[Linux-aus] Media Officer Now

[Andrew Cowie]

On Wed, 2004-02-04 at 23:30, Rasjid Wilcox wrote:
> I can't see any way that media release discussion can really happen 'in 
> public' and still be effective, at least not if one is operarting in the 
> corporate arena.  If the 'competition' knows what you are planning ahead of 
> time, it can (and will) be used against you.

I have to agree with that view point.

For all that we are an open community in the good works that we
{develop, suppor, use}, when competing in the real world we need to have
impact, and as has been mentioned here there is nothing worse than
diluting that impact but having your competitive strategy on something
as timely and sensitive as media activities out in the open.

Whom ever (or whatever group) gets the task of media relations, and
notwithstanding that they will need to be accountable to us the
community, I wouldn't seek to hobble them by preventing them from
planning and executing in private.

Pia's sentiment about what can actually be claimed is also very
important. With a community such as ours, one that is as vocal and
passionate as it is, we simply cannot stand up and say "The Linux / Free
Software / Open Source / whatever Community thinks X". It would be
presumption on our part, and wrong. As we build a mechanism to gain
feedback on specific issues from our membership, then we will be able to
present with honesty the views that the considerable collective
intelligence of our community can bring to bear. I feel that's the only
way we can be fair to the people who we would be speaking for.

AfC

-- 
Andrew Frederick Cowie
Operational Dynamics Consulting Pty Ltd

Australia: +61 2 9977 6866  North America: +1 646 472 5054

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