neccessary) the
wonderful articles from Torben and Reggie and publish them? KDE has to
be pushed to the people, most wonīt investigate it themself!
> 
> [ snip ]
> 
> > To combat this, we MUST communicate to the outside world better.
Thatīs the point!

> 
> Let's talk more about KOffice, KOM, Open Parts.
Right!

Michael

-- 
Michael Reiher  
     Student at Dresden University of Technology
          Department of Computer Science
               email: michael.reiher@gmx.de

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