On Tue, Dec 07, 1999 at 08:20:59PM -0700, Miles Nordin wrote:
> 
> Is there a reason you or your company needs to write the entry?  I assume

Not 'write' no, but approve the use of their name.

>  1. we know who you are, and
>  2. we know you use NetBSD

I'd rather see us ask nicely than threaten. Some of these companies
are fighting hard internal politics in bucking the Linux trends, and
I'd rather not make their life any more hard than it already is.

Sure, we know the reasons the developers would rather work with NetBSD,
but the execs are thinking of all the publicity a "We use Linux too"
announcement may mean to them.

Helping them to understand that their _public_ use of NetBSD is 
important, is something they will only buy into when core delivers
a clear statement about the project's goals. When they can proudly
announce that they use NetBSD because it is the ___est, ____est,
_____est open source code around - and when that message corresponds
with core's announced goals, and our NetBSD: ____ ___ ______ ____! tagline,
that will deliver a real benefit. A coherent message is key.

> All I see is certain already-public information that is in our best
> interests to spread, and your company's best interest to conceal. A

We make NetBSD more well known, and it's not in their interest any more.
They announce their use of NetBSD, and we can make it more well known.

> Certainly readers here know enough to break some of these little stories
> without involving employees and angering managers?

Any announcement about a company not approved by their PR dept is likely
to anger managers.

What would be really cool is if we could build a list of companies 
using NetBSD, and contact the PR managers with the following proposal...

Thank You for using NetBSD in your development. The NetBSD Foundation
is undertaking a project to raise awareness of the quality development
done withing the NetBSD project, and by those companies who use our
source code. In co-ordination with new slogans and online resources
for NetBSD we would like to promote your use of the NetBSD source
code in your projects. We would like to ask you to consider preparing
a press release about your company and its use of NetBSD. We will
then schedule these announcements to our mutual benefit...

It would be neat if we could pick a week and release a TNF press
release on Monday, then for the rest of the week, one large player
(Digital/Compaq, Apple, ...) plus a longer list of smaller
companies each day.

-- 
David Maxwell, david@vex.net|david@maxwell.net -->
(About an Amiga rendering landscapes) It's not thinking, it's being artistic!
					      - Jamie Woods