Ideas for the Xubuntu desktop (Was: [TEAM] Gathering "testimonials" for marketing purposes)

[Pasi Lallinaho]

Hello Mark,

again, find my comments inline.

On 2016-08-23 01:05, Mark F wrote:
> Pasi wrote: """ That said, I don't understand how such surveys could 
> replace testimonials or how they are comparable. """
>
> What I am trying to get at is that testimonials and marketing imply 
> increasing "market" share. But, testimonials only query those who are 
> already sold -- not those who preferred a different Xfce implementation.

You are right, the testimonials are from those who like Xubuntu. That's 
why they are perfect for marketing purposes – to tell everybody else why 
they like Xubuntu.

> A survey would presumably ask people (the potential "market") what 
> they don't like about Xubuntu (why they chose a different Xfce-based 
> distro). I see it as a difference between the proverbial "preaching to 
> the choir" or expanding the target audience (maybe hearing things that 
> aren't wanted).
>
> What if a survey were included with the ISO ("test drive") 
> environment? If someone chose to install a different distro, they 
> could have the opportunity to explain what about Xubuntu they didn't 
> like? (Or, what they liked about the other distro.).

After running a survey like this, what would the expected action be? 
Change Xubuntu in order to make the people who decided to use something 
else happier with Xubuntu?

Taking the thought further, wouldn't changing Xubuntu mean  that Xubuntu 
could potentially lose some of the current users? What is the point or 
benefit in getting new users while losing old ones?

> It's just a thought.
>
> To me, I would have installed MintX if it had Ubuntu's support 
> community. You said most of what I mentioned is configurable. But, 
> it's not very intuitive. If it were that simple, why not include a 
> "make-desktop-mint" command to set the defaults for a MintX-like

Instead of making the user able to select between several default 
desktop configurations built by somebody else, I think they should 
rather be able to create their own. And they are – you can take Xubuntu 
and make it look like MintX and the other way if you have the patience.

You say it is not very intuitive to configure the desktop. What do you 
actually mean by this?

> This topic (testimonials and marketing) caught my eye because it 
> sounded like a desire to expand marketshare. But, maybe I misread it. 
> I suppose another valid way to look at it is: "Xubuntu is what it is" 
> and "we're looking for more people who like it the way it is." Not so 
> much concern for why someone wouldn't want it the way it is (lost 
> "market" potential).

The latter is more true for Xubuntu.

All people contribute to Xubuntu do it because they like Xubuntu (mostly 
as it is) – as volunteers, without being paid, becaus they are 
passionate about their cause. Considering that, I don't think it's 
sensible to think that the Xubuntu team started doing something that 
they don't believe in, just to gain more users – at that point they 
would have lost their passion.

> Anyway, I'm using it for now. I want to at least start with what I 
> feel is the more official Xfce distro. I just saw this topic and 
> thought I'd ask about marketing and the opposite of testimonials. It 
> seems like that could lead to insight into how Xubuntu could appeal to 
> more people.

For what it's worth, there is no "official Xfce distro". The Xfce team 
is only working on the desktop environment (and some related project) 
and does not favor any distribution over the other.

Cheers,
Pasi

-- 
Pasi Lallinaho (knome)       › http://open.knome.fi/
Leader of Shimmer Project    › http://shimmerproject.org/
Xubuntu Website Lead         › http://xubuntu.org/

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