Re: Resurrecting LA Press/Media team?
Arjen Lentz via linux-aus <[email protected]> Sat, 07 Feb 2026 20:24:06 +1000
| Newsgroups | gmane.linux.australia |
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| Message-ID | <[email protected]> |
--===============0885445995673721846== Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=----74R7U46FGIEO9VNXJXIE5NP5RNOJYV Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ------74R7U46FGIEO9VNXJXIE5NP5RNOJYV Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi Russell On February 7, 2026 3:27:51 PM GMT+10:00, Russell Coker wrote: >https://flounder.linux.org.au/2026/02/07/feb-2026-meeting-report/ > >This is a blog post briefly summarising some of the discussions at the mee= ting >today. > >One thing that might be of particular interest to members of this list is = the >discussion about having a LA subcommittee for promoting Linux. We have MS >communicating with journalists to make sure that their stuff gets mentione= d, >maybe we could try to compete in that area. Interesting idea. Long ago in this very galaxy, LA used to have a Press team, approx between = 2004 and 2007. Some of the people involved at the time were Pia, Rusty, Mic= hael Davies, and myself. There were others. We even got press/media trainin= g from an external person, which was very useful. We responded to issues in the press, did parliamentary submissions, and hel= ped LCA organisers with press releases. From OSIA (Open Source Industry Australia) we did something similar, taking= the business angle, noting the benefits of open source to Australian busin= esses and our economy. I think it was useful, and I'm still sad that the LA press team wasn't con= tinued at the time. While times have changed, I think that there could be a= great benefit to having such a team again. They could respond and initiate= as deemed necessary, as well as acting as a point of call for media people= in case they want a quote or are looking for expertise. I think it makes sense for such a to promote open source in general, rather= than only Linux. Just like Everything Open does. I also think that we shouldn't specifically go after Microsoft, or any othe= r particular vendor or product. I know you didn't suggest that, but best if= it's explicitly stated now. Strategically, it's best to not be directly compared as people always find = something they don't like. Asymmetric competition (in our case, promotion) = is usually much more effective and also cannot be easily countered. The big question is of course, who would have time to do this. Having a tea= m means that the load can be spread out, but there will be a load and often= at very short notice. All of the instances I described above have a very s= hort window of opportunity, and then the world has moved on. I might know some wise people who might be willing to do this... Perhaps ot= hers do too. While I can't commit to it myself right now, I'd be happy to assist and adv= ise as I do have experience with some aspects. I haven't done things like p= arliamentary submissions though. While it's unlikely you'd get Pia on the team, she might be willing to do a= coaching session, which would be awesome. My 3c (inflation) Regards, Arjen. --=20 Message protected by MailGuard: e-mail anti-virus, anti-spam and content f= iltering.https://www.mailguard.com.au/mg ------74R7U46FGIEO9VNXJXIE5NP5RNOJYV Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE html><html><body><div dir=3D"auto">Hi Russell<br><br>On February = 7, 2026 3:27:51 PM GMT+10:00, Russell Coker wrote:<br>>https://flounder.= linux.org.au/2026/02/07/feb-2026-meeting-report/<br>><br>>This is a b= log post briefly summarising some of the discussions at the meeting<br>>= today.<br>><br>>One thing that might be of particular interest to mem= bers of this list is the<br>>discussion about having a LA subcommittee f= or promoting Linux.=C2=A0 We have MS<br>>communicating with journalists = to make sure that their stuff gets mentioned,<br>>maybe we could try to = compete in that area.<br><br>Interesting idea.<br><br>Long ago in this very= galaxy, LA used to have a Press team, approx between 2004 and 2007. Some o= f the people involved at the time were Pia, Rusty, Michael Davies, and myse= lf. There were others. We even got press/media training from an external pe= rson, which was very useful.<br><br>We responded to issues in the press, di= d parliamentary submissions, and helped LCA organisers with press releases.= <br>From OSIA (Open Source Industry Australia) we did something similar, ta= king the business angle, noting the benefits of open source to Australian b= usinesses and our economy.<br><br><br>I think it was useful, and I'm still = sad that the LA=C2=A0 press team wasn't continued at the time. While times = have changed, I think that there could be a great benefit to having such a = team again. They could respond and initiate as deemed necessary, as well as= acting as a point of call for media people in case they want a quote or ar= e looking for expertise.<br><br>I think it makes sense for such a to promot= e open source in general, rather than only Linux. Just like Everything Open= does.<br><br>I also think that we shouldn't specifically go after Microsof= t, or any other particular vendor or product. I know you didn't suggest tha= t, but best if it's explicitly stated now.<br>Strategically, it's best to n= ot be directly compared as people always find something they don't like. As= ymmetric competition (in our case, promotion) is usually much more effectiv= e and also cannot be easily countered.<br><br><br>The big question is of co= urse, who would have time to do this. Having a team means that the load can= be spread out, but there will be a load and often at very short notice. Al= l of the instances I described above have a very short window of opportunit= y, and then the world has moved on.<br><br>I might know some wise people wh= o might be willing to do this... Perhaps others do too.<br><br><br>While I = can't commit to it myself right now, I'd be happy to assist and advise as I= do have experience with some aspects. I haven't done things like parliamen= tary submissions though.<br>While it's unlikely you'd get Pia on the team, = she might be willing to do a coaching session, which would be awesome.<br><= br>My 3c (inflation)<br><br>Regards,<br>Arjen.</div></body></html><br><p>Me= ssage protected by MailGuard: e-mail anti-virus, anti-spam and content fil= tering.<br /><a href=3D"https://www.mailguard.com.au/mg">https://www.mailgu= ard.com.au/mg</a></p> <!-- MailGuard Message ID: 698712ceb30a1d - use this number for reporting -= -> <br> <br>= ------74R7U46FGIEO9VNXJXIE5NP5RNOJYV-- --===============0885445995673721846== Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline _______________________________________________ linux-aus mailing list [email protected] https://lists.linux.org.au/mailman/listinfo/linux-aus To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to linux-aus-unsubscribe-cunTk1MwBs8iFSDQTTA3OBCuuivNXqWP@public.gmane.org --===============0885445995673721846==--