Re: branding debian releases
On Wed, Apr 14, 2004 at 04:29:57AM -0500, Will Trillich wrote:
> On Mon, Apr 12, 2004 at 05:58:57PM -0600, Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
> > On 2004-04-12, Adam Aube penned:
> > > Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
> > >
> > >> Well, "more unstable than the stable distribution" takes a lot longer
> > >> to type and wouldn't fit on a CD volume label =P
> > >
> > > What about "current", then?
> >
> > This would encourage people to use the unstable distribution, which by
> > definition isn't considered ready for prime time. The truth is that
> > there are tradeoffs; a one-word name just isn't going to capture those
> > tradeoffs. If anything, the right term for unstable might be "head" or
> > "tip" -- or would that be experimental?
>
> or "breach"? :) just kidding.
>
> it's important to note that the present branding scheme
> (unstable / testing / stable) is certainly ACCURATE from the
> point-of-view of the programmers and script-writers -- but for
> the public-at-large, those terms seem MYSTERIOUS and engender
> frequent explanations and lectures on this very list (enough to
> warrant a FAQ, which a debian-newbie is unlikely to locate or to
> read). often it seems like we have to dip into DAMAGE CONTROL
> MODE simply because a newbie didn't "grok" the release naming
> scheme.
>
> so maybe a "public-oriented name scheme" is worthy of
> consideration. that is, we could cautiously and considerately
> select appropriate names for the releases that make sense to the
> public at large, and:
>
> 1) not have to answer this question again!
> 2) improve dissemination of debian as folks are more
> likely to get the release they really want
> 3) watch the ranks grow and grow and grow...
>
>
> here i brainstorm to conjure up some naming scheme possibilities
> (referring to current status as of 13 apr 2004):
>
I would go more with:
> sid -- alternatives to "UNSTABLE":
- just out
- untested
> - "UNKNOWN"
> - "DANGEROUS"
> - "CAVORT"
> - "UNCERTAIN"
> - "BEWARE"
>
> sarge -- alternatives to "TESTING":
- desktop
- user
- mostly stable
- freezing
> - "SOON"
> - "NEARLY"
> - "UPCOMING"
> - "ALMOST"
> - "NOT YET"
>
> woody -- alternatives to "STABLE":
- server
- frozen
> - "SOLID"
> - "DEPENDABLE"
> - "READY"
> - "SERIOUS"
> - "STABLE" (heck, what could be more precise? :)
>
> think of names that might help the debian-uninitiated grok a tad
> more quickly the functionality and dependability of the release.
>
> - wanna go play with the latest ready-to-break stuff? try
> the "DANGEROUS" release (ooh, sounds sexy, doesn't it?)
> and take your chances.
>
> - want reasonably current stuff that hasn't been thoroughly
> proven? install the "ALMOST" release.
>
> - can't stand the thought of downtime? stick with "STABLE"
> and expect it to deliver 700+ days uptime without breaking
> a sweat.
>
> the idea would be to pick names that will make (appropriate)
> sense to people who are NOT intimately invovled in the project.
> by all means, keep the fun code names (slink, potato, woody,
> sarge, sid...) behind-the-scenes, of course. :)
>
> after brainstorming, of course, consideration of multilingual
> translations would be important; also, beware of terms easily
> warped into derogatory forms by "enemy camps" (think "marketing"
> and "spin"). but first, we need to gather all ideas, even ones
> that may seem silly.
>
> comments welcome.
>
>
> =====
>
>
> at serensoft part of our service -- after implementing a
> reporting solution, typically -- is that we offer branded
> documentation where we provide the clientele with three layers
> of printed "help/manual":
>
> "beginnings" -- gentle step-by-step for simple newbie tasks
> "foundation" -- reference-like, showing 80% of all they'll need
> "horizons" -- show off advanced features, pique their interest
>
> the naming system for debian releases could be like this. when
> we finalized our documentation name branding scheme (after much
> trepidation) both the doc writers and the clients registered
> better understanding of what was expected to be in each layer.
>
> proper branding can really line up the perception with the
> reality when your terms are cleverly chosen. and you have a lot
> less explaining to do when first-timers quickly "get it" at
> first glance.
>
>
> =====
>
>
> okay, i admit it, i've got an ulterior motive: i'd love to see a
> debian box in every basement and on every office desk. (i've got
> two of each in my own house, of course.)
>
> and i think the best way to see that happen is to make it easier
> for joe average to 1) find out about the advantages of debian by
> 2) trying it out and having it work. a friendly installer, a
> naming scheme that gets him to download the appropriate (i.e.
> less likely to be disappointing) release, readable howtos that
> are germaine to what he's interested in accomplishing with it,
> and so forth.
>
> this means departing from "we created it, and we understand it,
> so becky had better learn to think the way we do" and moving
> toward "what does becky expect, and how can we communicate to
> her that she can do all that and more using debian?"
>
> debian is a great implementation of an awesome idea. let's
> fertilize the garden and see what happens.
>
> --
> I use Debian/GNU Linux version 3.0;
> Linux boss 2.4.18-bf2.4 #1 Son Apr 14 09:53:28 CEST 2002 i586 unknown
>
> DEBIAN NEWBIE TIP #90 from Der.Hans <deb-user@LuftHans.com>
> and Joey Hess <joey@kitenet.net>
> :
> Wondering HOW TO GET CPAN MODULES FOR PERL?
> man CPAN
> Not too many manpages need capital letters. (It's a Perl module
> that comes with Perl, or at least has since Potato or before.)
> Then,
> perl -MCPAN -e 'shell'
> CAVEAT: if the Perl module is not packaged in *.deb Debian
> format (and about 270 are), the next best thing is to use the
> dh-make-perl, which can build debian packages on the fly out of
> CPAN.
>
> Also see http://newbieDoc.sourceForge.net/ ...
>
>
> --
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>
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