Re: Democracy and organisation : let's make a revolution in - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

Tom Lane wrote:
> Josh Berkus <josh@agliodbs.com> writes:
> > Frankly, my feeling is, as a "geek-to-geek" product, PostgreSQL is already 
> > adequately marketed through our huge network of DBA users and code 
> > contributors.
> 
> Well, mumble ... it seems to me that we are definitely suffering from
> a "buzz gap" (cf missile gap, Dr Strangelove, etc) compared to MySQL.
> That doesn't bother me in itself, but the long-term implications are
> scary.  If MySQL manages to attract a larger development community as
> a consequence of more usage or better marketing, then eventually they
> will be ahead of us on features and every other measure that counts.
> Once we're number two with no prayer of catching up, how long will our
> project remain viable?  So, no matter how silly you might think
> "MySQL is better" is today, you've got to consider the prospect that
> it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
> 
> So far I have not worried about that scenario too much, because Monty
> has always treated the MySQL sources as his personal preserve; if he
> hadn't written it or closely reviewed it, it didn't get in, and if it
> didn't hew closely to his opinion of what's important, it didn't get in.
> But I get the impression that he's loosened up of late.  If MySQL stops
> being limited by what one guy can do or review, their rate of progress
> could improve dramatically.
> 
> In short: we could use an organized marketing effort.  I really
> feel the lack of Great Bridge these days; there isn't anyone with
> comparable willingness to expend marketing talent and dollars on
> promoting Postgres as such.  Not sure what to do about it.  We've
> sort of dismissed Jean-Michel's comments (and those of others in
> the past) with "sure, step right up and do the marketing" responses.
> But the truth of the matter is that a few amateurs with no budget
> won't make much of an impression.  We really need some professionals
> with actual dollars to spend, and I don't know where to find 'em.

OK, let me make some comments on this.  First, Great Bridge had me doing
some marketing stuff while I was with them.  This included trade shows,
magazine articles, and interviews.  I am available to do all those
again.  GB lined up the contacts and got it all started.  If people want
me to do more of that, I can find the time.

I am not sure how effective that was.  There was a lot more marketing
done by Great Bridge that would take lots of money to do.

Do people want an advocacy article written, like "How to choose a
database?"  I could do that.

Basically, I am open to ideas.  Would it help to fly me out to meet IT
leaders?  More books/articles?  What does it take?  What do successful
companies and open source projects do that works?

--  Bruce Momjian                        |  http://candle.pha.pa.us pgman@candle.pha.pa.us               |  (610)
853-3000+  If your life is a hard drive,     |  830 Blythe Avenue +  Christ can be your backup.        |  Drexel Hill,
Pennsylvania19026