[olug] Open Source Solution Marketing

[neal rauhauser]

  A few days ago I put out a call to this list to find out who was
actually involved in deploying Open Source Solutions. I heard back from
Matt Marsh @ Paktronix, Someone(?) at Vorteon, and Jay at RebootTheUser
- but with no detail beyond the fact that they say they're involved.

  When OLUG was young we'd get a few people who knew what they were
doing and an irregular flow of programmers and Windows admins wanting to
grow their skills. I think OLUG has grown up to the point where there is
enough of an admin population available in the metro area that its time
for the next step - market penetration beyond the traditional geek with
facial hair demographic.

  I'd like to hear from anyone interested in pumping up the market for
Open Source Solutions in the Omaha area. My first thought, given the
tough economic times, is that some sort of half day or full day seminar
aimed at CFO/Controller level finance executives would be a good place
to start. We'd want companies that are big enough to be worried about
disgruntled employees putting the SBA after them, and I suppose we'd
tolerate the bigger ones, but I don't see that market segment as a sweet
spot for *nix consulting.

  We'd need presentations along the following lines:


   Linux - its not just for web servers any more - a total cost of
ownership reduction  for a fifty seat windows shop with one file/print
server moving to Linux.

   OpenOffice - a good product, and a nice slice out of M$'s cash cow.
Someone will need to make OpenOffice CDs for Windows and we'll make 'em
available at $3/ea

  Software Business Alliance - some case studies on the true cost of
audits and how they come about (disgruntled employees).

   How to hire a unix admin - the RHCE is a nice start in terms of an
industry recognized cert but business people are concerned about the
cost of staff replacement as part of business continuity - turn over
does happen and no one wants to get stuck with a one man horse of a
network.

  Windows server migration to Samba - I think there would be some
technical staff that would turn up, or in many cases CFO == CIO at
smaller organizations

  Netware server migration to Mars_NWE - is this even a good idea? Speak
up if you've done it.

  GPL, BSD license, and Open Source economics - someone coherent has to
explain that OS != cheesy public domain and that its going to continue
to exist and improve.



  This list obviously needs some sharpening up and I'm not I repeat NOT
organizing the whole damn thing myself - step up if you're interested.





  

-- 
mailto:neal at lists.rauhauser.net
phone:402-301-9555
"After all that I've been through, you're the only one who matters,
you never left me in the dark here on my own" - Widespread Panic