by redmail.netbsd.org with SMTP; 22 Feb 1999 14:32:49 -0000
	by beer.org (8.8.8/8.8.8) with SMTP id HAA13345;
	Mon, 22 Feb 1999 07:32:31 -0700 (MST)
Message-Id: <199902221432.HAA13345@beer.org>
To: Michael Graff <explorer@flame.org>
Cc: current-users@netbsd.org, netbsd-users@netbsd.org,
        netbsd-advocacy@netbsd.org
Subject: Re: Community Issues ** LONG ** 
From: Herb Peyerl <hpeyerl@beer.org>
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Content-ID: <13342.919693950.1@lager>
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 07:32:30 -0700

Michael Graff <explorer@flame.org>  wrote:
 > Matthew Jacob <mjacob@feral.com> writes:
 > > In my opinion Herb has shown some of these skills.
 > 
 > Agreed.  Herb has done a good job in what has happened, but it would
 > be nice to see far more work done there.  I suspect it is a matter of
 > time constraints, which everyone can understand.

[conspicuously leaving those two comments visible. :-) ]

Thanx guys.  Since this directly addresses me I'm going to answer it
in these forums even if I don't think it's wholly appropriate.

But you've basically pinned it on the nose.  I have no special training
in the PR area (other than having dated a PR person for a year) so I've
basically sort of been doing what I think seems logical but there's so
much left to improve.  It really is a time issue with me.  I've had some
help from a few others with things and frankly, David Brownlee is a huge
asset for "just taking care of" making the website an active thing. 

Things we do regularly or things we have done:

	- whenever we add a new port or significant feature, send a
	  press-release to -announce, slashdot.org and freshmeat
	- coordinate some talks and conferences
		- New Orleans
		- BayLisa
		- O'Reilly Opensource day
		- DefCon
		- TheBazaar
	- setup -advocacy list
	- coordinate with some potential t-shirt folks
	- make sure communications with 'core' get answered and dealt with.
	- setup a "NetBSD in the news" section on the www site and collect
	  occurences of NetBSD appearing in magazines and trade-rags.
	- archive NetBSD devotionalia whenever possible
		t-shirts
		CD's
		system bezels
		magazine/newspaper articles
	- find www sites where FreeBSD/Linux are mentioned and try to get
	  NetBSD mentioned as well.
	- increase presence in rc5 contest on distributed.net.
		(from 64th place to 31st place in 5 months)
	- coordinate interviews with magazines

Things that need to be done:

	- actively produce material for Daemonnews
	- contact mags/trade-rags and make them aware of our presence.
	- pro-actively submit articles in various trade-rags.
	- more evangelizing
	- get commercial/3rd party vendors to do more advertising for us.
		- apple
		- integrators
		- etc
	- make more devotionalia
	- more wandering the net and getting NetBSD mentioned where FreeBSD
	  and Linux are.
	- More press-releases
	- coordinate install parties.
	- New logo/typeface and graphics

This needs volunteers who will actually stick with it, be dedicated, and
form a real PR department.  I'm about sucked-dry as it is.