Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on April 01, 2006 04:53 PM
I don't think "free market economy" has much to do with what you wrote about, but it's a term business people often feel strongly about - and they don't mean you get things at no cost either.
"Free software" is a brilliant marketing term, largely due to it's duplicity in the English language - ranging from freedom to "at no cost". You get two meanings for the price of one. However, you must be careful WHO you address which meaning to. Secondly, there is an even better term than "free software", and this is "free data" or "free information".
Business people who believe in a free market economy are there to make money, and they believe rightly so that other business people want to make money too. At least 70% of their expenses are employee salaries, except at places where the CEO gives that burden alone. So they don't believe a free (as in freedom) software company that charges no money is a serious partner - you cannot rely your business on someone about to go bankrupt. There must be an exchange of money - period. So it's important to address the money problem up front - "Don't lock up your data - free your information! Free as in freedom software costs less to develop because of component reuse, and our support contracts are available for 1, 2 or 3 years at affordable prices. Our consultants takes your business to new hights on budget and on time! Be safe - be free!" These sentences hits market liberals in their core values of freedom to earn money without somebody snatching it away from them. They understand they must pay something, for a specific length of time, as long as they get more money out of the investment in the long run, either through lower costs or through better quality products equaling more sales.
Private consumers may share the above attitude, usually about important data like family pictures, their thesis, school papers, genealogy data and so on. They have one, two or three machines at home, and don't worry much about license costs. They got some OEM software, which usually includes a word processor, and buys a game or two for the kids now and then. They are a bit worried about software 'from the Internet' - you might have said 'from outer space', as the only regular thing they get from that place is alien viruses.
Academics and young people trust the Internet in the sense "you're an idiot like my parents if you don't know your way around". The potensial insecurity is managable, things should be free (as in freedom) and available at no cost or at very little cost (as both academics and young people have small budgets). Both groups like to hear "free software" - whatever meaning you intended is fine. "Open source" as a marketing term is a no-no as 90% are not developers. Try the following at any search engine:
"free games" and count the number of hits.
then try
"open source games" and count the number of hits.
If you haven't heard about free (as in freedom) games, you will still get hits. However, you must have heard about "open source" to even try searching for "open source games". This is bad. So downplay the "open source" and play the "free" part in all your texts - use the duplicity to your advantage. I agree with your last statement - I wish the first re-branding had been a joke too!
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Re: Ever heard of 'free market economy'?
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on April 01, 2006 04:53 PM"Free software" is a brilliant marketing term, largely due to it's duplicity in the English language - ranging from freedom to "at no cost". You get two meanings for the price of one. However, you must be careful WHO you address which meaning to. Secondly, there is an even better term than "free software", and this is "free data" or "free information".
Business people who believe in a free market economy are there to make money, and they believe rightly so that other business people want to make money too. At least 70% of their expenses are employee salaries, except at places where the CEO gives that burden alone. So they don't believe a free (as in freedom) software company that charges no money is a serious partner - you cannot rely your business on someone about to go bankrupt. There must be an exchange of money - period. So it's important to address the money problem up front - "Don't lock up your data - free your information! Free as in freedom software costs less to develop because of component reuse, and our support contracts are available for 1, 2 or 3 years at affordable prices. Our consultants takes your business to new hights on budget and on time! Be safe - be free!" These sentences hits market liberals in their core values of freedom to earn money without somebody snatching it away from them. They understand they must pay something, for a specific length of time, as long as they get more money out of the investment in the long run, either through lower costs or through better quality products equaling more sales.
Private consumers may share the above attitude, usually about important data like family pictures, their thesis, school papers, genealogy data and so on. They have one, two or three machines at home, and don't worry much about license costs. They got some OEM software, which usually includes a word processor, and buys a game or two for the kids now and then. They are a bit worried about software 'from the Internet' - you might have said 'from outer space', as the only regular thing they get from that place is alien viruses.
Academics and young people trust the Internet in the sense "you're an idiot like my parents if you don't know your way around". The potensial insecurity is managable, things should be free (as in freedom) and available at no cost or at very little cost (as both academics and young people have small budgets). Both groups like to hear "free software" - whatever meaning you intended is fine. "Open source" as a marketing term is a no-no as 90% are not developers. Try the following at any search engine:
"free games" and count the number of hits.
then try
"open source games" and count the number of hits.
If you haven't heard about free (as in freedom) games, you will still get hits. However, you must have heard about "open source" to even try searching for "open source games". This is bad. So downplay the "open source" and play the "free" part in all your texts - use the duplicity to your advantage. I agree with your last statement - I wish the first re-branding had been a joke too!
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