On 7/17/06, Jan Vancura <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
John Baer wrote: > > 1. https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MarketingTeam/Shipping > > Many who go to this page will perceive this as a solicitation. Buy a > sticker, here's what they look like, and here is the price. Look at how > many are already sold. It's an attempt to make the process as transparent as possible. To show where the money goes. For example, Sara had the idea of rewarding contributors to the Ubuntu Magazine with case stickers for free (payed for by the eventual profit of the action)
Jan please leave a line space, when you reply as its difficult to read the thread. TBH, any newcomer uninvolved in the community could easily get the wrong impressions. As I see it, there is no dearth of volunteers or contributors for ideas. Converting the ideas into a workable reality is the need of the hour and Sara has worked hard on the magazine which does need a team to get the work done once all basics are in place. Once the magazine / SU has kick-started we can further discuss if we still need to motivate people with financial rewards.
> 2. Use of Community Resources for personal gain > > If number 1 is Ok, then step back because Ubuntu will become the home > shopping network of the Internet. Free hosting and great tools, it > doesn't get any better than this. Where is this happening? Aren't we all using Ubuntu for our personal work - and thus gain? And isn't that a community resource as well? And there's only a limited demand (or 'market') for ubuntu promotion materials. Remember, this is intended for materials people couldn't get otherwise. If the you, or anyone else figures out a better way of supplying printed material to the community, preferably without weighing Canonical down any more, I will desist without a word.
If I understand correctly, the point being made is : If a commercial initiative like your Shipping proposal is endorsed and promoted (via the wiki or other community resources) who is to stop *anyone (including commercial companies)* from promoting their resources on our community wiki which has largely only relied on the good-will of volunteers. That is a dangerous area, best avoided.
> My views ... > > 1. It's not worth it, why risk it. Do not let this be the reason folks > question your intent. Are you in it for the community, or are you in it > for yourself. All of us contribute our time and talent to the Ubuntu > community without compensation why is this the exception. My batch of stickers is a proof of concept. I want to see if it is possible to do this as a free service to the community and _not_ lose the invested money. As of now, point not proven. I will go through this first batch either way, because the stickers are in the prints and I need to get the money back.
Anyone is free to do what they like with their time and money and its less confusing if you promote your ideas on your *own* website or elsewhere of your choice. Please understand that using the community resources or the MT to promote a private venture makes many other volunteers very uncomfortable as they have expressed repeatedly and could create future misunderstandings.
> 3. Give the team a chance. We will work through this and come up with a > plan that works for everyone. That would be great. Consider this my first version of the plan. Please do expand on it and reform it.
I guess he means the SU and magazine idea :-)
> > The bottom line, I am really uncomfortable with this and if this is the > definition of "marketing team" I know I can contribute in other areas. I believe the marketing team doesn't really have a hand in this - it should only inform about the resources available. How else would a person who wants that stuff printed but can't himself get his hands on the material? Which place is more logical to look for these offers than the site where you can download the source files? BTW, I'd only endorse through SU the material that is hosted there in source files, as in "please do print it yourself, but if you can't, we can do it for you, you pay the expenses, though."
I tend to lean toward not mixing commercial ventures with the MT, unless your venture is explicitly backed by Canonical/Ubuntu so I suggest you discuss it with Jane Silber. -- Vid -- ubuntu-marketing mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-marketing
