Re: [Fsfe-uk] affs strategy [long]

[Richard Smedley]

OK, so I'm top-posting, not snipping _and_ I'm
replying to my own e-mail, but there is a good 
reason for all of this.

At tomorrow's meeting, after the introduction and
Reports, we will be briefly discussing strategy.
So I ask you to have a think about what, how and
why we're doing all of this - in order to help
decide how we are going to go about it, to define
our goals.

The rest of the agenda will be underpinned by the 
debate on strategy. As we do not have infinite
resources it is important that we are clear about
what we are doing at every stage so that we can
campaign effctively.

.................................................

Richard Smedley wrote:
[snip]
 
> [aims and objectives]
> As a group, we (affs) have come together because we
> have fairly similar aims in wanting to promote Free
> Software use in the UK.
> Our objectives may be a little more diverse, but they
> congregate around the recognition that for meaningful
> change in this country lobbying must be done at a
> national level - be that government, DfEE, big business
> or the media.
> 
> We need to think about who we should be approaching and
> how. And we need to think about those two things in the
> light of having clear aims and objectives.
> 
> Some of our work will be reactive - software patents.
> In other fields (e.g. education) we need to take some
> time to work out what we can achieve as a group, and
> then do it - simple really :-)
> 
> [public image limited]
> To a certain extent we cannot control our image - we are
> a group of straightforward and honest hackers, not spin
> doctors. Nevertheless each time we contact the media, or
> a govt department, we present ourselves in a certain way.
> 
> Our clearest message is that Free Software is a good thing
> because freedom is a good thing. It benefits societies,
> individuals and businesses.
> However we have a lot of choice about how we concentrate
> on different aspects of these benefits.
> 
> We could also think about the wider perception of affs.
> If we want to build mass support for our campaigns we
> need to think clearly about how to present ourselves
> outside the 'hacker community'.
> 
> [alliances]
> Software patents will effect the whole IT industry, and
> beyond, not just Free Software developers. We should be
> looking at connecting with the whole UK IT industry via
> its trade bodies and press.
> 
> Education - lots to put here, best taken up in the
> separate education thread.
> 
> Charities. There is no sector of business more assiduous
> in making sure it has paid for its Windows and Office
> licences. Needless to say all of that money could be
> better spent.
> 
> Red Hat, to name one distributor, are quite active in
> (for example) the UK education market. Trying to sell
> server solutions at a county-wide level to LEAs.
> Do they want to do this on their own, or would they
> be interested in joinig an alliance to promote Free
> Software for education (and everything else).
> 
> IBM and Sun are intensely busy pushing "Linux" and
> "Open Source", for their own ends, admittedly, but
> they may be interested in alliances, too.
> 
> [our community]
> The community of Free Software users and developers in the
> UK is fragmented. We need to act as resource centre and
> voice (where accepted) for that community in order to
> build it up.
> 
> Do we also intend to host/support developers' meetings?
> Launch a directory?
> 
> [Internet]
> Should we have an affs-announce list for those that want
> to hear news, but avoid long tedious emails like this
> one ;^)
> 
> Web presence - our front page should be aimed at the people
> at whom we are lobbying.
> Front page links should go to press info; FS info; community
> - for our membership; education; directory; business resources...
> 
> Anyway that's a long enough ramble (though not nearly as long
> as many of the mails in the recent flamewars on the FSF-Europe
> list.....)
> 
> - Richard
> 
> --
> 
> Richard Smedley
> Production Editor, Linux Format
> 
> Telephone +44 (0) 1225 442244 ext 5038
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Fsfe-uk mailing list
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-- 

Richard Smedley
Production Editor, Linux Format

Telephone +44 (0) 1225 442244 ext 5038