[Webcom] Re: [Marketing] web site refactoring

[Tyler Mitchell (OSGeo)]

Cameron wrote:
>> I think that Webcom should continue to be responsible for the  
>> website, and also responsible for spending the $20K budget. Any  
>> marketing people who want to have a say can join the webcom email  
>> list. (I suspect most of us are on the list already).

Lorenzo Becchi wrote:
> I think this is a great initiative but remembers me some projects  
> for the development I've seen here and there travelling around.
> I guess that if you want to give $20K to webcom you should better  
> ask them if they are interested in and what is their feeling about  
> priorities (participative approach [1]).
> Chris has sent a good list of objections and I have some more that  
> I've posted [2] before.


To me, it doesn't matter "who" is spending the money as long as all  
those involved agree on where to go.  I agree, let's move all  
discussions on this thread over to the Web committee mailing list.

Putting on my webcom hat, I was really motivated by Chris' email that  
he sent to the board last month:
http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/board/2008-December/002799.html

There weren't many responses to it, but at our next marketing  
committee meeting there was a marked increase in interest to review  
the website with marketing and targeting in mind.

I'm also encouraged by Jody's ongoing interest in helping target our  
message:
http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/marketing/2009-January/002099.html

I agree that a more targeted approach is needed and that the end  
result would be a simplified website that guides users, developers  
and business folks to the right kinds of tools and solutions that  
they need.  I have more brainstorming I will put into a wiki page,  
but follows much of the same thought as Jody and Chris.

Many on the marketing committee are also interested in helping things  
improve, so I believe it is a good time to discuss general ideas and  
issues (and objections or concerns).  No one is going to force a  
change if the rest of webcom (besides me) feels this is not an area  
of interest, but I hope we can recognise that Marketing and Webcom  
share the same goals: advance the mission of OSGeo!

Tyler