Adam, I think the main problem with answering your question is, that OpenACS as a TOOLKIT can take many forms. ACS itself was never destinied for the end user. The Oracle licence made it questionable to use the system. But what is the end user anyway?
- Wants to have a website running which is capable of things he could not get at Strato (cheap webhoster with predefined scripts to use).
- Does not want to pay much more than he is currently paying.
- Likes to hear himself talking (maybe 😉).
- Features would include (IMHO):
- Bookmarks.
- General comments, maybe general ratings.
- BBoard.
- File-Storage ?
If we need to have an out of the box solution for this customer type (which is now in the realm of possibility thanks to postgres), I think it would be easier to offer these services like Philip did with his free services (now maintained by aD). On the other hand, give them an RPM which is targeted to run those services out of the box (linked from the first page, clear location of a master template {or even multiple ones, of which he could choose, something like skins for Winamp}). And make it a windows installer file too. Why? End-Users use Windows.
I could probably state something to each of the customer types, but in my impression, OpenACS will be primerily for:
-
Clients, whose problems can be solved with OpenACS .
- Service providers, who run services like the ACS offers (e.g. an E-Commerce portal for small retailers in Cape Cod).
- Nerds, who like to run a cool website.
Therefore, whom should we ask for inbound marketing? Clients. If I'm not entirely mistaken, the approach OpenACS based service companies are taking is to look at the client needs and build this into the product. So, we do have inbound marketing. Yes, it would be nice to get bboard up to the functionality of Ultimate BBoard (
http://www.infopop.com/products_ov.html). But do clients really ask for this? As long as they don't, why bother coding something like this.
Getting 4.0 out of the vaporware state should be our foremost concern {concerning the community}. Therefore people who are able to code should follow Dons streamlined efforts to get the product out. But hey, we should not start thinking about the marketing once the product is finished. Talking to an editor saying, OpenACS was released one month ago is not NEWs. Think about how long it took aD to relaunch the company, how much preperation it took {how little it yielded}. You can't just go out saying, hey look, here is my product, its so great. Create curiosity in advance, raise expectations and then deliver what you promised (unlike microsoft).
