Yes, I agree that it's a good idea to set the record straight. However, there is an ugly truth: the wider the coverage of anything, the more errors there are... responding to them turns into whack-a-mole. To combat that, what's necessary is to go beyond error-correction to influencing perceptions widely. When perceptions are positive enough, Fedora users will whack the moles themselves, and clueless commentators will educate themselves or lose credibility. A key way to influence perceptions is to cultivate journalists. Nobody likes to admit they made a mistake. Journalists get called clueless and worse every day of the week, like everyone they generally accept constructive criticism though. In this connection, Bob's comment was exemplary: he politely set the record straight. What I'm saying is, make changing perceptions part of the plan. Although the media usually wish to present accurate information, what they really want is accurate information which is also timely, interesting, and topical. This is where press releases can play a major role. Many journalists with 4 stories to file in the day will be happy to quickly adapt a well-written release and put it up. When that happens, you've made news, not reacted to it. Over time, awareness rises within influencers, and next thing you know, most of them will be able to write from memory that there are two Fedora releases per year for example. Or whatever branding message you wish to spread - that Fedora is high-quality, installs easily, etc. Journalists know that Windows 7 is make-or-break for Microsoft; just look how MS is taking risks they haven't before such as selling PCs for the first time ever and painting all their national websites green. The WinXP -> Win7 upgrade path is wipe and install... the same as most WinXP -> GNU/Linux installs. So journalists know that now is perhaps a better time than ever to talk about alternatives. When Constantine launch time comes, perhaps a talking point to consider beyond the great features is how upgrading to Fedora can be a better choice than upgrading to Windows 7. Sean On Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 5:21 PM, Larry Cafiero <larry.cafiero@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > On Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 8:04 AM, Robert 'Bob' Jensen <bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > wrote: >> >> I feel we have an obligation to correct inaccuracies if we truly care >> about the Fedora product and/or Fedora Project. If we do not speak the truth >> the lies themselves become truths in the minds of many. I personally care >> about the Fedora product more so than gaining 'new consumers' from the >> Windows market. Retaining our current consumers/contributors is more >> important than courting new consumers for me. If they come they come >> willingly the best we can do is put the truth out there and let them decide. >> We are going to gain new consumers even if they are temporary, provided the >> correct information is published for them to even take a look. > > Bob is right. We have an obligation to correct inaccuracies in the media. > What's astounding about this is the article, from established ZDNet bloggers > whose "beat" is Linux and Open Source, is completely inaccurate. It speaks > to several issues, but primarily this: How do two established Net writers > who cover Linux and Open Source NOT know the release cycles of major > distros? What's more -- and it's a stretch, but still arguable -- what's to > say Microsoft didn't plan its release of Windows 7 to blunt that of Ubuntu > 9.10 (and Fedora 12 for that matter)? > > Providing accurate information is the media's job. Correcting them when > they're wrong is ours. > > Larry Cafiero > > > -- > Fedora-marketing-list mailing list > Fedora-marketing-list@xxxxxxxxxx > https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-marketing-list > -- Fedora-marketing-list mailing list Fedora-marketing-list@xxxxxxxxxx https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-marketing-list
